As lockdown lifts and the world adapts to a new ‘normal’, I have found myself reflecting on the magnitude of recipe successes and failures that we have all experienced over the past months. Sourdough, banana bread and attempts at Pret’s chocolate chip cookies are just a few of the trends that seem to have been blasted across social media these past few months. Throughout this quarantine period, one trait of humanity has become clear: humans hold a strong desire to challenge themselves. Be it training for a 10km run, a thirty-day cold shower challenge or perfecting the latest TikTok dance; everyone pushes themselves one way or another. In today’s society, a large number of these challenges are dietary related, as we constantly search for alternative culinary creations.

An article in Vogue commented how “in the age of niche dietary requirements, straightforward vegetarianism feels almost quaint”, which perfectly sums up my feelings on the matter. Like many before me, I too have tried my hand at veganism. After three days of suffering withdrawal symptoms from scrambled eggs, missing cheese in all its fantastic forms and mourning the loss of home-made frothy cow’s milk in my coffee, I swiftly abandoned this mission. However, during my time in Italy, I tried to challenge myself again, but this time making it slightly easier and sticking with vegetarianism. Presented with a plethora of astonishingly fresh fruit and vegetables, it was hardly difficult to cut out the overpriced chicken fillets or sausages I was previously buying. I must confess to still treating myself to meat options when dining out, as I felt it simply foolish to limit my gastronomical opportunities. Nonetheless, on the whole and as far as I was concerned, I was vegetarian.

In my own kitchen, I sought a more complex spread to prepare for myself and friends, turning to our trusty friends over at Chef’s Table on Netflix. First, I must add how highly I recommend this programme, if you have not already watched it. The show investigates the individual and personal styles and stories of some of the most renowned chefs in the world. You will quite literally drool over their creations and feel a sudden inspiration to take on your kitchen in a battle to the perfect plate. However, one specific episode quickly captivated me and posed a challenge to my newfound vegetarianism.

Dario Cecchini, hailed more colloquially as the Mad Butcher of Panzano, is one of Italy’s most celebrated additions to the culinary world. Born in 1955 in the tranquil village of Panzano in Northern Italy, Cecchini’s original plans were upturned when he inherited the family business from his dying father. Ironically, Cecchini was halfway through his veterinary degree at the University of Pisa when he was forced to make an impromptu and contrary career change. Despite over 250 years of Cecchini men running the Panzano butcher, Dario Cecchini swiftly became a local celebrity due to his unusual approach to butchery. In Northern Italy, where excellent red meat and wine go hand in hand, it is hardly surprising that Cecchini’s undeniable passion for both meat and tradition has led to his international reputation. However his reasoning behind this passion is what is truly inspiring.

“Davanti della morte d’animale; penso alla vita, al rispetto, alla responsabilità di usare tutto bene, di non offendere questa morte…Questo è fare il macellaio” can be translated to explain how before the death of an animal Cecchini contemplates its life and therefore, out of respect, vows to use all of the animal’s body correctly, so as to not dishonour the death. He claims this to be the true nature behind being a butcher. This unrivalled respect for meat and his passion in incorporating it into Italian tradition is what has created a place for himself in the global gastronomic stage. One wonderful quote that I have taken away from this episode, which I believe fully encaptivates the spirit of Italian cooking, is from Cecchini on cooking in the moment: “It’s extremely simple: At the start, drink a glass of red wine. This inspires better cooking.” This is something that I am proud to admit I have frequently trialled and has rarely ended in absolute failure! Cecchini runs two restaurants, Solicciccia and Officina Della Bistecca, both of which he views as a means to educate his guests on the different cuts available. Despite initial doubts regarding the menu, the restaunts proved to be a massive success and solely dedicated to what Cecchini calls “all the parts of the animal which are considered less noble, from snout to tail.” This is also part of his mission to promote and protect the traditional local butchers from the rise of powerful supermarkets.

Naturally, I then began to question my decision to go vegetarian. I took this curiosity to Instagram to gage how many of my followers would actually categorise themselves within “niche dietary requirements” and why. The results showed that 79% said they were meat eaters, whilst only 21% associated as vegetarians, pescatarians or vegans. Considering that 2019 was hailed the ‘Year of the Vegan’ and society would like us to believe that everyone is turning a new leaf to become one of the aforementioned, this came as a big surprise. Continuing my investigation as to why diets are changing, the primary motives were environmental or ethical reasons. Significant research has also been conducted as to whether alternative dietary requirements are in fact better for your health, or if they are just the wellness industry’s latest cash cow. At the MAD Food Conference 2016, Cecchini announced his mission to promote and protect the traditional local butchers from the rise of powerful supermarkets. In line with his respect for the animals, surely the adoption of this mindset could be meat’s saving grace. With less guilt towards its consumption and a conscious environmental and ethical effort, Cecchini’s attitude to butchery looks extremely prosperous for the culinary future. That is if his expressive hands, booming voice and Dante quotations don’t provide him with enough international recognition.

© S R D HILL