The Grilling with Angela Hartnett
Cafe Murano founder Angela Hartnett stepped up to the pass to answer our questions, discussing everything from regional Italian flavours to ready salted crisps.
What do you like best about spring and its produce?
It’s just a delicious time of year, with lots of new vegetables coming through — much as I love root veg, I really look forward to spring! We’ve got peas, broad beans, asparagus, all stuff which I love to cook with. It’s a great season, and it’s lovely to get a bit of sunshine after winter.
What’s your favourite spring food memory?
Probably podding peas with my grandmother, my nonna. You weren’t ever allowed to sit still at hers — every time you went round she gave you a job! But she had this lovely conservatory and a great garden, so we were sat outside or in the conservatory podding peas. I really liked eating the peas from the small, thin pods, the tiny sweet ones.
Your spring menus feel like a really nice transition between seasons. Why did you choose those?
Braised Pork & Chickpea Ragù and Bistecca alla Fiorentina are both delicious and just what I want to eat at this time of year. They’re still hearty and warming, but with the right amount of fresh seasonal flavour for spring.
Cocktail or wine?
Wine – a white Italian Barolo, probably!
What do you listen to while you cook?
I like food podcasts, or if the radio’s on I’ll listen to Radio 4, without a doubt. I’ll even put things like Seinfeld on in the background — some sort of comedy.
Starter or pudding?
Starter. I just like savoury more than sweet! I love a great soup — so many people can’t make soup. People think you just throw everything in but you need to cook stuff down, caramelise things, and use great veg at the peak of its season. Jeremy Lee and my husband Neil Borthwick make the best soups!
What do you cook for a crowd?
Something I can just put down on the table, everyone can help themselves and relax.
What do you cook when it’s just for yourself?
Something quick and simple! A bowl of pasta, or cheese on toast.
How would you describe the food at Cafe Murano?
It’s simple, it’s seasonal, and we don’t mess it around too much! If you keep things simple and seasonal it will always be delicious.
If Cafe Murano had a signature dish what would it be?
Our arancini which could be mushroom or primavera or so on, changing with the seasons. I love the chicken Milanese and our sausage ragù too.
Restaurants are facing a tough time at the moment. How do you think they will get through it?
I’d say just they need to focus on doing the job well – everyone is suffering but at the end of the day we’re in the service industry. We need to cook really good food, and give great service.
Saturday night dinner or Sunday lunch?
Both!
Which regions of Italy do you take inspiration from in your cooking?
Pretty much all of them as they’re all so different. Some are coastal like Sardinia, some are inland like Emilia-Romagna, you’ve got Sicily, you’ve got Veneto, and the regions right up in the mountains too. Every region has inspiration. My family is from Emilia-Romagna so you can’t beat a classic tagliatelle bolognese. But certainly not the way the Brits make it! No tinned tomatoes, no mushrooms.
What have your proudest moments been with Cafe Murano?
Probably opening Cafe Murano in St James – we got great reviews, and things have just gone on from there. Life obviously got harder post-Covid, but things have worked out really well. I love working with our staff, and it’s a proud moment to see them going on to open their own restaurants and do their own thing too.
Do you have a favourite spot to visit in Italy?
I love going back to Venice and I love Sicily – they’re both beautiful places.
What’s your food guilty pleasure?
Crisps! I love plain crisps.