grew up in the town of Botticino, up on a mountain not far from Lucca. My father had a paper mill, where there was a lot of water and many chestnut trees. There were ten people in our family and my father's mother cooked for us every day. I still remember the crepes made from chestnut flour she would fill with fresh ricotta made by friends who raised cows and sheep. Every day she would prepare a meal different from the day before.

When I was about ten I went to live with my mother and grandmother near Florence. My grandmother owned a farm in San Gimignano and most of the food we ate was produced there. I had only her olive oil and wine until I moved to the United States. Every Sunday we would have Mezzo Pollo al Forno for dinner, using chickens raised on the farm. Often as an appetizer we ate Tortino di Carciofi with artichokes and eggplants form the garden. A special treat for dessert was vin santo. The vin santo that came from the farm was unbelievable Ð velvety and sweet. When I was older, I would dip biscotti into this sweet wine and lose track of how many cookies I had eaten! My first job was as a dishwasher in a trattoria in Florence when I was sixteen years old. It was a typical trattoria: small, with only two cooks and one dishwasher. It seemed that one day I was washing dishes, then one day I was cooking! I prepared and cooked everything on the menu; that was how I learned to cook. I finished school at eighteen and got a job as a pasta chef in another trattoria in Florence. Carmen, a woman who cooked there, taught me a valuable lesson I remember to this day: to make each pasta dish the best, even when you have a lot of customers to serve, not to be sloppy, and to do the right thing every time.

I owned a restaurant in Florence, much like a small pub. An American tourist came in to eat and we became friendly. She ended up staying in Italy with me and later became my wife. We moved to the United states in 1986 to be married, where my first job was in an old-style Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. But I didn't understand what they were doing, coming from a trattoria. I liked simple food, not lobster and veal together on one plate in a rich sauce. I realized how strong my Tuscan roots were and began to cook in restaurants where I could express them. When I first visited Del Mar, and saw this beautiful restaurant, I said to my wife, "I want to work at Il Fornaio!" I began to work at Il Fornaio in Del Mar in January of 1994, where I continue to cook in the Tuscan style.

Bread is very important in Tuscany. I love bread, so it is wonderful that at Il Fornaio we make our own bread fresh every day. Be sure to try our Pane Toscano, a crisp-crusted loaf studded with green olives. It is very fragrant and delicious! I often think about my Tuscan roots and how proud I am of the history and influence of my home region. I am always surprised to see so many people try to copy Tuscan food. Maybe I am a little naive - I have always cooked these foods, always eaten them. I don't really know any other way. Most important to me is the freshness of the product, the quality and the simplicity. I try to find the flavor in the product, not in what you add to it. That is my philosophy, it's very simple! I hope I am able to share this with you through the foods you eat tonight. Buon Apetito!

STAY: Fattoria Dievole (Chianti). Founded in 1090, Dievole is Chianti's oldest winery and is home to Il Fornaio's vineyard. Owner Mario Schwenn has recently remodeled the guest house to accommodate travelers. An exquisite setting in the heart of Chianti. Mention Il Fornaio when you book, and Mario will take great care of you. 53010 Vagliali (Siena). phone 557/322613.

SEE: The Duomo of Siena (Siena). Our favorite of all of Italy's cathedrals, this awe-inspiring medieval church alone is worth a visit to Siena. phone 557/283048.

Coming May 4 - 17: THE FOOD AND WINE OF MOLISE

1998 Festa Regionale Calendar