The Steeple Times

Tag: Sydney Street

  • Peter Burrell: What's on your mantelpiece?

    Peter Burrell: What's on your mantelpiece?

    In the first of our mantelpiece series, we pitch twenty questions to Peter Burrell, a racing supremo who also co-owns Sette restaurant with Frankie Dettori MBE
     
    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom.” What’s your guiding force?

    Mine is the world of horse racing that I have been in love with since I was 13 years old. I adore the horses and the people… Imagine being involved in a sport that has Lester, Frankie and Frankel!

    “Never regret, never explain, never apologise” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    Wish I could live like that as most mornings that should be my modus operandi… I am more Peter Langan.

    Kerry Katona was unacceptable in 2007. Who is unacceptable in 2012?
    Julian Assange, Mugabe, Assad and the current limo culture that we live in.

    Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

    I don’t miss him or his wife that’s for sure but I do miss a good Partagas No. 4 after dinner.

    What might you swap all your wealth for?

    I am potless but if I were a rich man I would trade it all for a good night’s sleep and a hole in one.

    What phrase or word do you most loathe?

    The word “like” when used as an adjective.

    In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home.” What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

    Cancer and children.

    Have you ever been arrested and if so, for what?

    Yes: For refusing to pay an over priced taxi in Spain. When I’m drunk I will take them on.

    If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

    My wife.

    Peter Burrell pictured at Ascot with his wife Carmen
    Peter Burrell conquers The Matterhorn


    If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

    A really good prawn cocktail then an oxtail stew washed down with Haut Brion in the electric chair itself.

    What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

    Like Churchill said: “Time is only for the middle classes.”

    A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

    Negroni.

    Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

    My own because I am the centre of attention and I love making speeches.

    Who is the most positive person you know?

    Frankie Dettori MBE is the greatest jockey in the world and Umberto at Sette in Chelsea is the greatest restaurant manager in the world.
    What’s your most guilty pleasure?

    A sneaky cigar.
    What was the first bone that you broke?

    Left arm.

    If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

    I have three and I like my star tattoo the best.
    If you were a car, what marque would you be?

    Toyota Land Cruiser.

    Cilla Black presented “Surprise, Surprise.” Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

    I am an optimist with a love for life that will never be surpassed. I wish I could tell you I had hidden a pot of gold somewhere but as someone once said to me: “Pete you don’t need money as you will never be far from it!”

    What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

    Invitations to Ascot and Johnny Gold’s 80th birthday and two horse bronzes.

     
    Sette, 4 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6PP. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7352 3435. Website: http://sette-restaurant.com

  • Terry Venables

    Terry Venables

    “El Tel” is best known as a footballer manager but he’s a man of many talents. Few know that this national team manager of England (1994 to 1996) also co-authored four novels with Gordon Williams and was the co-creator of the ITV detective series Hazell. A Chelsea resident, he’s often to be found at Motcomb’s, the Rib Room Bar & Restaurant and Sette in Sydney Street.

  • Frankie's Set

    Frankie's Set

    A review of Sette, Sydney Street, SW3

     

    An invitation to lunch with Pete Burrell is not one to miss. This Chelsea restaurateur is one of the best-connected men in town and along with Marilyn Fry, who has just become chairman of The Lady Taverners, I readily headed to Sydney Street’s newest restaurant, Sette Cucina Italiana.

     

    Sette, 4 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6PP

    Burrell has recruited Umberto Scomparin from Ilia as maître d’ and on arrival we were immediately met by this most jolly of fellows. Scomparin has a knowledge of food and drink second to none and the lunch was perpetuated with his inputs of wit, wisdom and liveliness. The resulting atmosphere is part of what sets this bright and stylish restaurant apart from other local Italians.

     

    Co-owned by Burrell and Frankie Dettori MBE, Sette takes its name from the Italian for “seven” in reference to the day when the champion jockey won all seven races at Ascot. Wall Street, Diffident, Mark of Esteem, Decorated Hero, Fatefully, Lochangel and Fujiyama Crest as well as Dettori himself all went down in the history of racing for this mighty achievement and it will forever be remembered by bookies for the vast sums they had to pay out.

     

    Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori MBE (15th December 1970 – ) pictured outside his restaurant, Sette

    Dettori, on a rare day off from racing, joined us and we commenced with a selection of starters. Amongst them were veal in a tuna sauce (£9.50) that was just perfect and burrata with vegegtables and “cuore di bue (£10.50) that was one of the best I’d tried in an age. Grilled squid with sweet chilli and salad (£11) proved equally impressive with the party.

     

    Accompanying conversation about the exploits of Michael Winner at a recent Lady Taveners lunch and tales of Dettori’s racing career, we enjoyed a Pinot Grigio Branko (£40) that was full-bodied and somewhat floral. As Scomparin was about to embark on serving the second bottle, an unexpected friend of Mr Burrell’s arrived: Terry Venables.

     

    It was a great pleasure to expand the table to include Mr Venables and his compatriot and we all decided to share a grilled seabass (£25), calves liver with butter and sage (£18) and a linguine with lobster (£14). We all noted the fine quality of the ingredients and the generosity of the portions.

     

    Terence Frederick “Terry” “El Tel” Venables (6th January 1943 – )

    Not being an expert on football, it was a revelation to learn about how this former England manager has also had a career as a media pundit for Al Jazeera and was the co-author of ITV’s 1978 – 1979 Hazell detective drama series along with Gordon Williams. A good time was had by all.

     

    Later, as Sette buzzed with customers aplenty, one guest managed to spill some red wine on another. In true Scomparin style, this host par excellence dashed round the corner to Ralph Lauren and collected a new white shirt. Hospitality is in the blood of all involved at Sette and nothing is too much trouble.

     

    Darren Yates of Morecambe, Lancashire placed £67.58 in combining all seven of Dettori’s mounts in 1996. This impoverished plumber won £550,000 that afternoon and equally Dettori and Burrell’s Magnificent Seven looks set to deservedly prosper in Sydney Street.

     

    Sette Cucina Italiana, 4 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6PP. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7352 3435. Website: http://www.sette-restaurant.com. Follow Sette on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/SetteRestaurant

     

    For more information on The Lady Taverners, go to: http://www.lordstaverners.org

  • Umberto Scomparin

    Umberto Scomparin

    You won’t meet a maître d’ like him. Scomparin does a mean Liverpudlian impression and following a stint at the now defunct Ilia, he’s moving on to pastures new. An evening in his company is always going to be jolly.