The London restaurant world this week mourned the passing of Russell Norman, creator of Polpo, Spuntino and Trattoria Brutto, who has died suddenly at the age of 57. Born and brought up in London’s northwestern outskirts, Russell was a host of legendary charm host who cut his teeth in the trade as a barman-turned-restaurant manager […]
Russell Norman has revealed his new restaurant Trattoria Brutto will open in September. Following a short delay caused by licensing issues, the Polpo founder will launch his latest venture at the former Hix Oyster and Chop House in Smithfield. Trattoria Brutto will serve Italian food as expected of Norman and will open from 8am for […]
The veteran restaurateur Russell Norman, who co-founded the pioneering Venetian small plates group Polpo in 2008 alongside Richard Beatty, has left the company. The news was first reported by Bloomberg food critic Richard Vines on Wednesday, quoting Norman to say, “things change”. New filings listed by Companies House show Norman’s directorship at Polpo was terminated […]
Italian restaurant chain Polpo is expected to close sites and enter a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). The once-pioneering Venetian brand, which was founded in a torrent of social media excitement by Russell Norman and Richard Beatty in 2009, owes HMRC £550,000, according to a letter sent to creditors and which was first reported by Propel […]
Just seven weeks – give or take – after Anthea Stephenson was appointed head chef of Russell Norman’s Polpetto, she has left the restaurant. The departure comes after a big relaunch, with a bold redesign and a new menu. A spokeswoman for the Polpo group said there was no statement available as to what has […]
Polpetto, Russel Norman’s “expressive and experimental” sister restaurant to Polpo, has relaunched with a new head chef. Anthea Stephenson has joined the Soho restaurant having honed her skills at the River Cafe, The Jugged Hare and Sketch, and has devised an entirely new menu designed for sharing and feasting. The chef has also brought with […]
Spuntino, Russell Norman and Richard Beatty’s take on industrial Italian chic, will open its first airport site at Heathrow Terminal 3. Spuntino has signed an exclusive franchise partnership with TRG Concessions . It means the brand can open sites in UK airports. The first will arrive at Heathrow in December. Spuntino – which means ‘snack’ in Italian […]
This week, StreetSmart revealed the generosity of restaurants and diners during their 2017 campaign has helped the national homelessness charity raise record funds. An estimated final total of £662,000 was donated across the UK during November and December last year. StreetSmart unveiled the fantastic figure at the Groucho Club in London, where the charity was founded by William […]
Hard-up London pastry fans are in for a treat in the next few days, as two businesses are handing out free samples in a burst of early-summer generosity. First, the Dominique Ansel Bakery in Victoria will celebrate the fourth anniversary of the invention of the “cronut” – a cross between the croissant and the doughnut […]
A clutch of London’s most successful restaurant chains are heading up the M40 to open new outlets in Oxford’s Westgate shopping and leisure complex, which reopens after a £440million redevelopment later this year. Polpo (pictured), Russell Norman’s tribute to the Venetian small-plates bacaro, heads the list alongside Sticks & Sushi, Pho, Shoryu ramen, Comptoir Libanais, Pizza […]
