Giraffe co-founder Russel Joffe dies

Joffe founded and built up the world food chain with wife Juliette and Andrew Jacobs.

They were supported in this expansion by Luke Johnson’s Risk Capital Partners and 3i Group, before selling to Tesco in 2013 for £48.6m at 46 sites.

The Joffes initially stayed on, Russel leading the group as managing director, but left a year later in 2014, though continued to do some consultancy work with Tesco.

They went on to work with son Gideon on his chicken concept Chooks, which later become part of family business Lauryl Canyon Ventures.

This was made up Chez Bob, Bob’s Café and Monkeynuts, and also involved daughter Gemma and son-in-law Sam Anstey, who has since gone on to join Mildred’s.

Russel began his career at Langan’s Brasserie, going on to work at Coconut Grove in St Christopher’s Place and Odette’s in Primrose Hill, before opening a restaurant in Camden Town in the mid-1980s.

The Joffes first successful venture was pioneering all-day bistro Café Flo, which they grew to a collection of eight before selling up in 1994.

More recently Russel worked with TRG Concessions on casual dining concept Sonoma at Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal. The £3m, 300 cover bar-restaurant is understood to be one of TRG’ Concession’s most successful outlets