Monika Linton founded Brindisa in 1988, as a pioneering food importer and distributor of fine Spanish food. In 1996 she decided to bring the public closer to the food by opening the Brindisa warehouse for outlet shopping days. This led to the groundbreaking shop in Borough Market and then to the establishing of Brindisa Tapas Kitchens, with the first tapas restaurant opening in Borough Market in 2004. The three elements of the businesses have grown to include a large London warehouse with dedicated cheese rooms, a new bar and shop concept in Brixton, Brindisa Food Rooms, which focuses on Spanish hams and cheeses, four London tapas restaurants and another in Barcelona, near the Boquería Market. 
 
Monika’s aim has always been to bring excellent food and ingredients from the most remote parts of Spain to Britain and to champion selected smaller producers and their skills.
 
Monika attended UCL and attained a degree in Spanish, before she moved to Spain for three years. She founded Brindisa on her return to London.
 
Monika Linton has spent many years compiling this book which draws on thirty years of the Brindisa experience and includes many of the friends, producers, colleagues and customers she has met along the way.