Dario Cecchini - An Artisan Of Meat

Dario Cecchini

AN ARTISAN OF MEAT

Italian Dario Cecchini is the last member of a family of eight generations of butchers, who has continued the tradition for 38 years. Although he has a butcher shop in the village of Panzona in the Tuscany region, his fame has spread throughout the world. We had the honour and privilege of interviewing Dario Cecchini, who is constantly referred to as “the world’s greatest butcher.” Dario has no such opinion of himself, but he strongly be-lieves in the artisan side of butchery.

“Beef or not-to be-beef’’ The first name that comes to mind when we hear these words is Dario Cecchini. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Dario Cecchini, I am 67 years old and I have been a butcher for 49 years. I come from a family of traditional butchers. I am the eighth generation of the Cecchini family, who have passed on this artisan tradition from father to son. I love my little village Panzano-in-Chianti, and I am proud to be a butcher here. 

“The important thing is guaranteeing the animals have a good life and honest compassionate death, and being sure that every part of the animal is used well from nose to tail. Then sitting down and enjoying the meal this animal has given us and in turn giving thanks to this animal. This is the important thing.”

Although you are the most famous butcher in the world, you are very humble. The biggest show you make to the customers in restaurants is the flavour of the cooked meat and the family atmosphere. How did you achieve this?

I strive to ensure that my guests have an exceptional experience at my restaurant. I firmly believe that creating utmost happiness for your guests is crucial when they visit your establishment. This involves not only serving good food but also creating a convivial atmosphere by having long tables where every-one can share good food and good humour, as per our tradition. In my opinion, food should not only be delicious but also served in gener-ous portions.

How many restaurants do you cur-rently have and do you aim to open other restaurants in the near future?

In addition to our two restaurants in Panzano in Chianti, the Officina della Bistecca and Solociccia — together with the hospitality com-pany Ennismore — we have Carna by Dario Cecchini at the Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas, and Carna by Dario Cecchini at the SLS hotel in Dubai. There are several new pro-jects in the pipeline with Ennismore globally. Stay tuned for more soon.

What is the specialty of your restaurants?

Quality; not only of the food but also the quality of hosting in the 

Which countries do you think have the best meat in the world?

I do not think there is a country that has the best meat in the world. I believe that it is artisans — as op-posed to industry — who guarantee the best quality meat and all food. I am an artisan, and I will always be on the side of artisans.

Finally, what would you like to say to the readers of Private Jet by BossLife magazine?

I suggest they direct their planes towards Panzano in Chianti, towards Carna in the Bahamas or Dubai, to book a seat at one of our tables. We will welcome them in the best possi-ble way, they will be the most hon-oured of guests.