A few weeks ago, in my blog post about Panzano in Chianti, I talked briefly about my friend Dario Cecchini and his Antica Macelleria. However, there is much, much more to tell about Dario himself, about his career, about his passion for meat, about his visions made flesh and about his many ideas.

And another good reason to find out more about Dario Cecchini is the fact that some of Dario's homemade products - his excellent mustard, his spicy Mediterranean sauce, his tangy herb salt and his flavorful olive oil - are now also available in my online store. A few small pieces of Dario enjoyment for your home!

If you take a look at the various Tuscany travel guides, you will usually find a visit to the Antica Macelleria Cecchini under the entry "Panzano in Chianti" as an absolute must! Dario Cecchini himself is not only a celebrity in cooking circles - mega-star Jamie Oliver, for example, has immortalized him in his cookbooks. The Panzanese butcher is also invited to give talks, interviews and symposia all over the world.

So how did a simple butcher from a small town like Panzano become so famous? Dario's story begins in 1955 in Panzano in Chianti, where his father was already the eighth generation of "Macellaio". Dario had originally started studying veterinary medicine at the University of Pisa - with the aim of improving the lives of animals. However, his studies came to an abrupt end when he was forced to take over the business after his father's death in 1976.

However, as a butcher, Dario also took a few key principles from his studies with him: even an animal that is slaughtered to serve humans as food should have a good life. An animal should be treated with respect even in death. And above all, a butcher should not waste anything that the animal gives us. And it was precisely this way of thinking and approach, with which Dario was initially alone in the field, that laid the foundation for his success.

Just around the corner from the piazza in Panzano in Chianti - a little hidden behind the red and white striped walls of Via XX Luglio number 11 - lies the international hotspot of Panzano: the Antica Macelleria Cecchini with its notorious owner Dario Cecchini.

It's a hotspot not least because it's hot in the truest sense of the word: either AC/DC or Luciano Pavarotti is blaring from the speakers between the meat counter and the cold room, an almost unmanageable crowd bustles around the sales area, wine is served, people sample the famous fennel salami, the Burro del Chianti and other delicacies. Behind the counter, Dario jokes with his guests, explains, chats and poses for photos. He loves to recite poems by the poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, whose works the well-read Macellaio loves very much.

And when Dario blows his trumpet, it's time for dinner! Because the Antica Macelleria has a restaurant - or to be more precise, three restaurants representing three food concepts developed by Dario. And of course everything revolves around - that's right - meat!

Dario opened his first restaurant, Solociccia, more than ten years ago. Solociccia means "only meat" - and that is exactly what was served then and is still served today: only meat, prepared in a variety of ways. With this restaurant concept, Dario brought his own meat dishes to the table for the first time - although he still says of himself today: "I'm not a chef, not a boss - I'm a butcher!" Accordingly, he simply calls his business "Macelleria con Cucina" - a butcher's shop with a kitchen.

A short time later, Dario opened the Officina della Bistecca on the floor above the Macelleria. The idea behind it was to prepare bistecca alla Fiorentina and variations of it fresh on the charcoal grill. Originally, there was only one large table, which was intended for a maximum of 20 guests. The Officina dell Bistecca concept took off and the restaurant developed so quickly that Dario expanded it shortly afterwards. Guests are served Dario's meat creations in several courses, starting with the Sushi del Chianti, through to the three variants of bistecca, Costata alla Fiorentina, Bistecca Panzanese, i.e. the Panzano variant of bistecca, and last but not least Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The Bistecca Fiorentina is presented by Dario himself, with his legendary words: To beef or not to beef!

And a third meaty restaurant variation was added: the Dario Doc concept - which was initially called Mac Dario, but had to be renamed due to objections from a fast food chain that cannot be named here... There are two variations of this "high quality fast food" to enjoy. Basically, it's a freshly grilled burger that doesn't need any bread, but is served with lots of fresh garnishes as well as excellent homemade mustard and spicy paprika sauce.

You can also order a so-called Accoglienza, which is basically a rich potpourri of the products that Dario sells in the macelleria. And with the exception of Dario Doc, the following applies to everything: you pay a fixed price, then it's "eat as much as you can" and wine, schnapps and coffee are included. If you want, you can also bring your own wine and enjoy it with your meal - at no extra charge.

In the beginning, Dario only served all dishes on selected days and at certain times, but today you can indulge your meat cravings every day of the week. If you're in Panzano or the surrounding area, you should definitely pay Dario a visit - it's definitely worth it!