When Gino D’Acampo announced that he was taking a break from the TV show This Morning in March, host Phillip Schofield heard jokes under his breath: “Thank God for that!” Could it have something to do with Phil losing thousands when Gino’s fast food pasta bar chain collapsed in January with £5million in debt?
Phil owned 2,200 of the 119,000 shares in My Pasta Bars Ltd, which served pasta ‘on the go’. The collapse left 49 creditors overboard and the staff owed more than £37,000 in unpaid wages.
I think the pair should be congratulated for hiding some awkwardness when they appeared on ITV’s flagship show together!
When Gino D’Acampo announced that he was taking a break from the TV show This Morning in March, host Phillip Schofield heard jokes under his breath: “Thank God for that!”
Could it have something to do with Phil losing thousands when Gino’s fast food pasta bar chain collapsed in January with £5million in debt?
Mr D’Acampo, 45, reportedly earns around £2 million annually from television work, which includes hosting Family Fortunes and regular appearances on This Morning.
He is also a former winner of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.
In January, it was revealed that the celebrity chef’s chain owed £4,939,332 to 49 creditors, in addition to £113,975 to HMRC and £37,887 in employee benefits, according to paperwork filed with Companies House.
Accounts from the parent company show it had £1.65 million in investments, including £821,494 in property, The Sun reports.
Restaurants: All three My Pasta Bars are located in London. The first opened in Fleet Street in 2013, followed by Leadenhall Market and Bishopsgate
End of an erra: Gino D’Acampo My Pasta Bar in London’s Leadenhall Market, one of three restaurants in the city
Company: Gino (center) pictured with Fred Sirieix (left) and Gordon Ramsay (right) during the filming of Gordon, Gino, Fred Go Greek for ITV
All three My Pasta Bars were located in London.
The first opened in Fleet Street in 2013, followed by Leadenhall Market and Bishopsgate.
The restaurant chain was inspired by ‘Gino’s own experience of the fresh produce markets of Naples’, while also featuring its ‘own breakfast rotolini pastries, authentic antipasti, salads, pastries, specialty breads and Italian desserts’.
His separate restaurant chain, called Gino D’Acampo, with branches in Birmingham, Manchester, Harrogate, Leeds, Liverpool and Hull, remains untouched.
However, that chain was rescued by Icelandic supermarket boss Sir Malcolm Walker after suffering losses before the lockdown hit.
They are now listed as part of the Individual Restaurant Group, which is run by Icelandic bosses.
The chef grew up in Naples before moving to the UK and opening his first restaurant at the age of 21.
He told The Daily Mail in January that it’s important to store memories, not money, in relation to his work-life balance.
Gino said, “Well, I see you’re running here, you’re running there. The danger is that by running everywhere you will miss out on the many beautiful things the world has to offer. My suggestion is to stop running, stop working and enjoy what you have built.’
“Now I work for six months running my restaurants, then we spend six months in our vineyard in Sardinia. I don’t do a day more work than on vacation.
‘Otherwise I see myself as a failure as a father and husband, because I don’t give enough time to the people around me. I’d rather bank memories than money.’
Smoking hot Highclere
The heat wave may have been unbearable for some, but the owner of Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey, tells me he had one of his best business ever. The 8th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert (that’s Lady Carnarvon, above, enjoying the shade) says the castle raked in record sales of gin cocktails and ice creams, and one group from America even splashed out on 40 cigars.
The heat wave may have been unbearable for some, but the owner of Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey, tells me he had one of his best business ever. The 8th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert (that’s Lady Carnarvon, above, enjoying the shade) says the castle raked in record sales of gin cocktails and ice creams, and one group from America even splashed out on 40 cigars.
My lips are sealed, but…
Which senior parliamentarians have caught the attention of colleagues by getting close? The pair have enjoyed long nighttime conversations and a few sleepovers. Sounds sweet… although I’m not sure her husband would agree!