The 100 cover restaurant, which will open its doors on 6 February, is the first London venture for the chef-patron of renowned Amalfi coast restaurant Quattro Passi.
He will be joined by his sons Raffaele and Fabrizio, while Christiano Pellizzari – formerly of the Four Seasons – has been appointed general manager. The front of house team will include four mixologists, while the restaurant’s wine list will be overseen by the head sommelier at The Lansborough.
Mellino hopes Quattro Passi London will fill a ‘void’ in London for ‘real Italian fine dining’. The chef will make his own fresh pasta and serve it alongside fish and meat dishes that capture the simplicity of Southern Italian cooking.
Dishes on the opening menu include ‘Pearls of Shrimp on Chickpea Sauce, Squid Ink and Thyme Oil’, ‘Scialatielli Pasta with Cuttlefish, Prawns, Fresh Mint and a Brunoise of Pumpkin’, and ‘Madame Piemontese Golden Fried Veal Chop, Oven Roasted Potatoes and Lemon Perfumed Mayonnaise’.
A private members club with a 60-cover bar, club menu and a grand piano for live music, will open underneath the restaurant at the end of February.
Fresh from Italy
Mellino believes the most important step in creating excellent food is selecting the best ingredients, and the chef will import all of his ingredients – from sun-ripened tomatoes to freshly caught fish – from his Amalfi coast suppliers every day.
“Ingredients hold the key to achieving beautiful dishes and authentic Calabrian flavours,” he said.
“Food should be skilfully yet simply prepared because at the end of the day the ingredients speak for themselves, which is why I will never compromise on my produce. It must come from home and it must be fresh.”
Mellino is not the first Italian chef to set up in London but source produce from Italy. Earlier this month BigHospitality reported that chef Johnny Micalusi would import fresh fish and seafood daily from Rome’s Terracina fish market for his new London restaurant.
Micalusi said he would consider sourcing produce from London if he could find the right suppliers, but would rely on the ‘expertise’ of Italian fishermen for the time being.