Two minutes with Fatto a Mano's co-founder, Rupert Davidson
Tell us about the name Fatto a Mano and why you chose it for your pizzeria?
I knew what I wanted Fatto a Mano to be - in look, feel, service style, and its food offering - long before I had chosen a name for it. I had hundreds in the running! Every day something new would come to me, but my enthusiasm would wane a few minutes after thinking it was a good idea. Then one day I was sitting in my office and, bam - it came to me! The HR manager I sat next to was Italian, and I asked her for a translation of ‘made by hand’. She told me it was ‘Fatto a Mano’, and I immediately knew that was it and never looked back.
You’re known for your monthly specials - what has been your favourite creation to date?
This is a hard one to pick, but I think it has to be ‘La Ribelle’ (translates to ‘the rebel’) which we did for the London Pizza Festival in 2023 - featuring Cetera anchovies, ’nduja, buffalo mozzarella, roasted yellow tomatoes, mozzarella and gremolata pesto. When our friend Daniel Young (who was hosting the festival) found out that we wanted to enter the competition with this, he told us that we were making a mistake…anchovies on pizza are associated with boney, cheap slithers and the over-salty creations of the late 90s. We persevered, totally convinced that the quality of our ingredients would shine through, and came second in the competition. We put the pizza on as a monthly special and it became one of the best sellers we’ve ever had.
Pizza toppings (we're looking at you, pineapple) are fiercely personal. What's an unexpected ingredient that you've used in the past, which shouldn't work but does?
There’s a British charcuterie supplier called Trealy Farm that we’ve used before and I’m obsessed with their products. The quality is outstanding - and their whole range is reared in Monmouthshire. They have a Lamb, Beef & Lemon Merguez Salami which is packed with spices, and so tasty that I can’t stop thinking about it. We’ve used it in the past and will be bringing it back soon as a special with artichoke and almond pesto, fried aubergine and charred artichokes. I can’t wait!