Strolling through Regent’s Park at the weekend for Taste of London, Hot Dinners bumped into Giorgio Locatelli, taking a break from the slicing machine at Reffetorio. He was, it seems, pretty pleased to be there.
‘It’s a lovely thing to do isn’t it?’ Giorgio told us, adding he wasn’t short of volunteers to help out on the Reffetorio stand. ‘The boys love to come – it’s quite easy to persuade them to do a day here instead of the restaurant.'
There’s been intense interest in the news that Locatelli is opening a new restaurant and Locatelli seemed happy to talk about it. ‘It’s on the Pimlico road on the site of L’Incontro which we bought out from Mr Santini. Two of my boys who have been with me for 12 years – brothers – the fratelli Sali - are going to take it over and run it as their own place.' That’s Locatelli’s former Head Chef, turned Operations Director Federico Sali and his brother, Locanda Locatelli’s current award-winning sommelier Massimiliano.
So are the brothers opening it as part of the Locatelli empire? ‘We financed it,’ Giorgio told us. ‘They didn’t have the money yet, so we had to help them out. We’ll see how it goes'
As for the opening date – 'It’s between six and eight weeks away', according to Locatelli. ‘It’s all go!’
Update: Locatelli's PR has confirmed to Hot Dinners that the name of the restaurant will be Tinello. According to a press release issued today, 'Tinello, meaning ‘the dining area in a family kitchen’, will have an informal atmosphere and with 45 covers in the main dining area, the space will be intimate and relaxed. The brothers hail from Tuscany and their traditional culinary upbringing will naturally influence much of the menu.'
For more, view our regularly updated section on New and upcoming London restaurants.
