Out to lunch with Thomas Hitzlsperger

The heart of London’s Soho isn’t the wildest of places to find a restaurant owner. In fact, on a gorgeous Thursday afternoon like today, you can scarcely wander down somewhere like Greek Street without tripping over senior managers, seasoned restaurateurs or hospitality chairmen taking an afternoon espresso on the pavement tables. And it’s in this landscape, at the legendary French restaurant – nay, institution – L’Escargot, that we settle down to break bread with its new owner (“I prefer proprietor!”): one Thomas Hitzlsperger, former German national player, West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder, and TV pundit for Match of the Day.