"I think of it as just the colour of my skin, it's just who I am," says Rachel Day, assistant manager at London's Polpetto, discussing the tattoos inked down her arms and across her back.

Given her job, there was a time when Rachel might have been asked to cover up at work. While there are plenty of chefs covered in body art, they're hidden away in the kitchen, unable to scare the customers. Now, what was once frowned upon for staff interacting with the paying public is increasingly commonplace. In fact it's positively encouraged, at least in London's more fashionable places. And we're not talking about hip but grotty dives either.

Earlier this year cult restaurants Hawksmoor and Polpetto realised they had enough inked staff to have a "tattoo off" on Twitter, with followers voting for their favourites. Hawksmoor won, but it was only friendly competition between staff who all know each other socially and whowere working in these places because of their bosses' relaxed attitudes. And they're in establishments that are, of course, keen to make a statement about their own informality.

Russell Norman, who runs Polpetto and its three sister restaurants, admits to seeking "edge" when he opened up. "And that extends to the way people look," he says. Although it's not like he placed ads in the local tattoo parlour. Once he'd told one new staff member not to bother covering up, word spread. Norman has even upped his own tattoo game, covering the small dolphin he had on his back as a teenager with a large octopus. "It's not quite as rebellious any more," he says. "It's more acceptable."