A jazz musician from Chiswick has gone from cooking pizza in his driveway during lockdown for charity to opening his newest pizzeria in Richmond.
Tim Thornton began his culinary journey on his driveway to raise money for NHS charities during the Covid-19 pandemic, however he quickly turned his hobby into a fully fledged business.
His life as a musician was put on pause, having spent 10 years touring the globe and playing at a range of venues from the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall to Glastonbury.
Thornton said: “Covid killed off the music industry for a while and is still struggling to recover.”
He was forced to channel his creativity into his venture – Base Face Pizza.
The first permanent Base Face Pizza site opened on King Street in Hammersmith in June 2021 followed by Barnes in January 2023 and Putney in February 2024.
However, the success of the Hammersmith branch meant the team quickly outgrew the space, leading to the search for a bigger site.
After a year and half of looking, Thornton discovered 112 Kew Road in Richmond which will be the flagship site for his expanding business.
The Richmond restaurant dons the iconic Base Face aesthetic of racing green walls, pizza themed murals and wooden tables seating up to 30 customers inside and eight more outside.
The menu caters to varying taste buds from the simple Marinara to more experimental Cheeky Pineapple.
All toppings are made using seasonal British ingredients with the dough made from 48-hour long ferment and healthy grains which Thornton calls ‘slow dough.’
Thornton said: “Our dough is light, digestible and flavourful so should not leave you feeling heavy afterwards.
“We have got great ice cream from Jefferson’s in Balham and beers from Mondo in Battersea.”
Customers can also enjoy Nutella Dough Sticks or house-made Tiramisu.
Thornton adds: “Anyone is very welcome to join us for pizza in the knowledge you are supporting a network of local producers and suppliers.”
Watch here to see the new restaurant and hear more from Thornton.
Featured Image Credit: Base Face Pizza
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