The couple behind Enoteca Turi have announced that they will be retiring from their acclaimed West London Italian restaurant after 33 years at its helm.
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Puglia-born Giuseppe Turi founded the original Enoteca Turi on Putney High Street in 1990, having trained as a sommelier at the Athenaeum and Connaught Hotels.
That oenological experience paid off. Speaking to Wine List Confidential author Douglas Blyde, Giuseppe revealed that since the restaurant’s beginning, it was his “ambition” to “build a wine library”, with big names such as Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Masseto joining the list over time.
In 1992, Pamela Turi, a qualified teacher, joined the business, looking after PR, marketing, HR and events for the restaurant.
In 2016, after 26 years in Putney, the Turis were forced to move Enoteca Turi due to the development of flats above their restaurant.
Despite leaving its home of a quarter of a century, critics felt that Enoteca Turi’s transition to its new site in Pimlico was a smooth one, with Nicholas Lander writing in the Financial Times: “The Turis fit extremely well into their new neighbourhood”.
Now, Giuseppe and Pamela have announced that after more than three decades, it is time to hand over the reins and retire, with their joint statement shared on social media: “Since we started a small trattoria in Putney in 1990, we have had an incredibly fulfilling journey and built Enoteca Turi into a successful restaurant that will be able to continue without us.”
It continued: “We have achieved this with the help some wonderful people: our staff past and present, our dedicated suppliers, the artisan producers that strive daily for excellence, the outstanding winemakers producing extraordinary wines, and our loyal customers who keep supporting us, some of whom have followed us from Putney, and many of whom have become valued friends. To all we would like to say ‘thank you!’”
It is understood that head chef Giampiero Giuliani and general manager Daniele Siro will remain in post under the restaurant’s new regime, though the statement from the Turis does not make it clear who the next owners will be.
This article was originally published by the drinks business and has been shared with permission.
