My favourite place to eat out in Manchester is… Running Salvi's restaurants means I hardly get to go out to restaurants myself. When I do, I like to go to La Bandera. It's nice to go somewhere that is totally different to my restaurants and I like their authentic Spanish food, the relaxed space and the fact that it is quite a modern take on Spanish.
The best dish I’ve eaten in Manchester recently is… I made a fish soup last week that was beautiful and the best thing I've had in a while. It was beans, nduja, clams and mussels with a few special tweaks – like everything we do at Salvi's it's all about the quality ingredients. It's not on the menu yet, but if you ask for it when you next come in I will make it for you!
My favourite dining room in Manchester is…The new 20 Stories is an exciting new addition. We’ve not actually dined there yet but the dining room itself, the bar and the views are amazing!
My favourite lunch spot in Manchester is… When I get a chance to eat anything outside of the restaurant, I like to wander through Chinatown and grab something from any of the bakeries or cafes. I'm sad that Siam Smiles has closed.
If I had to eat only on thing for the rest of my days it would be… Seafood. That is my all time favourite. In Italy we have cones of fried fish as a street food snack and that's one of my food heavens – Cuoppo Fritto and Fritto Misto. Or Vongola (clams) eaten fresh on the beach.
Maurizio Cecco is the owner of Salvi's restaurant portfolio and the founder of Festa Italiana, Manchester’s free festival of Italian food, drink and culture. It is coming to Cathedral Gardens July 13-15.
