Russell Norman death updates — Tributes pour in for award-winning restaurant owner, 57, who died after brief illness
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BBC STAR Russell Norman has died at the age of 57 after a brief health battle.
The award-winning chef and restaurant owner was surrounded by his family and friends in hospital when he tragically passed away.
His cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Russell's close friend and business partner, Richard Beatty, has led tributes to the star, saying: "It is with the greatest sadness I announce the loss of my best friend Russell Norman.
"After a short battle in hospital, he died surrounded by family and friend.
"Russell is survived by his wife and three children, I ask that you respect the privacy of his family, friends and colleagues at this time."
Read our Russell Norman death blog for the latest updates...
Russell published four cookbooks – one before his death
In his life as a chef, Russell Norman released four cookbooks, one of which was published weeks before his death.
These cookbooks include:
- Brutto: A (simple) Florentine cookbook
- POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts)
- Venice: Four Seasons of Home Cooking
- SPUNTINO: Comfort Food (New York Style)
What restaurants did Russell Norman open?
Russell is best known for starting the Polpo chain of restaurants.
He also is responsible for their spin-offs Spuntino and Polpetto.
Russell made waves in the London restaurant scene by inventing the concept of small plates, as well as re-popularising the classic Negroni.
Brutto, his current restaurant, will remain open under the custodianship of his son Ollie, along with Jules.
Who is chef Russell Norman's wife Jules?
Jules McNally is known for being the wife of Russell Norman, and is also mother to his children.
Not much else is known about her, but she previously opened up about their relationship.
Speaking to in 2012, she said: "Unsurprisingly, food has always played an important part in our relationship."
Credit: getty
Did Russel have children?
Russell welcomed three children during his life.
He had his son Ollie during a previous relationship.
Together with his wife Jules, he had two daughters – Martha and Mabel.
'A huge talent, and a huge loss'
Mark Lewis, chief executive of charity Hospitality Action, paid tribute to Russell Norman on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Lewis recalled enjoying a drink with the late chef just a week or two before his death.
More fans mourn on socials
Fans of Russell Norman have taken to social media to mourn the author.
One fan : "Really sad to hear about Russell Norman. A warm, kind, generous man who shared his enthusiasm in his wonderful restaurants. Thinking of his family."
Another person : "What a shock. So sad to read this news. Russell was a great restaurateur and loved by us all. RIP dear friend."
Russell previously spoke about his younger years
"I spent my formative years [in Hounslow], only leaving to go to Sunderland Polytechnic," he told the Food and Travel magazine in 2021.
"I studied there for three years and worked in the North East for a year, as a community arts officer in East Durham.
"It didn’t suit me at all and I came back to London, looking for work."
Tragic final post
In his , Russell shared a photo of a friend modelling merchandise for his restaurant Trattoria BRUTTO.
Beneath the post, fans of the chef paid tribute following his death.
One person wrote: "Absolutely heartbreaking, I am so sorry to all his friend, family and colleagues for your loss."
Another commented: "So sorry to hear of the loss of Russell Norman. My condolences to his family and all his friends at Brutto and beyond."
Jay Rayner pays tribute
The restaurant critic paid tribute to Russell, saying: "So sorry to hear of the death, far too young, of Russell Norman.
"He was one of the most gifted of restaurateurs, a terrific writer and an awful lot of fun to be around.
Jay continued: "He very much lived life his own way. My thoughts are with his family and friends."
Fans mourn Russell Norman
Fans of the late chef have taken to social media to grieve the star.
Russell’s cookbooks: Brutto
His most recent book, BRUTTO: A Simple Florentine Cookbook, details the development of the popular trattoria of the same name in London.
It has received two Michelin Bib Gourmand awards.
It also has 130 delicious and genuine Tuscan and Florence dishes.
Russell’s cookbooks: Venice
Russell returned to the city that inspired his first book for his third book, VENICE: Four Seasons of Home Cooking, in order to fully immerse himself in the culinary traditions of actual Venetians.
Throughout four seasons, Russell lived in a modest apartment in the Castello neighborhood for 14 months, where he went shopping, cooked, and wrote.
"I exiled myself in the world's most beautiful city for over a year in order to learn to cook like a 90-year-old Venetian granny," he said of the experience, per his .
Russell’s cookbooks: SPUNTINO
Published in September 2015, his second book SPUNTINO: Comfort Food, New York Style took home the Guild of Food Writers Award for Food and Travel.
Spuntino celebrates "the energy, dynamism, and extraordinary cuisine of our great melting pot."
Russell's cookbooks: POLPO
In 2012, Russell Norman's debut book, POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts), was awarded the first-ever Waterstones Book of the Year award.
This cookbook is filled with little-known Venetian dishes from one of the trendiest restaurants in London with many photographs.
'We share a love of unfussy food'
Jules continued to tell in her 2012 interview: "We'd talk about how great it'd be to eat and drink like that back home.
"Our date nights are precious and when we eat out in others people's restaurants I've learned to make sure Russell sits facing the wall to prevent him doing his restaurant analysis over my shoulder," she added.
"We share a love of unfussy food and are guilty of terrible inverse snobbery about effortful cooking – anything presented as a tower or with a foam."
Jules was 'too intimidated to cook for him'
Russell's wife Jules told in 2012: "Unsurprisingly, food has always played an important part in our relationship.
"Russell wooed me with lovingly made dishes such as pea and mint risotto and I, then, was too intimidated to cook for him for two years."
She continued: "Before marriage and babies, on our frequent trips to Venice, we'd drift around the bacari scoffing baccala mantecato (which still tastes of romance to me) and getting rather smiley on prosecco and negroni."
Russell's wife stayed out of the spotlight
Jules McNally is Russell Norman's wife.
She is also the mother of two of his children.
Not much else is known about her.
'Stanley Tucci sandwich'
Two weeks prior to his death, Russell to jokingly lament the fact that his most recent cookbook, Brutto, was knocked out of the No. 1 bestseller and brought down to the second spot.
Stanley Tucci's book, Taste: My Life Through Food, took the top and third spot on the list.
He captioned the screenshot of the top-three bestsellers on Amazon: "Although the Brutto cookbook has been knocked off the Amazon top spot, we are happy to be in a @stanleytucci sandwich."
Restaurant to remain open
Brutto, Russell's current restaurant, will remain open under the custodianship of his son Ollie, along with his wife Jules.
The award-winning chef started the Polpo chain of restaurants.
He also launched spin-offs Spuntino and Polpetto.
About Russell Norman
Russell Norman was best known to be a broadcaster, restaurateur, and author.
In addition to being a co-founder of the POLPO restaurant company and the SPUNTINO restaurant and bar, he is one of the founders of the renowned restaurant BRUTTO in London.
Russell published four cookbooks - one before his death
In his life as a chef, Russell Norman released four cookbooks, one of which was published weeks before his death.
These cookbooks include:
- Brutto: A (simple) Florentine cookbook
- POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts)
- Venice: Four Seasons of Home Cooking
- SPUNTINO: Comfort Food (New York Style)
Chef invented small plates concept
During his life, Russell made waves in the London restaurant scene.
He is well-known for inventing the concept of small plates.
He also re-popularised the classic Negroni.
Russell had three children
Russell welcomed three children during his life.
He welcomed his son Ollie during a previous relationship.
Together with his wife Jules, he had two daughters - Martha and Mabel.
Big on family cooking
Russell said in 2018 that baking potatoes was one of his favorite foods to prepare with his family.
"We’ll have tinned tuna, sweetcorn and mayonnaise on one half and baked beans on the other. If I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll make a fancy coleslaw," he told the Guardian.
He also said that "the 95-year-old Italian granny" was a big inspiration behind some of his dishes.
Cause of death not disclosed
It is not yet known exactly how the famous chef died.
He passed away in hospital surrounded by family.
He is said to have battled a brief illness.
