Aldo Zilli: ‘I grew up sharing my room with seven brothers but now I spend £2k in one Harvey Nichols visit’

'I'm not good at saving but I don't really buy expensive stuff for myself. I might buy a Ferrari next year'

Italian chef Aldo Zilli has fed more 1980s popstars than Bob Geldof could cram into a room to record a charity single. Once a staple of Soho with restaurants including Signor Zilli and Zilli Fish, Aldo has written a stack of cookery books and two autobiographies: “I mean, I’m ready for the next one, to be honest.”

The former flatmate of Chris Evans has racked up reality TV wins including Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Hunted with cook-in-crime Jean-Christophe Novelli who also sang alongside Aldo on X Factor: Battle of the Stars. The self-proclaimed “frustrated actor” has appeared on Emmerdale.

He’s broken various world records related to tossing pancakes and he always carries cash for tipping. Now 66 he he lives in Surrey with his wife Nikki, and their children Rocco, 16, and Twiggy, 14.

What’s in your wallet?

Nothing because I’ve put all my cards on my phone. My son Rocco helped me last week because I’d seen all these expenses coming out of my account and I was like: “Hang on, I didn’t buy Deliveroo?!” I canceled the card, thinking someone was using it – it was my daughter, Twiggy. She’s 14 and when she’d stayed overnight with friends, they were ordering takeaways on me.

For a couple of months I’d been receiving Amazon deliveries at the gate, and seeing her in new clothes. I thought my wife had gone soft on the kids – I didn’t realise it was me. Twiggy racked up hundreds. I said to her: “I’m gonna report you for stealing!”

Putting all my cards on my phone is the best thing I’ve ever done because now I get notifications. I just hope I don’t lose my phone.

Are you flashy or frugal?

I’m not good at saving but I don’t really buy expensive stuff for myself. I might buy a Ferrari next year. It’s got to be red. That’s the only thing I really want, before I’m too old to drive it.

I love buying designer clothes like Gucci. I think it’s rubbed off on my kids because they cost me a fortune. My daughter wanted a pair of Jordan’s that were £3,500-£4,000. I was like: “What?!” I went to a shop on Great Windmill Street in Soho and got away with a second hand pair for 300 quid.

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Do you own a property?

Yeah, it’s a nine bedroom house on 18 acres of land. We’ve lived here ten years and there’s a massive 250 year old oak tree. It’s a nightmare at this time of year. I’ve got two people blowing leaves. They’ve been here days and they still haven’t finished.

I jog 5K round my field with my French bulldog Romeo and I’ve got an outdoor pool that I use all year round. I don’t need it heated because I like swimming in cold water. It’s like an ice bath.

What was it like growing up?

I was the youngest of nine, growing up in a poor family. We had no running water, no electricity, and no gas, so I grew up cooking with my mum on an open fire. We had a lot of love, but no money and they couldn’t always afford to feed us.

My dad was a farmer at the beginning of my life, but it wasn’t his farm and one day we moved to the seaside where my bigger brothers had bought a house. My mum and dad had their own bedroom, and I had one sister that wanted a bedroom to herself, and I shared a bedroom with my seven brothers. We were sleeping head to tail at one point. That’s why I left at 16

How much did you earn last year?

As if I’m going to tell you that! Are you having a joke or what?

Have you ever struggled financially?

Of course. There was nothing to do in the village in Italy where I lived, but it was full of Germans in the summer, and I wanted to learn the language so I could speak to them. When I was 16, this guy said to come and see him in Germany. He promised me a restaurant job and a room, but he never picked me up from the station. To this day, I’ve never found the idiot.

I ran out of money, and I was sleeping in petrol stations and phone boxes. To eat, I went to the back of Italian restaurants when kitchen porters were throwing away food. This was in Munich in 1972. After a couple of months I got a job from talking to people round the back of the kitchens.

What’s been your most lucrative work?

My most popular cookery book was Food with Friends. It was recipes I learned with my mum, and I shared stories about friends I’ve cooked for, including George Michael, Madonna and Prince Edward.

The most lucrative though, was commercials. I got a couple of hundred grand for Kellogg’s Optivita. This was years ago and it all went back into the restaurant business. I wish I’d bought properties.

Now 66, Aldo lives in Surrey with his wife Nikki
Now 66, Aldo lives in Surrey with his wife Nikki (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for Together For Short Lives)

Do you invest in shares?

No, I’m not a gambler. I’ve always been cautious with money. I have a family, so I worry about how my kids are going to do when they grow up. I didn’t have anything, and I don’t want them to struggle.

What’s been your best business decision?

Opening my first restaurant, Signor Zilli, on Dean Street in Soho when I was 25. I was leaving my job, and the owner, a Sicilian guy, loved what I did there. He said: “Don’t leave. I want to retire. You can have my restaurant for £500 a week.”

So each week I paid £500 rent and £500 to the Maltese mafia so they didn’t smash in my restaurant. This was in 1982. Soho was rough. After six months the mafia disappeared and that’s when celebrities starting coming in. We had Wham, Freddie Mercury, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Wet Wet Wet. Paparazzi were outside 24-7 and all the journalists wanted to know me.

Piers Morgan and Matthew Wright [showbiz journalist turned Wright Stuff presenter] were always ringing me, wanting stories – especially when I lived with Chris Evans, but I was quite good. The biggest bill was in the early 90s when Freddie Mercury hired out the restaurant for [West End star] Peter Straker’s birthday party. It came to £7,000. They didn’t leave until 6am, then we all rocked up at Freddie’s house.

What’s your worst business decision?

Turning Signor Zilli into the vegetarian restaurant Zilli Green. I did it because of Paul McCartney. I cooked for the McCartneys for 20 years – they had an account that all the family used and we’d bill them every month. It was never a big bill because they didn’t drink – it was all vegetarian and vegan food.

Paul came in one day when I wasn’t there and discovered that I had suckling pig and wild boar on the menu. He wrote me a letter asking if I thought that was necessary, and I decided to turn the restaurant vegetarian.

At the time, the only other vegetarian restaurant in London was Mildreds. She came to the opening of Zilli Green and she hated me because I was competition – but it wasn’t profitable, so I sold it.

Aldo Zilli at Global's Make Some Noise Night in London. PA Photo. The Gala event raised money for the charity Global's Make Some Noise, set up by Global, to help disadvantaged children, young people and their families across the UK. Picture date: Monday November 25, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Noise. Photo credit should read: Ian WestPA Wire
‘I don’t drink anymore unless it’s a fine wine’, Aldo Zilli tells i about his money habits (Ian West/PA Wire)

What’s your best investment?

During the pandemic, I opened CASA ZILLI from my kitchen, which is the size of a restaurant kitchen, doing takeaways and deliveries. At one point I had four chefs and 10 delivery drivers working for me. Twiggy did the packaging. and Rocco turned into a pizzaiolo [pizza maker]. My wife Nikki runs the show, and now my other daughter, Laura, who’s 38, is waitressing for us every weekend, so it’s a family business.

It’s high end Italian food and people fly in and land their helicopters in my field. They eat outdoors in heated igloos, or in a dining room I’ve converted for customers. It’s now open twice a week – the rest of the time I’m in London at the new Lucarelli restaurant.

What’s your worst investment?

When I had Zilli Fish on Brewer Street, in Soho, I was renting half the building, then I took over the whole building and opened a cafe as well. So the rent doubled – but the takings didn’t. I ended up selling to Richard Caring who turned it into Bill’s.

Thirty years ago, when I opened Zilli Fish, it was the only fish restaurant in London so I was the talk of the town. One night I had a table of ten ordering lobsters, langoustines, caviar, oysters and Champagne. It was a big bill, but it was the 90s, so I didn’t think they’d run away. Then one by one they went outside to smoke in the street and I never saw them again.

What’s your money weakness?

I have a fantastic wine cellar. I don’t drink anymore unless it’s a fine wine. Maybe a Brunello or an Amarone or a good Chablis. It’s got to be good, otherwise there’s no point in drinking it.

It’s dangerous for me having a restaurant in Harvey Nicks because they have all the designer stuff. In June I was going to see my family in Italy and I wanted to look smart. I bought a Ralph Lauren tracksuit, a Canada Goose jacket – you name it. I went a bit mad and I spent about two grand.

What’s better for retirement property or pension?

Property. Pensions are rubbish. I’ve had one since I was 30. My first accountant advised me to take it out. He’s 90 now, and he’s still with me. He’s been with me all my business career. Growing up, my father told me all the time about the importance of bricks and mortar. He didn’t make any money from it, but I’ve done alright.

I bought my first property when I was 25. It was a two bedroom flat in Middlesex and I paid £13,000. Six years years later, I sold it to my mother-in-law for £60,000. Then I bought myself a house down the road for £250,000.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt about money?

Don’t live beyond your means – if you can’t afford it, leave it where it is. Also, don’t waste it. That’s the most important lesson I teach my children.

Aldo Zilli has launched the Italian restaurant Lucarelli on the Fifth floor at Harvey Nichols www.lucarellirestaurant.co.uk

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