I don’t think much about death, I find the idea of it intimidating. But I was raised a good Catholic boy, so I would choose burial over cremation.’s Adriatic coast] we’d go to the village where my mother was born, once a month, and visit the cemetery. I was just a kid, so I found the crypts both confronting and exciting, but it was very emotional for my mother, who lost several of her brothers and sisters very young. They’re all buried there, side by side.
I’ve been known to be on the punkier side of life, but for my funeral I want the complete opposite. I want afuneral, something very elegant. I’ll be wearing a suit myself – something classic, like Brioni – and I want everyone to get dressed up and feel that it’s a special occasion. I don’t want to run videos or show photos that reflect my history or my life, I find that quite distracting. When you’re at a funeral, you’re there to mourn. I don’t feel that funerals always need to be uplifting, or entertaining. There should be more elegance and formality, and less party.
I don’t know where I want my wake to be held. Maybe in one of my restaurants, but I think I would rather have it in a nice villa somewhere – beautifully decorated, lots of fresh flowers. And not too many speeches. Just one, probably by one of the kids: Sylvester, Cesare or Leo.