“Recipes? They’re like fingerprints, you’re born with them.”
In his Lucchese slang, Aurelio Barattini simply means, as he stirs bean soup in the pot, that his gestures, scents, and aromas belong to a familiar lexicon with which he has always nourished himself. Three generations of chefs preceded him, building the fortune of one of the iconic places of Lucchesia, the Antica Locanda di Sesto on the Ludovica state highway, the road that until the Sixties was the main artery between Tuscany and Emilia, going up from Lucca towards Garfagnana and then towards Modena.
The Barattini house in the past was probably a post inn, as can be deduced from the closed arches still visible in the large dining hall. A former portico, likely a shelter in past ages for horses and grooms. However, the Barattini house may also hold spicier memories, as suggested by an ancient marble plaque on the wall at the entrance: “From here you go towards a leisurely diversion… I, the guardian, urge shy maidens to love you.” In any case, today the diversions are solely gastronomic, enjoyed by a local clientele but especially by a whole colony of American and Northern European tourists who have settled in this corner of Tuscany, buying and renovating villas amidst panoramas of olive trees, woods, and vineyards. Landscapes cherished through the centuries, first by the wealthy Lucchese families who combined fortunes through the textile trade, and whose mansions are now in the hands of the international jet set that has chosen the province of Lucca as a retreat, with the Scots at the forefront.
The Locanda di Sesto is a super classic in the entire district with typical offerings of comfort food and solid Tuscan cuisine.
It has not yielded to urges of modernization and remains fixed, like a buoy for the anchorage of those who seek a guaranteed atmosphere, even if a bit faded, memories carved in the furnishings and details, immovable like the history of the places, but especially for those craving a repertoire of dishes equally shaped by memories.
Aurelio grew up in this immovability and in his own right, he sought an escape route, an alternative path that aligned him with the times, or even surpassed them, without ever making drastic changes or betrayals. A life in suspension, like that of a tightrope walker. For although he is tenaciously bound to Sesto di Moriano, where, all week long, he gives support to his mother Raffaella in the kitchen and to his brother Lamberto in the dining room, on Fridays Aurelio flees to Rome to join his wife and children. And traces of this double life appear also in the menu, featuring the very Roman dish Spaghettoni with Pecoringrana and Cinta cheek lard, with the pasta being tossed in a wheel of pecorino cheese tableside, a show that is highly appreciated by both foreign and local guests. However, the man with the suitcase is not content with just a double life. He has a third one in store, answering calls from abroad and taking flights to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Singapore or Hong Kong, wherever clients summon him to cook Lucchese recipes. These are often situations of extreme luxury, which Aurelio approaches bringing as his dowry the “poverty” of the dishes of his kitchen.
We will mention just one name among the many clients who have requested and continue to request the service, as the chef is bound to confidentiality, but it will be enough to understand what we are talking about: Jeff Besoz, the Amazon CEO. And just like Mr. Besoz, many other wealthy Americans and Chinese have enjoyed the Rosticciana stew with polenta or the Tagliatelle with duck cooked on-site with a delivery of Lucchese products (delivered also thanks to the complicity of some accommodating diplomatic bags) that made all the difference. Starting with the extra virgin olive oil DOP Lucca, a sort of elixir produced in the company’s farm, La Maolina. The list of house specialties – whether enjoyed at the Inn, or at home by the diverse clientele – is vast and naturally draws from the seasonal palette. Like the Garmugia, a soup that is the apotheosis of spring combining peas, fava beans, artichokes, asparagus, spring onions with a nice reinforcement of ground beef and pork belly. Unfortunately, this soup can only be enjoyed for a brief period when all these ingredients come together. The same goes for the Zuppa di cavolo nero, which, however, extends from October to April. All timeless classics to be appreciated on site, but also beyond the ocean.
And what would Tuscany be without a Farro soup or the Pasta and beans dishes that have always warmed the hearts and bodies of many workers who stopped at the Locanda for lunch. The Chicken liver crostini, the Fried polenta with mushrooms or with Cinta Senese ragout, the Sweet fried chestnut polenta crostino, the Tuscan mixed fry with vegetables, lamb, chicken, rabbit, the Fagioli scoppiati (literally “exploded beans” thanks to a thermal shock from the fridge to the oven that makes them open up), sprinkled with crumbled lard, and the Artichoke tart are all cornerstones of this cuisine that also draws inspiration from the Garfagnana tradition, primarily with chestnuts and mushrooms. “We buy chestnut flour from local farmers who do a careful selection, chestnut by chestnut. Each sack costs us a demijohn of wine, but we don’t mind the price. When the flour runs out, that’s it. We also make pasta, but now we barely have enough for polenta, for Castagnaccio (traditional chestnut cake), and the Chestnut ice cream that we serve with the baked fruit compote. Ours, Aurelio continues, was a place mostly frequented by workers, from Enel (Italian electricity board) or from what was then Sip, the telephone company. We kept the restaurant closed on Saturdays because that was the day the workers didn’t work, and that’s something we’ve continued to do.” Traditions are to be respected, right!
At this point, it is necessary to understand how one can fit in so naturally in such a high-level international circle, and Aurelio provides us with clues starting from his beautiful smile illuminated by two blue eyes and printed on a tanned face. Indeed, because he also leads a fourth life, working in the fields at his company La Maolina, three hectares with a southern exposure, in a scorching basin without a shadow where it is truly tough to work in the summer. Here, he produces olive oil and wine: “a normal wine, for blending, made from different grape varieties: sangiovese, merlot, colorino, canaiolo, which we bottle in Chianti bottles.” Of course!
Traditions are meant to be respected, right!
So we were wondering what the secret is behind such entrepreneurship, especially in knowing how to sell oneself so well in an international context. Charm and empathy are undoubtedly prerequisites. But secondly, there’s also a good dose of courage and cheekiness, as he himself recounts. “After finishing middle school, the alternative was a hospitality school. Unfortunately, there was a limited number of spots in Montecatini. Only my brother managed to get in. So, in the family, it was decided that I would enroll in accounting since a company accountant could come in handy. My parents were humble people, my father was a cattle trader, and I often accompanied him on his visits to farms, even abroad. After completing high school, I went to Florence to attend a graphic design academy, and in the third year, I won an award for the logo of the craft fair in Florence. The illustration professor was determined to send me to work in Milan for Saatchi & Saatchi, but at that point, it seemed like I would break the familial bond that kept us all tied to the restaurant, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I felt a moral responsibility towards this place. And so, I decided to start cooking with my grandmother Ida. My dad had a broader vision, perhaps because his work brought him in contact with many countries and different realities. I would often travel around with him, and I remember the stops at the farms, especially in Emilia where they cooked the razdore. Regarding meat, we continue to source from people my father knew, from trusted farms. We always excluded Chianina beef, which my father didn’t consider up to its reputation. He always claimed it was overrated. We don’t use Tuscan meat. We prefer beef with higher fat content.” And to measure the quality of such meats, the mere allure of a Fiorentina sizzling on the coals is not enough.
There are dishes like Peposo, Ossobuco, Angus Millefoglie with artichokes, and Manzo di Pozza (a particular beef seasoned with spices and then sliced into carpaccio). “It was my dad – Aurelio continues as he tends the grill with gestures that mesmerize, allowing one to imagine the full succulence of a steak bite – who encouraged me to gain some experience abroad. So, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Lucca Consortium Apt, an association for tourist promotion. I started working with them, unpaid, but in return, I could cook around the world. I did this for about ten years, every month a different initiative in a different place, and this stuff really opened my mind. I finally had the chance to find my own space, to do something else. It was on one of these trips that I started offering my services as a cook in private homes or for private parties. Once, thanks to a contact, I applied to become a member of a sports club in San Francisco, The Olympic Club, with an incredible concentration of billionaires, and it worked. At one point, word spread, partly due to my audacity in putting myself forward. I had met Besoz in Los Angeles at a private dinner and he called me to his house the day before the lockdown due to the pandemic. He was very kind in helping me find a return flight.”
On the other hand, Aurelio discarded the idea of giving cooking classes. “Truth be told, based on my experience, I noticed that these people are not very keen on getting their hands dirty, too pampered and whimsical to do so, especially women. The wealthy get bored with cooking lessons. They prefer a different gastronomic experience.” Aurelio was also knighted by the Republic for his outreach events abroad. He obtained the American Visa O-1 due to his special abilities and now has the freedom to work while bringing along anyone he deems important for his job. Lately, he has been highly sought after by Oriental clients. “I go to Singapore almost every year to cook for an English client who deals with hotels and connects with Asian groups, important Chinese figures, but very reserved, and I cook for them. Last Christmas, I spent three weeks in a luxurious resort in the Maldives where I offered a Lucchese menu. I had many doubts about this type of proposal. Are we sure, I pondered, that Tordelli would truly interest them? The Tordelli is one of our typical dishes, tortellini originally made from the leftovers of Sunday roasts – enriched with mortadella, cheese, and chard – then seasoned with braised meat (I don’t like minced meat sauce, I prefer slow-cooked meats). A recovery dish, but in fact the only rich dish in our tradition with meat both inside and out. At the beginning, I faced many problems proposing this type of cuisine abroad. However, as an Italian diplomat I was in contact with pointed out to me, these rich gentlemen are looking for an authentic experience for which caviar is not sufficient. So I can say that I bring our story with me. Are we sure, I wondered, that Tordelli would interest these guests? Even the resort director reassured me. Aurelio, he said, think that these people can spend two or three thousand euros a day, they can have lobsters or caviar, but that’s not what they want. Indeed, my $250 tasting menu was hugely successful.”
Lucca Experience.
