From Sardinia to One of London's Most Beautiful Restaurants
Some chefs learn to cook at college. Others learn in professional kitchens. Lello Favuzzi's culinary education began much closer to home, helping his grandmother make fresh pasta, focaccia and traditional Sardinian dishes in the family kitchen.
Born in Sassari, Sardinia, Lello has brought those early influences with him throughout his career. Today he is the executive chef at Belvedere in Holland Park, where his cooking celebrates seasonality, provenance and the simple pleasure of sharing good food around a table.
Of course, the setting helps too. Belvedere sits in the heart of Holland Park, one of London's most beautiful green spaces. With its woodland walks, formal gardens, resident peacocks and the famous Kyoto Garden, Holland Park feels a world away from the city that surrounds it. The restaurant itself occupies a remarkable historic building with a long and fascinating history. It's easy to see why it has become one of London's most sought-after dining destinations for locals including Elton John, Robbie Williams and Jimmy Page.
Photographing Lello Favuzzi for My London Restaurateurs Series
I spent a couple of hours photographing Lello for my London Restaurateurs series and had the chance to watch him at work in the kitchen. It felt like a real privilege - a front row seat to watch the magic, that special kind of culinary alchemy. There was something fascinating about seeing the exceptional ingredients laid out - the colours, textures and aromas - and then watching Lello transform them into finished dishes with such care and confidence.
Simple Italian Cooking Done Exceptionally Well
What struck me immediately was the balance of the flavours. Nothing dominated. Every ingredient seemed to know its place. The dishes felt light, elegant and remarkably uncomplicated. There was no unnecessary flourish or over-complication. Just a handful of outstanding ingredients treated with respect and cooked beautifully.
That simplicity appears to be one of the secrets of Lello's success. His food draws on the traditions of his Sardinian upbringing while making the most of exceptional seasonal produce sourced from across Italy. The result is cooking that feels honest, confident and deeply satisfying. Looking at the ingredients laid out before cooking, it was obvious that quality comes first. There were no tricks and no distractions. Just beautiful produce allowed to shine.
Watching him work, I was reminded that great cooking can often be about restraint rather than complexity. The flavours in both dishes he prepared were beautifully balanced, with nothing overpowering anything else. Every ingredient had a purpose. It's a style of cooking that reflects confidence and experience - knowing exactly what to leave in and, just as importantly, what to leave out.
The Passion Behind Belvedere's Success
What impressed me just as much was Lello himself. Warm, generous and welcoming, he has the sort of enthusiasm that can't be taught. You might imagine that after a lifetime spent in kitchens he would occasionally welcome a break from cooking, but the opposite seems true. His passion for food is as strong as ever, and spending time with him made it easy to understand why. When you see ingredients that beautiful, smell food that good and watch dishes come together with such skill, it's hard not to be inspired.
Belvedere's success isn't difficult to understand. The combination of a spectacular location, a beautiful historic building and Lello's thoughtful cooking creates something genuinely special. People don't simply come here for dinner. They come for the experience of spending time in one of London's loveliest corners, enjoying food that celebrates the very best ingredients with confidence, restraint and genuine passion. Belvedere and Lello Favuzzi are match make in culinary heaven.
