Butcher Extraordinaire Dario Cecchini Hosted
Two Exclusive “Nose To Tail” Dinners
Paired with Fine Wines from Fontodi at CIAK – In The Kitchen

CIAK – In The Kitchen, Central’s favourite refined one Michelin star trattoria recommended by Chef BOMBANA Umberto, was proud to present two exclusive nights of dinners titled “Nose to Tail” on June 17^th and 18^th, with renowned Italian Master Butcher Dario Cecchini. This unforgettable feast for meat-lovers was a collaboration between the Chianti-native Cecchini and the CIAK’s team.

The Italian culinary giant delighted and surprised Hong Kong diners with his signature “Nose to Tail Menu” featuring unconventional cuts of beef and traditional Tuscan recipes. The meal was paired with fine wines and olive oil from Fontodi, Tuscany, origin place of the beef served too. The pairing was based on a decade of shared passion, friendship and professional connection between the Fontodi Estate and Macelleria Cecchini, Dario’s meat shop.

“I am immensely happy to have the opportunity to return to Hong Kong. I love the city and its food,” Cecchini says. “Our Tuscan food traditions, especially the combination of beef and red wine, are a celebration of life at the table, a celebration of joy! My knowledge comes from 40 years of work as a butcher, and 250 years of family tradition passed from father to son. This is my life, and this is what I know.”

Butcher Cecchini and the CIAK team’s “Nose to Tail” menu included entrees such as Pinzimonio di verdure, Tuscan-style vegetables with a traditional dip; Brodo, homemade beef broth; Chianti Crudo, traditional hand cut beef tartare of the Chianti region; and Bistecca alla Fiorentina, charcoal grilled T-Bone steak in “Fiorentina-style”. They were accompanied by some of the best wines from Fontodi including Sauvignon Blanc Meriggio 2014, Chianti Classico 2011, Flaccianello della Pieve 2011 and Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 2003. The dinner was HK$1,280 (plus 10% per person) including Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino mineral water, Fontodi wine pairing.

Bistecca Fiorentina

Beef Tartare

Master Butcher, Dario Cecchini
“A personality, a celebrity, and a butcher extraordinaire. A theatrical host, a show-stopper, and an artist.” Master Butcher Dario Cecchini is a keeper and promoter of the traditional art of Italian butchery. Beginning in 1976, he is the eighth generation in his family to inherit the butchery craft. Now he has become a world-renowned Italian butcher, known for his brilliant skills and loved for his outgoing personality. But he considers himself a teacher and educator. Cecchini believes butchery is an ancient art that involves a sincere respect for animals in both life and death. Instead of a clear-cut boundary between “premium” and “lower” cuts of meats, he believes every single part of the beef should be used and used responsibility, elevating all cuts to a noble status.