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James Martin has paid tribute to Saturday Kitchen chef Russell Norman after he died aged 57.
His business partner Richard Beatty announced his death with a statement on Friday.
Now James, 51, has taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a heartfelt message for his old pal.
He wrote: “Just heard the news that today we lost a giant and a legend in the restaurant world, Russell Norman, who was and will always be an inspiration for so many.
“My thoughts go to his friends and family, RIP, such sad news.”
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In a statement earlier today, Russell’s friend Richard said: “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 friends.
“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.”
Russell co-founded Polpo and Spuntino with Richard and was also the brains behind Brutto in Farringdon which opened in 2021.
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The Italian eatery has been ranked amongst the best in the capital and will continue to trade under his wife Jules and son Ollie’s leadership.
Speaking about his new venture at the time, he told Evening Standard: “I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel in any respects. You know when you hear chefs talk about ‘a traditional recipe with my own twist’? I don’t want any twists.”
Russell went on to say he felt “more confident about my food knowledge than ever before”.
He added: “I want this to be traditional and authentic, the dishes to be familiar, comforting. But a slavish adherence to regionality isn’t necessary sometimes.
“You can have a general Tuscan, Florentine menu with a few favourite dishes thrown in from other regions.”
In the same interview, Russell shut down claims that he and Richard had fallen out following his departure from Polpo in 2020.
While known for his restaurant success, he also presented a BBC six-part documentary titled The Restaurant Man in 2014 and appeared on Saturday Kitchen.
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