From art school to a business degree to a multimillion-pound restaurant business, Marcello Distefano shares a journey full of twists, turns, and family values. Born in Manchester, he cites the opening of San Carlo in his hometown of Manchester as a pivotal moment in both his personal and business success.

Where did it start? In 1992, Carlo Distefano, Marcello’s father, opened his first restaurant in Temple Street, Birmingham, then a humble 20-table restaurant. Celebrities, sporting stars, and loyal diners made San Carlo their restaurant of choice, and soon Carlo had a success on his hands. Bristol opened in 1996, Leicester in the late 90s, and then Manchester, which has gone on to become possibly the highest profile, busiest restaurant outside of London.

After the success of the San Carlo brand across the UK, Marcello explains the battle they faced to break into the notoriously expensive and competitive London scene. One key purchase of an existing restaurant unlocked the London market and led to a multi-brand chain across the Capital.

What lies at the heart of his restaurants’ success? Marcello explains it’s three key things. Simple food with good ingredients. Atmosphere. And the people he employs. Creating a ‘unique feeling’ when people visit his restaurants is a prime goal and something that has driven Marcello’s development of other brands.

The success of the San Carlo brand and its massive expansion led the astute Marcello to look for the next trend. It came in the form of small plate cuisine. The Cichetti brand was born in a space at Manchester’s House of Fraser and was an instant success. It now operates in 3 sites in the UK and 3 in Saudi Arabia, and it has restaurants in Qatar and Bahrain, with Morocco opening.

Joined by two generations of the Distefano family, the San Carlo group of award winning contemporary Italian restaurants has grown to become a £60 million restaurant empire which currently numbers 25 authentic Italian restaurants across the UK – from Covent Garden, Piccadilly and Knightsbridge Green in London to Bristol, Leicester, Liverpool Leeds, Cheshire and Manchester and with a growing number overseas – including Dubai, Egypt, Kuwait, Bangkok and Qatar and with a new site set to open in Miami.