Lattanzi with his daughter. (AP)

Rome, Nov. 29 (AP): An Italian cook is being praised for bringing milk to his six-month-old daughter who was trapped inside the Oberoi.

Emanuele Lattanzi, a chef, joined soldiers battling militants in the hotel to find his wife and daughter.

All major Italian dailies splashed front-page photos today of Lattanzi carrying Clarice from the hotel yesterday.

Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini praised him for his “courageous act” and televisions repeatedly interviewed the shy and exhausted-looking cook.

Lattanzi said on TV that he was working in the kitchen on Wednesday when gunmen entered the Oberoi. The restaurant staff and customers managed to escape through an emergency exit, but the chef realised his wife and daughter had been left behind because they were asleep in their room.

“I found myself outside the Oberoi and I immediately called my wife, who was still inside. They wouldn’t let me in, there was nothing I could do.”

As the siege of the hotel continued, Lattanzi received frantic text messages from his wife, who said she had no more milk to feed the child, and the cook pleaded to be let in with some powdered milk.

“They let me in (on Friday) morning, covered by these soldiers,” Lattanzi said. “They escorted me to the door of the child’s room.”

Later in the day, authorities said they had killed the last two gunmen in the Oberoi and Lattanzi walked out carrying the infant, still wearing the white chef’s uniform he had on when the attack began.

“She is well, I had a paediatrician check her out,” he said. “When I realised all of us were safe I shed tears of joy.”