He is credited with re-inventing fine-dining for the masses.
Now the owner of Glasgow's successful Six by Nico restaurant brand has turned his attentions to tea and cake.
Chief Executive and owner Nico Simeone opened his first patisserie - Valaria - in the city's West End this week and hopes it will lead to a network across the UK.
The elegant 34-seat tea room at 333 Byres Road specialises in Artisan choux pasties, signature eclairs with flavours including Rhubarb and Custard and a daily assortment of delicate French Macarons.
"It's a new concept we wanted to try," said Mr Simeone.
"The thing that excites me the most about it, is that it fits in with our ethos at Six by Nico that it is a product we can continually re-invent.
"Every month we will launch new products but keep 30% of the favourites, from feedback with our customers."
READ MORE: Six by Nico gets set for a third Glasgow venue
He said the confections offered in the new patisserie will be completely different from the quirky desserts including Irn Bru sorbet that are offered in his restaurants.
"They are all made in our central kitchen and something we really want to do is make sure they are created every single day, so it's about keeping the quality, making small batches and once it's gone, it's gone.
"We don't want the same product being sold the next day."
The location for his first Pâtisserie was "never in doubt", he says.
He said: "All my restaurants are in the West End.
READ MORE: New head chef for top Scottish restaurant
"Byres Road is in my comfort zone. I think it has gone through an evolution as well," he added.
"It was full of a lot of PLCs but we are now starting to see a lot of independents with Crabshakk opening and Ka Pao which are both amazing.
"I think it's starting to come back to what it was."
He doesn't have a target clientèle in mind for the new tea room but hopes it will have universal appeal for workers catching up on emails, those wanting to enjoying a quiet morning coffee and croissant or birthday celebrations.
He said: "I'm very ambitious, I always have an eye for growth but of course I know the process.
"The first six months will be trying to understand the business, the product and perfecting it and listening to and learning from our customers.
"Once we feel like we are in a position where we have got it exactly where we want it, then hopefully if it's well received, we will grow it across the UK, the same as Six."
Sixco, the restaurant group behind Six by Nico, posted a strong set of results in January showing it recorded a £4.4million operating profit in 2022.
The company confirmed four new UK Six by Nico openings, including another on Byres Road, which is due to open shortly.
Born in Glasgow, to Italian parents, Nico Simeone was raised in a family of Mediterranean foodies.
His career has included stints working at Michelin-starred 'Number One' at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
He launched his debut restaurant '111 by Nico' in Glasgow in 2015 with the first Six by Nico launched in Finnieston in 2017.
There are now 11 locations across the UK and Ireland.
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