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<td colspan="2"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>My Village interviews
Aldo Zilli 4/05/01</b></font></td>
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<p><font size="1">It's hard to ignore Aldo Zilli. <br>
<br>
London's most famous Italian chef seems to pop up around every corner;
newspaper columns, radio shows, he appears regularly in various
shapes and forms on the Carlton TV network, and as for awards and
accolades, I won't even begin to bore you with the list�.but his
CV is fat with achievements and there's no doubt about it; here
is a very successful man-about-town. <br>
<br>
But it wasn't until Aldo presented an award at the My Village awards
ceremony, and his face began beaming at me from every bookshop window
recently with the release of his third cookbook<i> Foolproof Italian
Cookery</i> that myself and the celebrity news editor Nadia decided
we couldn't ignore this infamous restaurant rascal any longer. <br>
<br>
There's been a lot written and said about Aldo and his notorious
ways with the rich and famous, but we decided to get to know him
better ourselves.<br>
<br>
So, we took ourselves down to Soho to meet Aldo at Zilli Fish on
Brewer St. We were escorted by Aldo himself through his office and
we stationed ourselves at his desk, where I spy a well-thumbed copy
of <i>The Little Book of Calm</i>. <br>
<br>
We begin to chat, (after he'd first grabbed the dictaphone to his
lips and crooned "hi my name is Aldo Zilli and I'm really good-looking")
and start by talking about what his day consists of, which - despite
popular belief - doesn't involve swanning around London attending
parties, openings and any other number of fun events every day,
although Aldo openly confesses that he loves parties, and would
"attend the opening of an envelope." <br>
<br>
As we talk he flicks absent-mindedly through<i> The Little Book
of Calm.</i> <br>
<br>
"My day consists of once or twice a month I go to the fish market
in Billingsgate to check the prices and to see what's going on (flick
flick). But on a daily basis I just come in and go to the kitchens
and start to work on the daily menus. I get very involved, I like
to create my own food and do my own thing," he says, (flick flick).
<br>
<br>
"What's with the book?" I ask suddenly. Aldo bursts out laughing
with his incredibly infectious, trademark giggle, and says he "gets
calm just by holding it."<br>
<br>
From then on, Aldo switches between talking in deadly serious tones
about food, giggling and flexing his legendary sense of humour and
telling a few of his favourite restaurant tales. <br>
<br>
His recent involvement in Cape Town where he was filming <i>Three
Chefs in the Cape</i> with Ross Burdin and Alan Coston for the Carlton
Food Network has inspired him to think about taking his brand to
South Africa, where, he says, he can't walk down the street without
being recognised. <br>
<br>
"Actually, it's just an excuse to get out of England in January
and February when it's really boring here and it's 40 degrees there,"
he says. <br>
<br>
The history of the Zilli Empire began in 1988 when he bought the
first of his now five-strong restaurant group in Dean St, Soho.
After Signor Zilli he followed next door in 1993 with the bar Signor
Zilli Bar. Zilli Fish (Brewer St) followed in June 1997 and last
year saw the opening of Notting Hill's Zilli and finally Zilli Fish
Too opened this year in Covent Garden and, this week the Z pizza
bar downstairs was launched. (see photos)<br>
<br>
But he's determined not to expand too much bigger in London for
fear of earning the dreaded label of being a "chain restaurant."
<br>
<br>
Over the years, his restaurants has attracted the attention of celebrities
and people in the media and entertainment industry as the photo
gallery on the walls of his office is testimony to; George Michael
in a blonde wig, him and best friend Chris Evans in bright yellow
chicken costumes, Michelle Collins, Paul Young, Barbara Windsor,
him and his gorgeous six-foot daughter Laura Zilli, a celebrity
in her own right as a young upcoming model.<br>
<br>
His interest in food stems - as is always nearly the case with successful
chefs - from his childhood in Italy growing up in a tiny village
called Alba Adriatica (where he'll be filming a episode of <i>Wish
You Were Here</i> this summer). <br>
<br>
He moved to London at the age of 19 and hasn't looked back, except,
perhaps to get inspiration and ideas for his food.<br>
<br>
"It's been difficult to grow into the idea of having a restaurant
that serves just fish," he says. "Because years ago, English people
didn't really eat fish, it wasn't an obvious thing for them to choose
from the menu." <br>
<br>
But now, Aldo says the growing interest in Japanese and other Asian
food is about people turning to healthier eating options. "We've
got quite a lot to learn yet from Oriental chefs. <br>
<br>
"In fact recently the Italian government held an emergency meeting
about the invasion of noodle bars in Italy," he says. "They're very
worried about pasta losing its touch, but I welcome everyone's cuisine
if we can learn from it." <br>
<br>
There's been plenty of memorable moments in Aldo's career that he's
proud of; more recently Hugh Grant came into the Notting Hill restaurant
and asked him for a "hangover cure" and Aldo cooked him spaghetti
bolognaise which he said was the "best he'd ever had." <br>
<br>
But one of his favourite tales is the time when he locked Prince
Edward in his restaurant, a story he clearly loves retelling. <br>
<br>
"He was having dinner with his girlfriend one night, and was sitting
by the door. I got protective that night and locked the door so
he didn't get any aggravation, so we could all relax. <br>
<br>
"He got a bit pissed and I got very pissed, so we moved downstairs
because we were making too much noise. When he went to leave and
I went upstairs to get his coat for him, put it on the chair and
said goodbye.<br>
<br>
"All my friends were downstairs, so I went down and immediately
started talking and joking about the royal family. Suddenly, everyone
goes blank, and I say - what's the matter with you guys?" He starts
giggling at the memory. "Prince Edward's standing right behind me."
<br>
<br>
"He says - "Aldo, I'm locked in, would you mind letting me out please."
But not only that but I'd given him the wrong coat. We were on good
terms, he used to call me Aldo, and call me every week, now I don't
want to know what he calls me!"<br>
<br>
Aldo Zilli has and will continue to be the name synomous with Italian
cooking in London. Recently, he cooked the food for the post premier
party of Captain Correlli's Mandolin. But despite his connections
with the rich and famous, Aldo seems to have his feet on the ground.
He comes across as a down-to-earth man with a cheeky sense of humour
and a clear mission - to continue to enjoy his success and his lifestyle.
<font color="#FFFFFF"><i> <b>Michelle Smith</b></i></font></font></p>
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