What do chef Gordon Ramsay and the musical The Phantom of the Opera have in common?

Shaun Curmi (right), leader of the Buffalo Carnival Company, with Italian designer Michele Giambalvo.

Nothing, you’d probably think – and you would be right, as in real life, the fiery Michelin-starred chef and the Andrew Lloyd Webber-scored hit are universes apart. And yet, they are both protagonists in one of the quirky floats that will parade along the streets of Valletta as carnival festivities kick off on Thursday.

The Buffalo Carnival Company is presenting the float Bil-ħsieb li kien festin, spiċċajna f’teatrin (Thinking it was a party, we ended up in a show) in Section B of this year’s triumphal float competition.

Led by Shaun Curmi and Jean Paul Bonnet, the company has been participating in the annual festivities for 17 years and has come very close to winning top prizes in their category.

Their warehouse in Marsa is currently a hub of activity as the company’s members and their young helpers apply the finishing touches to their creations.

“Work started in September, immediately after we participated in the summer carnival,” says Mr Curmi. “Since then we have worked incessantly on this project, investing most of our free time here.”

Carnival preparations are in full swing at the Buffalo Carnival Company warehouse.

The fiery Gordon Ramsay and The Phantom of the Opera are universes apart. And yet, they are both protagonists in one of the quirky carnival floats that will parade along Valletta’s streets

Helping them out this year is a carnival enthusiast from Italy named Michele Giam-balvo, from Montevago, Agrigento, who Mr Curmi got to know through social media. Michele designed a plate of spaghetti which features at the front of the float.

It also features a giant running wheel, lobster, fish, pizza slices and various vegetables, a pig on a stage dressed as a ballerina, musical instruments and a Pierrot figure.

The company has high hopes for their entry this year.

“We received very good feedback. Anyone who got a glimpse of our float is giving us the encouragement we need to put in our very best efforts,” says Mr Curmi.

Carnival festivities start tomorrow and run to February 13.