My earliest memory of Manchester is…
Of the Corn Exchange where I now have a restaurant. Back then it was completely different, I always think it’s strange that 20 years on it’s become the location of our flagship restaurant and where we began our Salvi’s journey. When I arrived In Manchester I was 20 years old, then went on to work in restaurants throughout the city, fresh from completing catering college in Sorrento.
My favourite place to eat in Manchester is…
I’m a bit too busy to eat out at the moment and usually find myself eating in my own restaurants, however my new favourite city centre restaurant is Kala on King Street. I love the fact that it’s an independent, young restaurant run by a team of people who really care about quality food and drink. The menu is great.
When I do have the time I also love going to Levanter in Ramsbottom, the food is incredible and it’s run by a group of brilliant people. I really enjoy getting out of the city centre when I can!
My favourite Manchester bar or nightclub is…
I still love Restaurant Bar and Grill. If I’ve been cooking at Salvi’s Cucina, it’s great to be able to walk across the road and sit on their terrace with a drink. I’ve been sitting on their terrace for years now, it’s a great place to view Manchester’s ever-changing skyline and I find it really relaxing.
My favourite place to shop in Manchester is…
Shopping is another thing that’s tricky for me when running three restaurants however I love independent shops and would be pleased to see more in Manchester.
Over the past few years I’ve enjoyed wandering round the independent shops and bars in the Northern Quarter, it has a really exciting vibe…I love it that we’re currently working on bringing a taste of Naples to that area of town.
The last gig or show I saw in Manchester was…
I recently went to see Jack Savoretti at the Apollo.
I first met Jack when we were both at the start of our careers, to see where he is now is incredible and I’m proud of the fact that we’re still friends years later.
He comes to eat in my restaurants every time he’s performing in Manchester, so that we can catch up.
My favourite hidden gem in Manchester is…
La Bandera, my favourite Spanish restaurant. It’s located near our Salvi’s Cucina restaurant and is one of those places where once you’ve tried the food, you find yourself there all the time. They serve authentic, Spanish food in a beautiful setting served by great staff.
The best Manchester band of all time is…
Oasis - when I was young they were popular in Italy so it was exciting to move to Manchester, where everyone loved them and where they were from!
Manchester has everything except…
Sunshine and a beach! These are two things I really miss about Italy, which is why I started Festa Italiana, a celebration of all things Italian where we bring the Italian community together! This year it’s Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28 at Cathedral Gardens, so hopefully the rarely spotted Manchester sunshine will come out for us!
People’s biggest misconception about Manchester is…
That we should feel disappointed about not having a Michelin Star!
Food and drink is so exciting within Manchester at the moment, with new independent brands opening all the time and diversifying the landscape. I recently made a short documentary for Festa Italiana and in one day visited five completely different concepts, from Rosso on King Street to T'arriccri at Hatch on Oxford Road. Each venue is completely unique and does what they do with love, which, of course, is the most important thing.
Festa Italiana returns to Manchester city centre’s Cathedral Gardens for a three-day celebration of Italian food, drink and culture from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28.
