Russell first started working at Joe Allen in 1989, progressing from waiter to bartender to maître d’ and then manager across a ten year period.
In September 2009, after four years as Operations Director of Caprice Holdings, looking after The Ivy, Scott’s and J Sheekey, Russell founded his own restaurant, Polpo, on Beak Street. 16 further openings followed.
In 2012, Russell released his first cookbook, Polpo - A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts) which was awarded Waterstones’ Book of the Year. His 2016 book Spuntino - Comfort Food (New York Style) was awarded the prestigious Guild of Food Writers’ Award for best food and travel book. His most recent book, Venice – Four Seasons of Home Cooking, was published in 2018.
In September 2021, Russell will open Trattoria Brutto, an all-day restaurant and bar paying tribute to the dining rooms of urban Tuscany. (Brutto, 36-37 Greenhill Rents, London EC1M 6BN)