Paul Colston went to iconic London restaurant-venue L’Escargot to meet investor-entrepreneur, DEI campaigner and the first Premier League professional footballer to come out as gay, Thomas ‘The Hammer’ Hitzlsperger.
How did you get involved with L’Escargot?
I came here 10 years ago after a Premier League football game and immediately noted there was something special about the place. The food and service were good, but there was also something you couldn’t describe and I kept coming back and became friends with the management. They asked me if I was interested in investing and I felt I had the time and was, in any case, looking to become an entrepreneur to find out if I could be successful.
Combining my passion for food and being in England, it seemed to bring everything together and I said ‘Yes’.
What was the first dish you had at the restaurant?
Good question! I didn’t have snails, but can’t quite remember what I did have, although I do remember the experience, which was unique. All the rooms we have here, in combination with the service and the ambience in the restaurant, is something you don’t experience very often.
When you were a footballer were you interested in cuisine?
I understood diet, which was very important for performance and I talked to nutritionists and physios regularly about the impact food had on the body and performance. It was a huge learning curve. But I didn’t really go out for fancy meals. Now I have the privilege of not having to be fit the next morning and can take more carbs! I like understanding new culture through food.
Tell us about the facilities for meetings and events at L’Escargot.
Some people just expect it to be only a restaurant, but when you go through the building, all the way to the top, there are actually three private dining rooms. They all offer something special depending on the number of the party. And there is The Library, full of books and paintings – some from artists who used to come in the past. The restaurant’s name is still very well known and the challenge is to transfer it into the future with a quality offer and continue to make it a special place. So far, in the 12 months I’ve been involved, we’ve had very good feedback.
What about the idea of salon style events and discussions. Do you hope to continue the momentum from your initial two events at L’Escargot on sports and entrepreneurism and on DEI?
I definitely want to continue this. I really enjoyed our first event on 28 May and we had a great group of people from the sports industry. It has also been about promoting diversity which is something I’ve done for many years. I’m looking forward to more such events and to get to know more interesting people and show them the building. DEI is something I really care about, apart from football. Clubs now have huge responsibilities here and we need to speak about it openly – how we can be more inclusive in future.
Is there a different attitude towards business events in your home country in Germany?
I’m only beginning to understand the world of events. I have been to Frankfurt and Leipzig messen where I published my first book, Mut Proben (Tests of Courage), related to me coming out 10 years ago, doing brave things and not being held back by society.
Now it’s not about doing just one thing in my life and living off that, but getting out of my comfort zone. It’s partly why I took over a restaurant/venue. It’s not an easy business and I need to push myself.
Your leadership drive no doubt helps you pursue your entrepreneurial projects?
My football career was over at the age of 31. I thought about what I wanted to do next and had a good starting point. I wanted to challenge myself again to be successful in something else. I am taking on new challenges. Not every one is successful but the more challenges you face, the better you become.
Football is a great community connector, right?
I always felt that when I was playing. Clubs now have responsibility for the cities they live in. So much money goes into football. Clubs can reach out and do good and help look after the less well off. I worked for my former club Stuttgart in a different capacity, latterly as CEO, and you understand how many people you reach and how much time people devote to the club.
The English clubs I played for all understood they were there for the community and involved in events too.
Tell us about DEI in sports?
I am the most authentic when I talk about my own story. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was gay and thought I didn’t have a place in football. It was really sad as I love football. That is just one element of diversity because people who have never been part of a minority don’t understand the difficulties people go through. Now my ambition is to bring people to this L’Escargot environment and create change. Some people in the room told me after our first salon discussions and events: ‘We were thinking why haven’t we met before’. My ideal is for people to leave the room happy, having networked, and new friendships can hopefully begin.
L’Escargot, a fine dining institution in London’s Soho since 1927, is not just a restaurant but a unique building with numerous small meetings rooms, nooks and crannies. It is a haven for creative thinking and can provide a stimulating backdrop for events for up to 40 guests seated or receptions for up to 80.
