Disgraced Race Car Magnate Plans Pizza Restaurant in Marylebone

Crazy pizza will arrive via Formula One personality

Flavio Briatore will launch his Crazy Pizza brand in Marylebone on the former Carluccio’s site at Paddington Street, as reported by MCA. His other restaurant concept, Crazy Fish, is presumably being held back to avoid clashes with Richard Caring’s Mayfair restaurant, Sexy Fish. Briatore has diversified his entrepreneurship in recent years following his acrimonious departure from Formula One — he is also a partner in C London, the Ciprianis’ Mayfair restaurant forced to change its name in 2008.

Italian residency for poisoned chalice development

Norris Italian bar and restaurant will pop up at St. James’ Market, on the site of Veneta, which closed in December 2017 after being put on the market less than a year after opening. Charcuterie, cocktails and wine will be on offer, according to Hot Dinners; while the newly Michelin-starred and celebrated, west African-inspired Ikoyi has bucked the trend, the development has proved challenging for operators. A residency — in its temporariness — might be a more successful strategy.

Struggling burger chain backtracks on ‘racist’ advert

Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) has backtracked on its ‘Proper Indian’ ad campaign for the Ruby Murray burger, after being comprehensively criticised online. As reported by Eater on Thursday, the burger chain offered “unreserved apologies to those offended,” deflecting responsibility away from its publication of the campaign. Asma Khan — soon to star on Netflix’s Chef’s Table, told the i newspaper that “it is sheer ignorance.”

Basing things on plants: The latest

Scuppered steak restaurant chain Gaucho will emerge from its Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) with Investec refreshed, rebranded, and basing things on plants — according to The Sunday Times. Restaurant chain-broadsider and former chief executive / new consultant Martin Williams said “it had become a caricature of itself,” largely referring to the cowhide chairs at each of the 16 restaurants. Williams also criticised operators for failures out of London, without being able to name any particular examples: “There’s an arrogance in the industry that you go up north with your magic bag of London tricks and it will work locally. [...] .They’re out of touch with the local population.” Stand by, Honest Burgers and Dishoom.

Mystery menu launches in Hackney

Celebrated Hackney restaurant Pidgin launches its mystery menu as of today. Rather than revealing the four courses via newsletter, as before, diners will sit down to dinner not knowing what awaits them; today’s newsletter eases Londoners in with some clues as to what will be on the plates.