Jamie Oliver's mentor Gennaro Contaldo has opened a six dish pasta spot, Bolo, in Soho

They’ve known each other since the early Nineties, now chef Gennaro Contaldo’s career is mirroring his protegee Jamie Oliver. He’s teamed up with the same restaurant company that recently revived Jamie’s Italian, to open his first restaurant in almost 20 years.

Bolo, in the heart of Soho, is keeping things very simple. There are just 32 seats and the menu will focus around six specific pasta dishes. As the restaurant’s name suggests, various takes on Bolognese are at the heart of the offering, and Gennaro’s pork and beef version is served here with tagliatelle. Other pastas include orecchiette with octopus and ‘nduja bolo and tagliorini with Amalfi lemon butter and mint.

There’s a tight selection of antipasti – think bruschetta and bolo arancini – with the dessert options similarly kept to just two: ricotta doughnuts and a selection of gelato and sorbets.

The restaurant is right next door to a Prezzo, taking over another old Soho Italian, Il Conte. “After more than 60 years in the kitchen, I’m still a romantic at heart,” Gennaro says. “Love the food, love the people you’re cooking for, and everything else will work out beautifully in the end.”