Marcello Distefano serves as CEO of San Carlo Group, the family business his father Carlo established in 1992 with a single 20-table restaurant in Birmingham’s Temple Street. Under Marcello’s leadership, the group has expanded to a global operation employing over 2,000 people across multiple continents whilst remaining defiantly independent in an era of corporate consolidation.

Carlo’s journey began in Sicily. He arrived in Britain in 1962 aged 17 with £12 GBP in his pocket, a work permit and the promise of barbershop employment. After ventures in hairdressing and hospitality, his passion for exceptional food, style and service drove him to open that first San Carlo restaurant. Three decades later, the group has secured more than 30 industry awards and operates across three continents. As the business marks two decades since opening its transformative Manchester flagship, ambitious expansion plans for 2025 include the group’s first American venue in Miami and new locations across the Middle East and North Africa. Marcello remains actively involved alongside his father, who continues working seven days weekly at 79 years old.

Your father Carlo started with just £12 in his pocket when he arrived in Britain. How has his entrepreneurial spirit shaped your approach to business leadership and expansion strategy?

“My father’s journey is the blueprint for our business. He arrived from Sicily in 1962 with only £12, a work permit and the promise of a job in a barbershop with no safety net, no connections, just determination and a willingness to work harder than anyone else. From running a clothes shop and a barbershop, he taught me that opportunity rarely appears on its own; you create it by staying proactive, thoughtful and forward-looking. That spirit drives my approach today. We remain ambitious but grounded.

“We never expand for the sake of numbers, we expand only when we can deliver something exceptional, and when the restaurant we’re building carries the same heart as the original 20-table family restaurant my father opened in 1992.”

San Carlo Manchester celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. What lessons from that particular location have informed your wider business strategy?

“Manchester was transformative for us. It taught us the power of atmosphere – the energy, theatre, noise and sense of celebration that people still associate with San Carlo Manchester today. It showed us that a restaurant can become part of the cultural identity of a city when you focus on quality, experience and personality.

“The biggest lesson we took forward is that every site must have its own heartbeat. You can’t replicate success by copying; you have to understand the customers, the city and the rhythm of the place, then build something that feels authentically San Carlo while still unique to its surroundings.”

While many restaurants have struggled to survive recent industry pressures, San Carlo has thrived and continued to expand. What strategies or principles have allowed you to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth?

“We’ve always stuck to our principles: exceptional produce, genuine Italian cooking, and hospitality that comes from the heart. We don’t chase trends; we chase quality. Because we are family-owned and hands-on, we can move quickly. We’re in our restaurants every week, tasting, adjusting and refining. Many of our team members have been with us for a decade or more, and that loyalty builds consistency, pride and resilience.

“During periods when others pulled back, we chose to invest in design, refurbishment and innovation, keeping our restaurants inspiring and relevant. That long-term thinking allowed us not just to survive but to grow stronger.”

The San Carlo Group is embarking on its most ambitious international expansion to date, including your first venture into the US market. What factors led to choosing Miami as your American debut location?

“Miami is vibrant, glamorous and international and its dining scene embraces theatre, style and Mediterranean flavours. We also wanted a city that naturally aligned with the San Carlo philosophy of joy, celebration and design-led dining. Miami has an energy that mirrors our own, and we felt it offered the perfect platform to introduce our brand to the US.”

With new openings planned across diverse markets from Miami to Morocco and Bahrain to Egypt, how do you balance maintaining authentic Italian cuisine whilst respecting local culinary cultures?

“Authenticity is at the core of everything we do. We bring Italian chefs, Italian ingredients and the traditions of regional cooking to every country we enter, that foundation never changes.

“At the same time, we respect local culture. We learn the customs, dining habits and expectations of each market, and where it feels appropriate, we make small adjustments to ensure our guests feel understood without compromising our Italian identity.

“Our goal isn’t to adapt our food but to ensure our restaurants feel naturally integrated within their surroundings. It’s a balance of staying true to who we are while appreciating where we are.”

The family-run aspect of San Carlo sets it apart in an industry increasingly dominated by corporate chains. How does this structure influence your decision-making process when considering new opportunities?

“Being family-run means decisions come from passion, intuition and long-term thinking rather than short-term metrics. Every restaurant we open must be something we are proud to put our name on. We challenge each other, but we’re united, everything we do comes from a shared love for the brand. It also makes us agile.

“If something feels right like the location, the team, the design, we move quickly. And if it doesn’t feel like San Carlo, we walk away. That ability to act decisively is one of our biggest strengths.”

San Carlo has grown from a humble 20-table restaurant to employing over 2,000 people globally. What has been your greatest challenge in scaling the business whilst maintaining your standards?

“Consistency. As you grow, the challenge is protecting the soul of the brand. For us, that means being hands-on, visiting every restaurant frequently, tasting dishes, meeting teams and obsessing over details. It means investing heavily in training and ensuring the culture we’re known for, warmth, respect and passion, is lived every day by every member of the team. Scaling isn’t just about increasing numbers; it’s about growing in the right way.”

The hospitality sector continues to evolve rapidly. What innovations or adaptations do you foresee being necessary for premium dining brands over the next decade?

“The essence of hospitality will always be human, but innovation will increasingly support comfort and convenience. Technology should enhance, not replace, great service, from smarter reservations to more personalised guest experiences.

“Design will continue to play a huge role in creating restaurants that feel like an escape from daily life. Above all, the future belongs to brands that stay authentic. In a fast-moving world, guests still crave restaurants with soul.”

Looking beyond your current expansion plans, what remains on your professional bucket list for San Carlo Group?

“There is still so much I want to achieve. We’re opening in Miami and expanding across the Middle East and North Africa, but there are many cities around the world and the UK where I believe San Carlo could thrive. Beyond geography, I want us to keep evolving, creating even better restaurants built on the same Italian soul.

“Ultimately, I want to continue creating places that spark joy. That feeling guests get when they walk through the door, that’s the magic, and I want to keep building it for decades to come.”