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{{Short description|British casual dining restaurant chain}}
{{Short description|British casual dining restaurant chain}}
{{Primary sources|date=October 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}{{Primary sources|date=October 2008}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
|name = ASK Italian
| name = ASK Italian Restaurants Limited
|trade_name = Azzurri Restaurants Ltd
| trade_name =
|logo = ASK Italian logo.svg
| logo = ASK Italian logo.svg
|locations = 120<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/restaurant-building-up-for-auction-at-1-7m-214234/ |title=ASK Italian building in Canterbury High Street goes on sale |work=KentOnline |date=16 October 2019 |access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>
| locations = 120<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/restaurant-building-up-for-auction-at-1-7m-214234/ |title=ASK Italian building in Canterbury High Street goes on sale |work=KentOnline |date=16 October 2019 |access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>
| owner = Azzurri Central Limited
|website = https://www.askitalian.co.uk/
| website = {{URL|askitalian.co.uk}}
}}
}}
[[File:Ask Italian, Wednesday Market, Beverley - geograph.org.uk - 4419460.jpg|thumb|right|Restaurant in [[Beverley]], Yorkshire]]
[[File:Askitalian.jpg|thumb|right|ASK Italian at [[Middlebrook, Greater Manchester|Bolton Middlebrook Retail Park]] in [[Bolton]], [[Greater Manchester]]]]
[[File:Ask restaurant, Wetherby (13th September 2010).jpg|thumb|Ask restaurant, [[Wetherby]] (2010)]]
[[File:Ask Italian, Monson Rd - geograph.org.uk - 4853372.jpg|thumb|Restaurant in [[Tunbridge Wells]], Kent]]
[[File:Ask Italian, Blake Street, York (29th August 2020).jpg|thumb|right|Ask, Blake Street, [[York]].]]
[[File:Inside the Assembly Rooms York.jpg|thumb|Interior of the [[York Assembly Rooms]], now an ASK Italian restaurant]]


'''ASK''', also known as '''ASK Italian''' is a British [[casual dining]] [[restaurant chain]] that serves [[Italian cuisine]] in 120 locations in the UK.<ref name=ask>{{cite web |url=https://www.askitalian.co.uk/about-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917023011/https://www.askitalian.co.uk/about-us |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=About us |publisher=Ask Restaurants publication |access-date=13 October 2010 }}</ref>
'''ASK Italian Restaurants Limited''',<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-01 |title=ASK ITALIAN RESTAURANTS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10406599 |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=[[Companies House]] |language=en}}</ref> [[trading as]] '''ASK''' or '''ASK Italian''', is a British [[casual dining]] [[restaurant chain]] that serves [[Italian cuisine]] in 65 locations in the United Kingdom.<ref name="ask">{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.askitalian.co.uk/about-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917023011/https://www.askitalian.co.uk/about-us |archive-date=17 September 2016 |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=ASK Italian |publisher=Ask Restaurants publication}}</ref>


The chain, founded by brothers [[Adam Kaye]] and Samuel Kaye in 1993, and floated on [[Alternative Investment Market|AIM]] in 1995, was the subject of a [[Entrepreneurial finance#Buyouts|public-to-private]] deal in 2004,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2004-01-23/kaye-brothers-set-to-bag-in-ask-pizza-sale |title=Kaye brothers set to bag £15m in Ask Pizza sale |publisher=Efinancialnews.com |date=2004-01-23 |access-date=2015-09-26}}</ref> after which it was merged with [[Pizza Express]]
The chain, founded by brothers [[Adam Kaye|Adam]] and Samuel Kaye in 1993, and floated on [[Alternative Investment Market|AIM]] in 1995, was the subject of a [[Entrepreneurial finance#Buyouts|public-to-private]] deal in 2004,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2004-01-23/kaye-brothers-set-to-bag-in-ask-pizza-sale |title=Kaye brothers set to bag £15m in Ask Pizza sale |publisher=Efinancialnews.com |date=2004-01-23 |access-date=2015-09-26}}</ref> after which it was merged with [[Pizza Express]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdrcapital.com/pizza-express.html |title=Merger with Pizza Express |publisher=TDR Capital.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707112154/http://www.tdrcapital.com/pizza-express.html |archive-date=2014-07-07 |url-status=dead |access-date=1 December 2019 }}</ref> to form Gondola Holdings,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdrcapital.com/ask-central.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031195921/https://www.tdrcapital.com/ask-central.html |archive-date=2014-10-31 |title=Formation of Gondola Holdings |publisher=TDR Capital.com |url-status=dead |access-date=1 December 2019 }}</ref> later part of the [[Gondola Group]]. It was acquired along with [[Zizzi]] for £250 million by [[Bridgepoint Capital]] in February 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bridgepoint.eu/en/news/press-releases/2015/bridgepoint-completes-gbp-250-million-acquisition-of-ask-italian-and-zizzi/ |title=Bridgepoint completes £250 million acquisition of ASK ITALIAN and ZIZZI (Press release) |publisher=Bridgepoint |date=February 9, 2015 |access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> It was later bought in 2020 by [[TowerBrook Capital Partners]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Azzurri Group acquired in pre-pack by Towerbrook Capital Partners| url=https://www.rpbi-openings.co.uk/news/summary/company/azzurri-group-acquired-in-pre-pack-by-towerbrook-capital-partners/0705d346f845ed07b098c873ffe276e4 |website=RPBI Openings |access-date=3 January 2023}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdrcapital.com/pizza-express.html |title=Merger with Pizza Express |publisher=TDR Capital.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707112154/http://www.tdrcapital.com/pizza-express.html |archive-date=2014-07-07 |url-status=dead |access-date=1 December 2019 }}</ref> to form Gondola Holdings,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdrcapital.com/ask-central.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031195921/https://www.tdrcapital.com/ask-central.html |archive-date=2014-10-31 |title=Formation of Gondola Holdings |publisher=TDR Capital.com |url-status=dead |access-date=1 December 2019 }}</ref> which was later part of the [[Gondola Group]], and was acquired along with [[Zizzi]] for £250 million by [[Bridgepoint Capital]] in February 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bridgepoint.eu/en/news/press-releases/2015/bridgepoint-completes-gbp-250-million-acquisition-of-ask-italian-and-zizzi/ |title=Bridgepoint completes £250 million acquisition of ASK ITALIAN and ZIZZI (Press release) |publisher=Bridgepoint |date=February 9, 2015 |access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>


The name is made up of the founders' initials, Adam and Samuel Kaye. It is often mistakenly confused as an acronym for "Authentic Sicilian Kitchen". ASK was the chain's original name, it was rebranded as ASK Italian from 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=William Drew |url=http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Ask-Italian-Business-Profile |title=Ask Italian: Business company profile restaurant magazine |publisher=Bighospitality.co.uk |date=2013-01-16 |access-date=2015-09-26}}</ref>
The name is made up of the founders' initials, though it is often misunderstood as an acronym for "Authentic Sicilian Kitchen". The chain rebranded itself from "ASK" to "ASK Italian" in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=William Drew |url=http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Ask-Italian-Business-Profile |title=Ask Italian: Business company profile restaurant magazine |publisher=Bighospitality.co.uk |date=2013-01-16 |access-date=2015-09-26}}</ref>


==Theo Randall==
==Theo Randall==
In 2010, [[Theo Randall]] started working with ASK Italian restaurants as their 'expert friend', developing menus and coming up with new dishes.<ref>{{cite web|title =GH meets chef Theo Randall|url = http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/gh-meets-theo-randall |date=August 15, 2013 |website =[[Good Housekeeping]] |access-date = 2015-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = ASK Italian restaurant group partners with Theo Randall to launch new menu {{!}} Eat Out Magazine|url = http://eatoutmagazine.co.uk/ask-italian-restaurant-group-partners-theo-randall-launch-new-menu|website = Eatoutmagazine.co.uk|access-date = 2015-09-24|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150925144114/http://eatoutmagazine.co.uk/ask-italian-restaurant-group-partners-theo-randall-launch-new-menu|archive-date = 2015-09-25|url-status = dead}}</ref> In June 2015, he became an investor in the Azzurri Group, which owns and runs the restaurant chain.<ref>{{cite web|title = Top chef takes slice of ASK and Zizzi chains |date=June 16, 2015 |work=The Times|url = http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/leisure/article4470761.ece |first=Dominic |last=Walsh
In 2010, [[Theo Randall]] started working with ASK Italian restaurants as their "expert friend", developing menus and coming up with new dishes.<ref>{{cite web|title =GH meets chef Theo Randall|url = http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/gh-meets-theo-randall |date=August 15, 2013 |website =[[Good Housekeeping]] |access-date = 2015-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = ASK Italian restaurant group partners with Theo Randall to launch new menu {{!}} Eat Out Magazine|url = http://eatoutmagazine.co.uk/ask-italian-restaurant-group-partners-theo-randall-launch-new-menu|website = Eatoutmagazine.co.uk|access-date = 2015-09-24|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150925144114/http://eatoutmagazine.co.uk/ask-italian-restaurant-group-partners-theo-randall-launch-new-menu|archive-date = 2015-09-25|url-status = dead}}</ref> In June 2015, he became an investor in the Azzurri Group, which owns and runs the restaurant chain.<ref>{{cite web|title = Top chef takes slice of ASK and Zizzi chains |date=June 16, 2015 |work=The Times|url = http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/leisure/article4470761.ece |first=Dominic |last=Walsh
|access-date = 2019-12-01}}</ref>
|access-date = 2019-12-01}}</ref>


==Charity fundraising==
==Charity fundraising==
⚫
ASK Italian partnered with [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] Children's Charity in 2008 to donate £1 for every kids' menu sold during the campaign, and by asking customers to add a £1 donation onto their bill. This raised £73,000 in four weeks. The chain went on to raise a further £200,000 for the charity in the following two years, including through celebrity cookbook sales, a digital charity box, and donations from a range of dishes.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|title = ASK Italian {{!}} Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity|url = http://www.gosh.org/corporate-giving/meet-our-supporters/ask-italian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909203622/http://www.gosh.org/corporate-giving/meet-our-supporters/ask-italian|archive-date=2015-09-09 |url-status=dead |website = Gosh.org|access-date = 2019-12-01}}</ref>
'''Kiss It Better Campaign'''
⚫
ASK Italian partnered with [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] Children's Charity in 2008 to donate £1 for every kids menu sold during the campaign, and by asking customers to add a £1 donation onto their bill. This raised £73,000 in four weeks. The chain went on to raise a further £200,000 for the charity in the following two years, including through celebrity cook book sales, a digital charity box and donations from a range of dishes.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|title = ASK Italian {{!}} Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity|url = http://www.gosh.org/corporate-giving/meet-our-supporters/ask-italian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909203622/http://www.gosh.org/corporate-giving/meet-our-supporters/ask-italian|archive-date=2015-09-09 |url-status=dead |website = Gosh.org|access-date = 2019-12-01}}</ref>

==Ownership==
In February 2015, [[Bridgepoint Capital]] bought ASK Italian along with its sister brand [[Zizzi]] from [[Cinven]] in a transaction totalling £250 million.<ref>{{cite web|title = £250m ASK Italian and Zizzi acquisition completed as restaurant sales surge - Real Business|url = http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/29195-250m-ask-italian-and-zizzi-acquisition-completed-as-restaurant-sales-surge |date=February 9, 2015 |website = Realbusiness.co.uk|access-date = 2019-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Bridgepoint / Bridgepoint completes £250 million acquisition of ASK ITALIAN and ZIZZI|url = http://www.bridgepoint.eu/en/news/press-releases/2015/bridgepoint-completes-gbp-250-million-acquisition-of-ask-italian-and-zizzi/|website = Bridgepoint.eu|access-date = 2015-09-24}}</ref>
It was later bought in 2020 by TowerBrook Capital Partners.<ref>{{cite web | title=Azzurri Group acquired in pre-pack by Towerbrook Capital Partners| url=https://www.rpbi-openings.co.uk/news/summary/company/azzurri-group-acquired-in-pre-pack-by-towerbrook-capital-partners/0705d346f845ed07b098c873ffe276e4 |website=RPBI Openings |access-date=3 January 2023}}</ref>


==Controversies==
==Controversies==
Line 37: Line 32:


== COVID-19 pandemic ==
== COVID-19 pandemic ==
On 20 March 2020, all restaurants in the UK were closed indefinitely due to new rules regarding the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|national lockdown]] initiated by the government to reduce the spread of [[COVID-19]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.askitalian.co.uk/covid-19/|title=A Message From Chris Holmes|publisher=Ask Italian|first=Chris|last=Holmes|date=March 2020|access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> On 17 July 2020, Azzurri Group, owner of the [[Zizzi]] and ASK Italian chains, announced the closure of 75 restaurants with the loss of up to 1,200 jobs.<ref name="BBC-17Jul2020">{{cite news |title=Restaurant chain Zizzi and Ask Italian closing 75 branches |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53451050 |access-date=18 July 2020 |work=BBC News |date=17 July 2020}}</ref>
On 20 March 2020, all restaurants in the United Kingdom were closed indefinitely due to new rules regarding the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|national lockdown]] initiated by the government to reduce the spread of [[COVID-19]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.askitalian.co.uk/covid-19/|title=A Message From Chris Holmes|publisher=Ask Italian|first=Chris|last=Holmes|date=March 2020|access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> On 17 July 2020, Azzurri Group, owner of the Zizzi and ASK Italian chains, announced the closure of 75 restaurants with the loss of up to 1,200 jobs.<ref name="BBC-17Jul2020">{{cite news |title=Restaurant chain Zizzi and Ask Italian closing 75 branches |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53451050 |access-date=18 July 2020 |work=BBC News |date=17 July 2020}}</ref>


==Works==
==Works==
Line 56: Line 51:


[[Category:Italian restaurants in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Italian restaurants in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Restaurant groups in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1993]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1993]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in the United Kingdom]]

Revision as of 07:46, 25 April 2024

ASK Italian Restaurants Limited
Number of locations
120[1]
OwnerAzzurri Central Limited
Websiteaskitalian.co.uk
Restaurant in Beverley, Yorkshire
Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Interior of the York Assembly Rooms, now an ASK Italian restaurant

ASK Italian Restaurants Limited,[2] trading as ASK or ASK Italian, is a British casual dining restaurant chain that serves Italian cuisine in 65 locations in the United Kingdom.[3]

The chain, founded by brothers Adam and Samuel Kaye in 1993, and floated on AIM in 1995, was the subject of a public-to-private deal in 2004,[4] after which it was merged with Pizza Express[5] to form Gondola Holdings,[6] later part of the Gondola Group. It was acquired along with Zizzi for £250 million by Bridgepoint Capital in February 2015.[7] It was later bought in 2020 by TowerBrook Capital Partners.[8]

The name is made up of the founders' initials, though it is often misunderstood as an acronym for "Authentic Sicilian Kitchen". The chain rebranded itself from "ASK" to "ASK Italian" in 2010.[9]

Theo Randall

In 2010, Theo Randall started working with ASK Italian restaurants as their "expert friend", developing menus and coming up with new dishes.[10][11] In June 2015, he became an investor in the Azzurri Group, which owns and runs the restaurant chain.[12]

Charity fundraising

ASK Italian partnered with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity in 2008 to donate £1 for every kids' menu sold during the campaign, and by asking customers to add a £1 donation onto their bill. This raised £73,000 in four weeks. The chain went on to raise a further £200,000 for the charity in the following two years, including through celebrity cookbook sales, a digital charity box, and donations from a range of dishes.[13]

Controversies

In November 2015, the chain was one of seven restaurants surveyed that failed to meet a basic level of sustainability in its seafood.[14]

In November 2019, Azzurri Restaurants admitted in court that a dish described as "lobster and king prawns" contained only 35% lobster, and had white fish and other ingredients mixed in and formed to appear as lobster meat. The dish was sold between 2014 and March 2019.[15]

COVID-19 pandemic

On 20 March 2020, all restaurants in the United Kingdom were closed indefinitely due to new rules regarding the national lockdown initiated by the government to reduce the spread of COVID-19.[16] On 17 July 2020, Azzurri Group, owner of the Zizzi and ASK Italian chains, announced the closure of 75 restaurants with the loss of up to 1,200 jobs.[17]

Works

  • The ASK Italian Cookbook (2012)[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ASK Italian building in Canterbury High Street goes on sale". KentOnline. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  2. ^ "ASK ITALIAN RESTAURANTS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  3. ^ "About us". ASK Italian. Ask Restaurants publication. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Kaye brothers set to bag £15m in Ask Pizza sale". Efinancialnews.com. 23 January 2004. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Merger with Pizza Express". TDR Capital.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Formation of Gondola Holdings". TDR Capital.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Bridgepoint completes £250 million acquisition of ASK ITALIAN and ZIZZI (Press release)". Bridgepoint. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Azzurri Group acquired in pre-pack by Towerbrook Capital Partners". RPBI Openings. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  9. ^ William Drew (16 January 2013). "Ask Italian: Business company profile restaurant magazine". Bighospitality.co.uk. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  10. ^ "GH meets chef Theo Randall". Good Housekeeping. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  11. ^ "ASK Italian restaurant group partners with Theo Randall to launch new menu | Eat Out Magazine". Eatoutmagazine.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  12. ^ Walsh, Dominic (16 June 2015). "Top chef takes slice of ASK and Zizzi chains". The Times. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  13. ^ "ASK Italian | Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity". Gosh.org. Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  14. ^ Smithers, Rebecca (18 November 2015). "More than half of UK's family restaurant chains serving unsustainable seafood". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  15. ^ "ASK restaurant fined over 'misleading' lobster". 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  16. ^ Holmes, Chris (March 2020). "A Message From Chris Holmes". Ask Italian. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Restaurant chain Zizzi and Ask Italian closing 75 branches". BBC News. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  18. ^ The ASK Italian Cookbook by Carla Capalbo, Theo Randall. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
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