Frankie Dettori opens new restaurant in Chelsea

Frankie Dettori has launched a new Italian restaurant in London's Chelsea, with Stefano Stecca heading up the kitchen.

The former jockey, who still runs Frankie's Bar & Grill together with Marco Pierre White, opened Sette on the former site of Cavallino last week.

Named after Dettori's achievement of riding all seven winners at Ascot in 1996, the 70-seat restaurant is divided into two main dining rooms as well a 20-seat private room and a 15-seat bar downstairs.

The menu offers regional Italian food with a focus on head chef Stecca's home town of Rimini, featuring seafood and pasta. Typical dishes include cuttlefish and langoustine salad; vitello tonnato; linguine with lobster; pappardelle with broad beans, peas and Pecorino; monkfish with roast potatoes and tomato; fish soup Rimini-style; grilled lamb chop with aubergine; Beef tagliata with rocket and Parmigiano Reggiano; tiramisù; and traditional torta di mele (apple cake).

A la carte prices range from £9 to £13 for antipasti, while risotto and pastas are £8-£12, main courses £16-£29, and desserts are £7.

Stecca previously worked at Zafferano with Giorgio Locatelli, and at Rosmarino. He also spent five years at Brunello at the Baglioni Hotel. In 2008, he took over Osteria Stecca (previously Rosmarino) and last year he collaborated with Arkady Novikov on the Italian restaurant at Novikov in Mayfair. Earlier this year, he headed up the kitchen at Blummyz in Chelsea.

Commenting on the launch, Dettori said: "Sette has a huge place in my heart and is a project that I am very close to and proud of, both in terms of the food and atmosphere on offer, but also for the Italian soul that is the lifeblood of the restaurant. I am Italian and while England is my home, Sette is where my heart is in terms of my heritage. I hope that our customers will enjoy Sette as much as I do."

Picture: David Hartley/Rex Features

Novikov hires chef Stefano Stecca for Italian Room >>

Italian chef Massimo Riccioli to leave the Corinthia Hotel a year after opening his restaurant >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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