It’s perhaps the most atmospheric setting of any restaurant in Glasgow, nestled into the shadows of the city’s Cathedral and overlooking a gothic necropolis that has served as inspiration for many a visiting filmmaker.
Far from eclipsed by their unique location, Anna and Dean Parker of Celentano’s have spent the past three years developing a style that has earned them a Bib Gourmand, recognition from the Good Food Guide and glowing reviews from some of the nation’s most formidable food critics.
“Dean and I had always dreamed of having our own restaurant,” Anna Parker said of the couple’s decision to leave London and return to her home city of Glasgow.
“It was when we were travelling around Italy on our honeymoon that we started to talk about it seriously.
“There are so many different types of food within each region and they do so much with their produce.
“They can take something as simple as a tomato and make it either super fancy or something comforting that’s full of flavour.
“It’s all about the freshest ingredients over there and they share Dean’s love for working seasonally and making the most out of whatever you’ve got.”
A talented chef who had already made a name for himself in London as the right-hand man of restauranteur Robin Gill, Dean Parker was eager to explore his affinity with Italian cuisine in his own kitchen, where he could ensure that every element of the dish was prepared from scratch and to his high standards.
Pictured: Anna Parker entered the world of hospitality in her 30s following a successful career in fashion (Image: NAOMI VANCE PHOTOGRAPHY)
Ms Parker on the other hand had next to no hospitality experience, instead having carved out a successful career in menswear fashion buying as well as running a personal training business before leaving London.
It was after being introduced to Cathedral House, however, that the couple would discover what a winning team they made.
“It was slightly terrifying, and some days I do still wonder what we were thinking,” she continued.
“People said we were mad to be opening a restaurant when social distancing was still in place and even though we had been looking at a few sites in Glasgow it didn’t feel like we were finding the right one.
“A friend actually phoned me out of the blue to ask if I knew any chefs who might want to head up the food at Cathedral House.
“I think that was all they were looking for, but we came as a pair.
“That’s how we ended up running the restaurant space as well as food and drinks, with Dean in the kitchen and me front of house.
“It was the right time, right place and an opportunity we couldn’t say no to.”
Named after an Italian singer whose music had followed them throughout their honeymoon, Celentano’s welcomed its first diners in the summer of 2021.
Staying true to his passion for seasonal ingredients and rustic yet complex dishes, Parker’s menu soon became hugely popular in the city, offering a fresh interpretation of Italian food that went beyond the usual pizzas and antipasti.
Out front, Mrs Parker quickly found a crossover in the people skills needed for both fashion buying and customer service while she and her team also developed a distinctive drinks menu centred on homemade liqueurs and cordials crafted from garden herbs.
Things were going incredibly well for the Celentano’s team, but still, she admits, nothing could quite have prepared them for a visit from a MasterChef judge and famously candid food critic.
“I was working in the restaurant on a busy, sunny Saturday when Grace Dent walked in.
“We were full, but there was a table at the bar free, so she sat there, keeping things casual and saying that she was just there for a quick bite rather than to review
“I was like, I don’t care, this is Grace Dent, we’re giving her the best we’ve got.
“She didn’t eat loads, just some snacks, pasta and dessert but we could see that she was voice noting herself.
“It ended up being a really lovely review which definitely gave us a boost in our first few months.”
A rave write-up coupled with the award of Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide within just six months of opening meant a turbo-charged first year would follow for Celentano’s.
Having grown up in Glasgow, and happily spent many nights of her younger years visiting restaurants around the city with her parents, Parker says they owe a great deal of their success to contemporaries who welcomed a new addition to the restaurant scene with open arms.
“I was really nervous when we moved up because although people might think London is absolutely massive, it’s very close-knit so a lot of its chefs are good friends.
“We didn’t want anyone here to see us as competition or think we were set on trying to take business away from them.
“But people like the Crabshakk or Ox and Finch owners were so lovely to us from the start and it’s never felt like we’ve been fighting against each other in any way.
“That’s been a huge comfort to us.”
Three years on, you’ll still find many of the dishes that first cemented Celentano’s place as one of the key players in the city’s restaurant scene on the menu from layered Potato Stratti crisped in beef fat until golden to a signature affogato with malted barley gelato, chocolate mousse and cold brew coffee.
And while they continue to impress with their work ethic and drive, there have been milestones achieved outside the kitchen too, with the couple welcoming their first child into the world last year.
When talk turns to plans for the future Mrs Parker says there’s plenty to look forward to on the horizon, but knows that Celentano’s will continue to evolve at a pace that suits them.
“We don’t want to become stagnant, but at the same time, we’re never going to risk losing our identity by opening a string of ten restaurants or anything.
“And Dean is only one man at the end of the day.
“I knew he worked hard because he used to do such long hours when we lived in London.
“But it wasn’t until we started doing this together that I realised ‘God, you really can do everything’.
“Learning from him has been such a huge support for me taking on the business side of things and we’re also really lucky to have found a great team that understands what we’re trying to achieve.
“That’s not an easy thing to do in hospitality,” Parker muses before ending playfully, “I wonder when we can get our little boy in to work, maybe when he turns two?”
Celentano's is located at 28 to 23 Cathedral Square in Glasgow.
For more information visit celentanosglasgow.com.
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