Leo Bonarti was the father of Mario Bonarti, who was setting up his first Italian restaurant business with his father's help. Leo took a shine to Elsie Tanner when she paid a visit, and scored a professional triumph when he persuaded Ena Sharples to be adventurous and sample scampi from their menu. Tipsy Ena later declared to her friends Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst, "if you have never had scampi, you have never lived and that's a fact!"