Flavio Briatore to open Billionaire nightclub in London

The luxury hospitality company founded by ex-Formula One team manager Flavio Briatore is planning to bring its Billionaire nightclub brand to London.

Billionaire Life, which Briatore launched in Italy in 1998, already runs the Sumosan Twiga and Crazy Pizza restaurants in the city.

Brian Bendix, chief executive officer at Billionaire Life, told The Caterer there were plans for a Billionaire London based on the success of openings in Porto Cervo, Dubai (pictured) and Riyadh.

“Billionaire is designed to take a global lead in the dinner entertainment sector, presenting a truly unprecedented performance of dancers, musicians, acrobats, contortionists and more alongside incredible food, service and interior,” he said.

Crazy Pizza has sites in Monte Carlo and Porto Cervo and made its UK debut in Marylebone in 2019. A second restaurant is to launch in Knightsbridge this year with general manager Roberto Marchiori, formerly of Chiltern Firehouse.

Bendix said the company was reviewing “one or two” other London opportunities for Crazy Pizza, but it has no immediate plans to open outside of the capital.

During the pandemic the business launched four virtual delivery brands in London under the Virtual de Lux umbrella. These include Russian-inspired the Noble Tsar and comfort food-focused Manhattan Kitchen.

Bendix added that while lockdown has been “tragic” for the company, he remains confident in its future.

He said: “[The UK] is an intensively difficult market and navigating the business through the pandemic and the government’s irrational protocols has required tremendous agility.

“It is clear that our industry and the market are more challenged that it has ever been, but we are confident that we will eventually land in a new reality. In this new reality, we are equally confident that there will be opportunities and especially so in the ‘luxury lifestyle’ end of our industry.”

Other brands owned, licensed and operated by Billionaire Life include Cipriani, Twiga Beach and Cova.