Aldo Zilli

Aldo Zilli is an Italian-born celebrity chef and Restaurateur specializing in Italian cuisine. In 1996 he was awarded Best Italian Restaurant Award in The London Restaurant Awards and in 1998 he collected the award for Best Media Restaurant for Zilli Fish. He has also won Favourite Showbiz Restaurant for Signor Zilli in the Capital Radio Awards. He is also the world record holder for the most times a pancake is flipped in 1 minute, flipping it 117 times. One of nine children, he was born in the small seaside town of Alba Adriatica in the central Italian region of Abruzzo. After catering college in Italy he was sent abroad for the winter season to hotels all over Europe. He finally came to England at the age of 19 and decided to concentrate on his passion for Italian food, and started working in Italian restaurants. Aldo introduced new cooking methods and eclectic menus, he transformed them from little-known venues to celebrity haunts. Aldo has made a number of memorable appearances on television; his warm, vivacious personality comes across effortlessly in his many radio and television appearances, on ITV, BBC, the UK Food Channel and Five. He has appeared in One Man and His Hob, Good Food Live as well as in the third series of Celebrity Fit Club. He also appeared in the second treat on CBBC's Best of Friends, aired on 20 July 2009 in which he helped two girls make their own spaghetti. Aldo Zilli has used his reputation as one of the world's best chefs by working with various companies and brands, firstly with Thomson Airways by inspiring some creative ideas for airline meals, and then with Kraft Foods by preparing six recipes with Philadelphia soft cheese for the Heavenly Inspiration Website and You Magazine. He has also worked as a chef consultant for the former Safeway supermarket chain and has designed a Zilli dinner service for Poole Pottery. Aldo Zilli is perfectly positioned to present Italian food to the British public. He is the founder and chef-patron of some of the most exciting Italian restaurants in London.