London restaurateur Russell Norman was turned down for a job at Waterstones when he left university — but last night he won its inaugural Book of the Year award with his collection of Italian recipes.
Polpo: A Venetian Cookbook beat rivals including Hilary Mantel to take the prize at a ceremony in Chelsea.
Mr Norman, 46, from Hither Green, was so convinced he would not win that he persuaded wife Jules not to attend.
The book features rustic dishes from the Venice wine bars that inspired Polpo, his first restaurant which opened in Soho in 2009.
Norman said publishing the book was like opening the restaurant.
He said: “I had no idea that other people would get it. All I did was follow my instincts.”
James Daunt, Waterstones managing director, said the book was “as beautifully designed as it is elegantly written and illustrated” and could only be appreciated in print.
Norman said he might now write a second cookbook.
