Going Green with Aldo Zilli

Celebrity Chef Aldo Zilli has launched a new vegetarian restaurant.  Healthy went along to talk to Aldo about health and wellbeing, and find out what led him to make changes in his own diet

In the heart of London’s busy and dynamic Soho lies Zilli Green, a small and intimate vegetarian restaurant, owned by chef Aldo Zilli. Formerly the site of Zilli’s flagship restaurant, Signor Zilli, the venue has been entirely remodelled and re-branded to provide delicious vegetarian dishes in a simple, homely environment. His menu stays true to his Italian roots, whilst new ideas from world travel help create the perfect opportunity for a fusion of culinary disciplines in an exciting and dynamic take on vegetarian cuisine. We are greeted by restaurant manager Rocco and Head chef Enzo di Marino [photo: above right with Aldo Zilli] who serves us a delicious selection of food and organic wine. To start we have zucchini fritti dipped in a pepper and harissa sauce, a lovely split-pea and barley soup and our favourite; quinoa and wild mushroom Mediterranean sushi roll. To follow Enzo brings us a Japanese inspired fresh coconut curry with quinoa and a decadent and luxurious black truffle lasagne. Finally we are treated to a beautiful selection of deserts; melt in the mouth dairy free Tiramisu, warm pecan and dark chocolate brownie and delicious homemade Italian vanilla ice-cream.

Enzo has worked for Zilli as his executive chef and in vegetarian restaurants for many years, including doing a year training in the traditional Buddhist method of preparing and serving food. For him, vegetarian cookery encompasses all the elements of a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. The main aim for Zilli Green is of course to promote healthy living, but it’s also to show how innovative and tasty vegetarian cuisine can be. There is a common misconception that vegetarian food is either bland or fussy, overcomplicated and time consuming, which is one of the reasons he thinks some chefs tend to veer away from cooking vegetarian dishes.

Aldo’s decision to open Zilli Green came from his resolution to look at his own lifestyle and approach to food after he went on Celebrity Fit Club in 2005, an experience that he describes as “life changing.” His own family history saw three close family members die from heart disease, so he knew he had to make some significant changes to his diet and routine.
‘Although I’m a chef, I wasn’t really thinking about what I was eating, the sort of food or the quantity,’ says Zilli. ‘When running a restaurant, food was always seen as necessary fuel’. His usual routine consisted of grabbing a pasta meal mid-morning with his team before the lunchtime rush.  Then throughout the day he would constantly taste food, so without noticing would be eating a lot. As he was busy all the time, exercise was not at the top of his agenda.

Whilst on the programme Aldo was forced to make some massive lifestyle changes; eating small portion sizes of fish, meat and salad, and cutting out carbohydrate and alcohol for a month. After this initial change, he was allowed carbohydrates once a week as long as he was exercising. He took the programme seriously, and within three months he had lost three stone. His change in food consumption, and his increase in exercise not only made a massive difference to his lifestyle, but also his attitude and outlook when it came to cookery and food and the changes we can make to help prolong our life span. Aldo describes himself now as a “fishetarian”. He no longer has meat in his diet, but eats fish, a great source of protein and vitamin B. He has cut down from his previously carbohydrate heavy diet and prefers to eat grains which give him a slow release of energy and much more nutritional value. Aldo promotes a holistic approach to cooking, which he also tries to emulate in his everyday life. He takes a mint oil supplement and cod liver oil to help with digestion and internal wellbeing, he exercises regularly and eats in a more informed and healthy manner.  The result: better health in body, mind and spirit, and as Aldo puts it, ‘another ten years on my life’.

• For more information on Aldo Zilli’s restaurants, visit www.zillialdo.com. Don’t forget, Aldo serves meat and fish at his other restaurant, but Zilli Green remains strictly vegetarian!

Words: Lizzie Pyzer