Gennaro Contaldo, the renowned television chef known for his work alongside the late Antonio Carluccio and his influence on Jamie Oliver, was involved in a mobile phone theft incident at a market in east London. The 77-year-old chef, who recently opened a new restaurant called Bolo in Soho, described how a young woman snatched his phone while he was at Walthamstow market.

Contaldo recounted that he was holding his phone when the girl suddenly grabbed it and fled. Rather than shouting, he quickly pursued her, managing to pin her to the ground. According to Contaldo, the woman, estimated to be in her early twenties, protested that she had nothing and threatened to scream. During the confrontation, Contaldo found two phones in her pockets, one of which he identified as his own. Passersby recognized the chef and came to his aid. After retrieving the correct phone, he told the woman to leave.

The chef did not specify when the event occurred but emphasized the growing importance of mobile devices in daily life, noting their role in storing tickets, appointments, and banking information. He explained on the Hungry podcast how he now carries two phones during his travels to mitigate the risk of loss or theft.

Contaldo’s experience highlights concerns about phone security amid rising incidents of street theft, underlining the vulnerability users face when their devices are targeted.