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Nick Trulock - owner of Funky Munky 17/07/01
How long have you been in the hospitality industry?
15 years
Where do you think the London hospitality scene is headed?
Downwards. I think a lot of places have just hopped onto the private members bar bandwagon. They try to make places exclusive without really thinking properly about it. So many places, especially in the Westend are just going under now.
Where does your establishment fit in?
It's organically grown. We wouldn't be here without our customers and staff. We looked at the area that is Camberwell and adapted our style from there. We'd like to expand on that idea, not in terms of a rollout but building up on a team of people that come from the area.
What's your favourite London restaurant?
Apart from the Groucho Club, which I am a member of and love, I think on a medium level it would have to be Zilli restaurants, both the fish and pasta restaurants in the Westend. I ate there the other day and had a simple past with tomato and basil and it tasted exactly how it tasted two years ago when I last had it. He has a good attention to detail so even when he's not there things are running beautifully.
If you were to hold your ideal dinner party, which four people would you invite and why?
Michael Winner, Oliver Paten, Marco Pierre White and Tony Ben (MP). Because that amount of egos together at one time would be extraordinary. I'd like to be the waiter.
What would you serve and why?
I think I would stick to traditional Italian because I can cook that. It would pay to be safe.
What's the one thing that gets up your nose in bad restaurants?
Bad service. It's not cheap to eat out in restaurants in London.
What do you think of the celebrity chef phenomenon?
I think it's been fantastic for the chefs themselves, but also it's been very very good for the British food scene as a whole in terms of putting it on the map. It's certainly more interesting than watching Changing Rooms.
What would you do if you weren't in the hospitality industry?
Well I used to be a journalist, but I think it would have to be a Beach Bar somewhere. I'm always going to be in it somehow, but I'm an ideas man so anything to do with ideas.
What are the three things that make a restaurant or bar successful in London?
A good idea, the implementation of a good idea, and the continuation of a good idea.
Funky Munky
25 Camberwell Church Street
SE5 8TR
tel: 020 72771803
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