Let’s talk about the Bri-talian concept. What is it and where has it come from?

Bri-talian isn’t something I invented on paper – it’s a reflection of my life and inspired by my daughter. I moved to London 14 years ago when I was 20, and now I’ve spent almost the same amount of time here as I did in Italy. My daughter will grow up British and Italian. Connie’s is simply the pizza version of that.

With Neapolitan pizza, I’m a purist. There are rules and traditions that I respect deeply. Connie’s gives me freedom – a place to apply Italian technique and mindset to British flavours, ingredients and habits without feeling like I’m breaking something sacred.

Bri-talian isn’t fusion for attention. It’s Italian craft meeting British taste, honestly and naturally. It requires confidence, not compromise.

The evolution of London-style pizza is a fascinating one. Can you expand on this?

London’s pizza journey has been fast. We had years dominated by Neapolitan pizza, which taught the city a lot about dough, fermentation and quality. Then the pendulum swung back towards comfort: thinner bases, crispier bakes, New York and London-style pizzas.

The problem is that style moved faster than knowledge. London-style pizza looks simple,but it’s actually very technical. Crispy doesn’t mean burnt. Thin doesn’t mean dry. There’s a fine line between charred and ruined – and a lot of operators are crossing it. Crispy pizza isn’t a shortcut, it’s a responsibility.

Connie’s sits in that gap. It takes everything we learned from the Neapolitan era and applies it to London-style pizza properly, with care, control and intention.

Craft vs trend in the current UK pizza boom – what does this look like to you?

Pizza is having a moment – and moments can be dangerous.

I see a lot of operators chasing the look of crispiness without understanding how to achieve it. Burnt bases, dry reheated slices, under-fermented dough, all passed off as style. That’s not craft.

Trends move fast. Technique takes years. Fermentation, hydration, flour choice, oven control – those things don’t happen overnight. Connie’s is built on that foundation first. The trend might bring people in but craft is what makes them come back.

You’re in a hugely competitive market. How can Connie’s achieve cut-through?

By being simple, bold and confident with our product and concept.

Connie’s isn’t trying to reinvent pizza or be everything to everyone. It’s confident in what it is: London-style pizza made by Italians who actually know how to bake.

Cut-through comes from consistency, clarity and confidence. From pizzas that eat the same every day. From a space that feels welcoming. From hospitality that’s warm, not performative. If you do that well, people talk, and that matters more than hype.

Where do you see Italian food in the current UK foodservice and hospitality landscape?

It is at a crossroads. On one side, you have nostalgia and comfort. On the other, you have technique and modern thinking. The future is where those two meet.

People don’t want lectures about provenance. They want food that makes them feel good but still respects the craft behind it. That’s where Italian cooking excels, when it evolves.

Connie’s is part of that evolution. It’s Italian food that understands London – how people eat, what they crave, how they socialise. Italian heritage doesn’t disappear when you adapt it. It gets stronger.