David Parkin meets a celebrity chef and tries to get creative

WHEN I’m asked to speak at a breakfast event, I have a great excuse – that I’m writing our headlines and sending out the daily news email so I won’t be able to make it.

That didn’t work when I was asked to be involved in a Leeds City Council event to promote opportunities for digital firms – because it was being held in the lobby of the Round Foundry Media Centre, about five yards away from our office.

But what did they want me to talk about? Well, our experiences in business and to highlight some of the mistakes and successes over the last five-and-a-half years.

I’d made a long list of the mistakes before I realised I was struggling on the successes.

But perhaps you are always harder on yourself than you should be.

We are in our third office in the Round Foundry Media Centre – it’s the type of place you don’t want to leave – and the Holbeck area really has developed into a “creative community”.

Speaking at the Gearing up for Growth breakfast seminar this week, Toby Hyam, managing director of Creative Space Management, which runs the Round Foundry Media Centre, told local companies that creating new jobs and investing in this region can bring huge potential.

In fact his firm is offering interest free loans of up to £50,000 for digital projects.

One of the other speakers was Marc Allen, managing director of TV production company True North.

It is predicting turnover of £13m this year and Marc put on a showreel with highlights of the firm’s recent television productions.

That includes a series following people waiting for hand transplants called My New Hand.

Yes hands.

One of the quotes I remember was a nurse saying to a middle aged white man waiting for a transplant: “We’ve got a hand for you, but it’s black, is that ok?”

And True North also makes a reality TV show for MTV called The Valleys, following a group of shy and retiring young people from the Welsh valleys who make their way to Cardiff.

It’s like Geordie Shore with sheep.

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I WAS reflecting on the experiences of running a business again last night – but this time I had a glass of red wine in my hand and was dining al fresco.

That was thanks to the entrepreneurial team at fast-growing restaurant chain San Carlo and their executive consultant head chef Aldo Zilli.

One of the UK’s first celebrity chefs, Aldo started a string of London restaurants influenced by his Italian heritage before deciding to sell up and join the family-owned San Carlo group where he can be creative with cuisine without having to worry about the business side.

He was at the Flying Pizza in Leeds last night to launch his new regional feature menu ‘Giro d’Italia’ (journey through Italy).

And this month diners can take a gastronomic tour of Aldo’s home, Abruzzo. This central region stretches from the heart of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea, “covering a wild and mountainous terrain”. Sounds a bit like Barnsley.

The dishes Aldo cooked us last night included langoustines, aubergines, lamb kebabs, salted cod and chick peas.

All washed down with Pecorino white white and Montepulciano red.

When the sun is shining and you can eat outside late into the evening, Yorkshire is a great place to be. Who needs St Tropez or Marbella?

Oh no, am I turning into Gary Verity’s mini-me? (You know, the bloke that runs Welcome to Yorkshire, quiff and lacks a bit of self-confidence).

Have a great weekend.