Restaurateur

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29324, 1 October 1960, Page 3

Restaurateur

Mario of the Caprice: An Autobiography. By Mario Gallati. Hutchinson. 184 pp. Index.

There is probably no reason why a restaurateur should not write his life story, particularly when he has had much experience in serving the rich and the famous. This is probably Mario Gallati’s chief reason for setting down his memories at the end of a long and useful career. In Italy, Mario was apprenticed to a pastrycook in Broni, and next at the age of 10 went off to Milan and got a job as kitchen boy and in time as waiter. However, when he was 14 he was in London, gaining experience in hotels like the Savoy and the CeciL Then at the Queen’s restaurant he waited on the first of the many famous people he was to serve—Caruso, Patti, La Belle Otero, Marie Lloyd, Berbohm Tree and Horatio Bottomley. (“Once while 1 was serving the latter with coffee, a processserver brushed past' me and handed him a writ. Horatio pocketed it without a word and continued talking to his companion as if nothing had happened.”) Another interesting contact was John D. Rockefeller, who used to leave a tip of twopence for the waiter.

In 1909, Mario had to return to Italy to do his military servicetwo years at the double in the celebrated Bersagheri Regiment—truly a wonderful training for a waiter. When he came back to London, he went to Romano’s, just before the Great War the brightest spot in the city. It was the haunt of pople like Fay Compton, George Edwardes, Paul Rubens, and Phyllis Dare, to name but a few. Mario served on the Italian front for three years, and when he was able to get back he began to build up the Ivy restaurant as head waiter and manager. During the twenties the Ivy became the favourite resort of the theatrical profession. Regular customers included C. B. Cochran, \Jacob Epstein, Mistinguette, the Barrymores, Pavlova, Noel Coward, and Ivor Novello. To these people Mario has. devoted a chapter headed “Some Ivy Personalities.”

After an interval of two years resting (•• ‘Poor old Mario is finished,’ they said in the West End”), he decided to open the Caprice on his own account, in premises at the bottom of Arlington street. The new venture was a success from' the very beginning. Great names scintillate on Mario’s pages—Sir Anthony and Lady Eden, the Oliviers, Danny Kaye, Lord Rank, Dame Edith Evans, Lady Docker, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Alexander Korda. To him the names suggest food. For example, the-late Aga Khan always asked for saddle of Welsh mutton, followed by apple tart ot plum duff. Marlene Dietrich implies caviar (well chilled). Ivor Novello, lobster Americaine and, of course, “Bombe Ivor.” Laurence Harvey, fish pie (“fabulous!”). Tommy Steele, steak. The conclusion is that if anyone wishes to know the eating habits of the people in the limelight “Mario of the Caprice" is just the book to supply the information. Incidentally, the index, of the volume reads like "Burke’s Peerage,” “Who’s Who," end the “Almanack de Gotha” rolled Into one.