i. Biography
In London, the material is Italian: salmon or tuna cut for Tartare di Salmone o Tonno, beef for Carpaccio di Manzo, wild sea bass roasted with sweet-and-sour Sicilian vegetables, pigeon brought from the oven with Cavolo Nero. Since 2012, and through 2026, Marco Torri has led the Italian kitchen at Novikov Restaurant in London, United Kingdom, as Head Chef, shaping regional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist.
The Estate
Italian cuisine runs through Torri’s London work, with two named kitchens marking the shift from ownership to a longer Head Chef tenure. From 2007 to 2012, Marco Torri was Chef Proprietor of Ristorante Semplice in London, United Kingdom. That role placed him in charge of both the kitchen and the business before the move to Novikov. At Novikov, the cooking is read through the dishes themselves: tartare, carpaccio, roasted fish, oven-roasted pigeon, greens, and Sicilian vegetables. Those plates show the range attached to his name, from fish handled as tartare to meat served as carpaccio and game set against Cavolo Nero.
In the Cellar
The stated specialty is Italian cuisine, and the style is regional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist. In practical terms, that means the menu items tied to Marco Torri keep their Italian titles and ingredient structure while being presented in a modern London restaurant kitchen. The vocabulary is plain. Tartare di Salmone o Tonno puts salmon or tuna at the centre. Carpaccio di Manzo turns to beef. Branzino Arrosto con Caponata is built from roasted wild sea bass fillet with sweet-and-sour Sicilian vegetables. Piccione al Forno con Cavolo Nero brings oven-roasted pigeon together with sautéed Cavolo Nero. The work reads as regional reference, clear Italian structure, and a measured update rather than a break from the source. The contemporary note sits inside the dish, not outside it.
The Bottlings
Among the menu items created by Marco Torri at Novikov, Tartare di Salmone o Tonno is one of the most direct: salmon or tuna, named in Italian, prepared as tartare. Carpaccio di Manzo works in the same stripped-back register, with beef as the central material. Branzino Arrosto con Caponata extends the plate. The dish pairs roasted wild sea bass fillet with sweet-and-sour Sicilian vegetables, bringing fish and caponata into one composition. Piccione al Forno con Cavolo Nero moves to oven-roasted pigeon and sautéed Cavolo Nero, a darker, leafier pairing within the same Italian frame. Taken together, the dishes show a kitchen built from Italian names, Italian ingredients, and regional reference points, carried through Torri’s Head Chef role at the Italian kitchen from 2012 through 2026.
Signature
Marco's signature dishes include Tartare di Salmone o Tonno and Carpaccio di Manzo.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Marco
What is Marco Torri known for?
Italian cuisine.
