EIGHT years ago, Pranzo Italian Ilkley opened in Ben Rhydding. Owner Marco Greco was in the kitchen, and a handful of staff helped out at the front.
Since then Pranzo has opened three more restaurants and now employs more than 150 people.
Owner and founder Marco Greco shares Pranzo’s story and why the team is so passionate about homemade pasta and fresh ingredients.
As soon as I could stand, my Nonna taught my sister and me how to cook. When I was 16, I started to think about becoming a chef and haven’t looked back.
I worked in southern Italy for a while in my late teens, and that’s where I really honed my skills.
When I opened Pranzo in 2018, I wanted to share Nonna’s traditional Calabrese recipes.
Marco as a child with his Nonna
Pranzo started life as more of a lunch bar – my dad worked in the kitchen with me, making pasta, sauces and dough for focaccia sandwiches. We made as much as we could in-house to stay true to Nonna’s recipes, and to this day, it’s something I’m very passionate about.
Marco’s favourite dish to cook – and eat – is the Nduja Paccheri
We have come a long way in a short space of time, through a period of economic challenges and a global pandemic.
We stay true to our roots, and I’m passionate about educating any new team members in the Pranzo way.
I was so proud last summer when Pranzo Ilkley was awarded an AA Rosette – it was a real team effort and years, if not a lifetime, in the making. Currently we sit at the top of Tripadvisor as the #1 restaurant in Ilkley.
We love the Ilkley community – it will always be Pranzo’s first home. Every guest is appreciated – whether it’s for a quick lunch, dinner with friends, to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, family dinners or special moments, Italian food should bring people together, and that’s what Pranzo does.
The menus reflect the Calabrian tradition, with intense flavours
In 2023, thanks to support from locals and a desire to share our recipes with more people, we moved Pranzo Ilkley to a larger site in the town centre.
Marco at work in the kitchen
This move tripled our capacity, allowing more people to enjoy our homemade pasta.
My all-time favourite dish to cook – and eat – is the Nduja Paccheri. It’s a dish I developed with my dad and is unique to Pranzo.
Homemade fennel sausage, Nduja, spinach and cream combine with our homemade paccheri pasta – a large, smooth, tube-shaped pasta. Nonna taught me a lot of the skills I still use today. We use fresh ingredients where we can, just like Nonna used to, picking fresh ingredients from her garden.
Marco shares Nonna’s traditional Calabrese recipes
This desire for fresh ingredients means we don’t overcomplicate the dishes, and that is something my Nonna always used to say.
A lot of our dishes have four to six ingredients. For example, the four-hour beef shin ragu, which was one of Nonna’s favourite dishes to cook for all the family, it’s a simple recipe with just four ingredients.
I am still in the kitchen a lot and have developed every dish on the menu. Most days, I’m in there at some point, trying new dishes, tasting sauces, testing the pasta, working with the team.
We’ve got a great team involved now, but cooking is what I do. I also do a lot of menu development at home – with my wife, Sophie, and children Antonio and Emilia giving their honest opinions!
Alongside our homemade pasta, we are now offering Roman-style pizza. We make the dough in-house and leave it to prove for 72 hours.
The pizza has a thin, crispy base, and the toppings go right to the edge. It has only been on the menu for a few weeks and it looks like it’s here to stay, given how popular it’s been.
Pranzo may look different these days, but it still has the same ethos as my first restaurant in Ben Rhydding.
Traditional homemade food, fresh, quality ingredients and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
Every dish on the menu pays homage to Nonna in some way and reflects my family’s tradition for food and sharing it with the people you love.
* Pranzo Ilkley, 2-3 The Moors, South Hawksworth Street, Ilkley. Tel. (01943) 600084.
Visit www.pranzoitalian.co.uk
* EVERY week, in the Telegraph & Argus food and drink guide, we feature local independent businesses.
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Dining and Cooking