The All in One Ultimate Restaurant List Interview: Giorgio Locatelli

London’s Top 100 Restaurants 2013

Giorgio Locatelli was lucky enough to serve a four year apprenticeship at the Savoy with Anton Edelmann at the start of his career. Then again, he was born into a family of cooks, and he possesses a great talent - he is regarded as one of the UK's best Italian chefs. Of the Savoy he says “these experiences bred the special relationship I have with London. Though I also worked in Paris for three years, I had no doubt that I needed to go back to London to put into practice my idea of Italian cuisine."
And that he did, first with Zafferano, where he won his first Michelin star, and later with Locanda Locatelli, which he opened with his wife Plaxy in 2002. This Mayfair restaurant has seen the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Moss, Madonna and Nancy Dell’Olio pass through its doors, and the roll call goes on. What makes it so attractive to the A-List? “First and foremost, the quality of the food" explains Locatelli. “But also, we are quite a private and intimate restaurant, yet we maintain and welcome an atmosphere of family dining, which I think appeals to a lot of celebrities."
Locanda Locatelli’s reputation hasn’t wavered in the last ten years, and it has retained a Michelin star since 2003. What does the chef think of restaurant trends? “I think the food trend of last year, little restaurants focusing on a small selection or on one key ingredient, will continue. Places like Chicken Shop, Burge & Lobster, Tramshed… these appeal to diners because they do what they do really well and use high quality produce. I also think that people still like to know what they're eating and why they are eating it, they are interested in knowing where their food has come from, and restaurants supporting sustainable and ethically produced ingredients will remain popular."
The long hours that working in a restaurant entails means that many chefs prefer not to cook at home in their spare time, but Locatelli isn’t one of them. “I love big family and friend get-togethers, and in the summer that means laid-back Sicilian-style dinner parties in the garden. Outdoor spit-roast BBQs are a favourite, with suckling pig with grilled seasonal vegetables and a broad bean and ewe cheese salad on the side. Simple and delicious."

This article is connected to Locanda Locatelli
Published Jul 1, 2013