Cattivo Pizza at the Old Kennels, Cirencester Park, has just appointed two new and very experienced pizza specialists to head up the kitchen of its sensational foodie hub with sustainability at its heart.
Head chef, Russell Brookman, brings 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Following the Covid 19 pandemic, Russell worked as head chef in a trendy bistro cafe just outside Antwerp, before returning to England to work as a pizza chef where he discovered his passion for Italian food, and in particular, pizza.
Working alongside Russell, Dan Egan, also a seasoned pizza pro. Dan has many years’ experience perfecting the art of pizza-making. Formerly the owner and head chef at Big Slice Pizza Co, Dan earned a reputation for crafting exceptional Neapolitan pizzas that garnered a loyal following in Brighton and Hove. After stepping away from Big Slice Pizza Co and relocating to Gloucestershire, Dan has focused on further honing his skills and sharing his passion for pizza.
Both appointments herald a new culinary chapter for Cattivo (meaning ‘Bad Boys’ in Italian) which opened in August 2024 and is the latest venture from the team behind Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden in collaboration with restaurateur, chef and wild game hunter Mike Robinson. Cattivo’s key focus is sustainability and creative cooking whilst embracing classic Neapolitan pizza-making processes to create simple, high quality pizza bases garnished with incredible ingredients showcasing seasonality and provenance.
A champion of sustainable wild food and game for over 20 years, Mike Robinson has helped create and run some of the country’s most iconic restaurants, including The Harwood Arms in Fulham, London, which has retained its Michelin Star for over 14 years, and remains the only pub in London to do so. Mike also oversees The Woodsman in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Elder in Bath, and part-owns Deer Box, which manages, harvests, processes and sells mail order wild venison to the public and top restaurants around the UK.
Cattivo’s handmade pizza bases use specialist Italian Capputo pizza flour for its 24-hour pre-fermented sourdough starter and dough to ensure a slower fermentation, firmer texture and a delicious nutty flavour. Garnishes include the best locally sourced, foraged and home-grown produce such as Mike’s home-made venison Nduja, made using deer raised on the neighbouring Bathurst estate, Glastonbury Fior di Latte Mozzarella and foraged herbs and fresh, seasonal produce from Roots + Seeds’ own ¼ acre on-site kitchen garden.
Cattivo’s pizzas also feature top quality Italian ingredients such as Mutti Passata, Burrata, aged Parmesan cheeses, Single Estate Extra Virgin olive oil and San Marzona tomatoes for its home-made pizza sauce.
The menu offers just six regular and two seasonally changing specials for its 12” Neapolitan-style, sourdough pizzas cooked in Cattivo’s Gozney wood-fired pizza oven heated to 450°C using dry-aged oak sourced from the neighbouring Bathurst estate. There’s also a tin pan Margherita pizza for children with a range of garnishes, plus starters, including homemade Focaccia, Pizzetta and Bruschetta, plus two dips and two desserts, including its renowned, Nonna’s Tiramisu, and the Panozzo (pizza sandwich) filled with Nutella, wood roasted figs and peaches and served with homemade Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream.
Made to order to eat in or takeaway. Cattivo Pizzas range in price from £14 – £16. If dining-in, table service is provided. You can book a table or order a takeaway for collection via the website and view the menu here. https://cattivopizza.co.uk
Drinks include two pre-made, and bottled cocktails made in-house by drinks supremo Sam Lawson-King, including a Spicy Margherita and an Old Fashioned, a small but carefully curated wine list of independent Italian wines served by the glass and the bottle, along with locally produced beers, ales, and soft drinks by local producer, Living Things.
In keeping with Roots +Seeds sustainability ethos, all pizzas are served in cardboard boxes, and all its plates, cutlery, serviettes, bottles, drinking straws and paper menus are recyclable.
Cattivo occupies a newly built and beautifully designed and light-filled space (40 covers inside and additional tables available on its terrace outside) with open kitchen, vaulted ceilings, industrial chic decor and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Cattivo Pizza, The Old Kennels, Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire GL7 1UR
https://www.instagram.com/cattivopizza_
Opening Times
Wednesday and Thursday 3pm – 9pm
Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12pm – 9pm
Licensed for customers to enjoy drinks on-site or to take away. Everyone welcome, including dogs.
Parking: Cirencester Park’s main car park is located at The Old Kennels.
SATNAV postcode GL7 1UR, What3Words/// duties.confining.long
Free parking from 5pm – 8am.
To keep up to date with what´s going on in town, feel free to join our Facebook group by clicking here. To advertise with the magazine check out the Rates & Media Pack – Ciren Scene!
0 comments on “Top Cirencester Artisan Pizzeria Appoints Duo of New Chefs”