The outbreak of mad cow disease in 2001 was a pivotal moment for Tuscan cuisine because it threatened to kill bistecca alla fiorentina, the region’s most prized dish. At the time, Dario Cecchini, who comes from a line of Panzano butchers, carried out the symbolic gesture of burying the very last steak he could have sold, marking his deep commitment to the tradition of bistecca, and demonstrating that he was ready to return to it five years later when the sought-after Chianina cattle were available once more. Known as the ‘Michelangelo of Meat’, Cecchini is the founder of Solociccia and Officina della Bistecca, two must-visit restaurants for meat lovers that celebrate the bistecca alla fiorentina, Tuscany’s culinary showstopper, in all its glory. For €40 to €50 a head, both restaurants immerse guests in the exhilarating world of bistecca, serving a simple menu of authentic cuisine wrapped up in a warm atmosphere and complemented by carefully selected wines. Customers come from all around the world to enjoy up to 30kg of meat, because with Cecchini, a meal becomes a feast. He has transported his "Carna by Dario" concept all the way to the UAE, demonstrating the universal reach of his culinary vision and his ability to enchant palates well beyond the gentle Tuscan hills.
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