Mario Gallati

Mario Gallati is a London restauranteur who owned the "Le Caprice" restaurant at 20 Adlington Street, Mayfair. He was formerly the maitre d' at another famous restaurant, "The Ivy" owned by Abel Giandolini. In 1947, Mario branched out on his own and opened "Le Caprice". It is highly likely that this is the Mario to whom Agatha Christie dedicated her novel The Clocks. Why this particular novel is dedicated to Mario is a matter of conjecture. The story has an espionage subplot. A restaurant is used as the venue for a "dead letter drop" using raincoats. Perhaps Agatha Christie imagined the same thing going on at Mario's?