Giovanni Malacrino, owner of one of Cardiff’s best known provincial Italian restaurants, is to open a new establishment at 7/8 Park Place, opposite the New Theatre. The acquisition comes as ‘Giovanni’s’ renowned restaurant on the Hayes celebrates its 30th anniversary. Cooke & Arkwright acted on behalf of the landlord, J R Smart, whose offices are located on the upper floors of the premises.
“I have always had my eye on this particular site,” said Giovanni. “I’ve been looking to expand into another restaurant and so I seized the chance when I found out that these premises had become available. The location is ideal as it is the other end of the main city centre from the Hayes and it is near the university, many professional offices and the New Theatre. I also love the elegance of the Grade II listed building.”
A ‘soft’ opening is planned for the new restaurant in September 2013, followed by a party event where Joe Calzaghe CBE, the retired, undefeated two-weight world boxing champion, actor Matthew Rhys, and members of the Hurley family, Giovanni’s very first customers back in 1983, will attend the official opening.
Huw Thomas, Director in charge of retail at Cooke & Arkwright said, “The premises are an ideal blank canvass for Giovanni to create an authentic Italian atmosphere. They are located just 50 metres to the north of Queen Street, while Henry’s Bar, Bellini’s Restaurant, the Park Hotel and Park Plaza Hotel are all nearby, making it a popular destination.”
Gareth Smart said, “As a family we have known Giovanni for many years and look forward to enjoying his hospitality at what we are sure will soon become a Cardiff City Centre dining tradition.”
Giovanni has also enjoyed participating in the success of Cardiff City Football team, providing food for the players and even inviting several members of the first team to learn to cook in the newly opened Giovanni’s Cookery School. In testament to this, Giovanni’s Restaurant slogan is ‘Cardiff City players run fasta on Giovanni’s pasta’.
Giovanni said that the restaurant would cater for about 70 covers and there would be some partitioned areas to accommodate business lunches. At least 15 new jobs were being created. “It is very satisfying to open a new venture at the same time as we are celebrating the anniversary of Giovanni’s in the Hayes,” he said, adding that the celebrations would continue throughout the year.
This is not Giovanni’s only new venture. He is working on pilots for a new television cookery programme and has just opened a cookery school in Mill Lane. He is also about to launch Giovanni’s Italian food delivery service and will also provide Italian cooking sauces to restaurants and retail outlets around the city. These ventures will create further new jobs he says, and help spread his passion for Italian food.
Giovanni is optimistic about the future and the quality of food offering in Cardiff. The area around the Hayes and Mill Lane has been transformed in recent years and Giovanni was the pioneer for the popular Cardiff Café Quarter in Mill Lane. “Our philosophy remains true to our grounding principles,” he says. “We are very family orientated and our workers are like our family. An ever-growing family!”