On 9th December Maurizio and Cinzia marked the 20th Anniversary of their award-winning restaurant, La Locanda.
Tom Pridmore, Tourism Officer at Ribble Valley Borough Council said “The Ribble Valley is home to many award winning restaurants and, for twenty years, La Locanda has been providing truly unique culinary experiences with the finest authentic Italian food, served in a most charming venue. Twenty years of excellence, borne out of hard work and dedication. We feel proud to have La Locanda in the Ribble Valley.”
Head Chef and Lancashire Taste Ambassador Maurizio was born and grew up on the banks of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. Here a young Maurizio cultivated his passion for good food and traditional ingredients – foraging for chestnuts and mushrooms on woodland walks with his grandmother, and helping his mother, who every morning would knead the flour from the local mill and collect eggs from the hen house to prepare fresh pasta for lunch.
The young couple moved to Lancashire in 1996 where Maurizio had the opportunity to further his education at Myerscough College in Garstangand advance his career at Carlo’s in Colne.
With the ultimate dream of owning their own restaurant, a walk in Whalley past an estate agent window would be where they first spotted their La Locanda. After extensive renovations, Maurizio and Cinzia opened La Locanda’s doors in 2003.
Today, its menu of handcrafted, authentic (mouthwatering) dishes showcase wonderful Lancashire produce along with the very best Italy has to offer.
Chef Maurizio Bocchi said “For 20 years, my promise has been to create and serve a menu of Italian dishes passed down through generations to allow our lovely customers to immerse themselves into a truly Italian mealtime experience; giving a flavour of the culture, heritage, tradition and hospitality of the place we are so proud to call our home.”
It’s hard to believe that two decades have passed since they first opened the doors to La Locanda. What an incredible journey it has been! From the very first day, their loyal customers have been an integral part of their story, and Cinzia and Maurizio are immensely grateful for their unwavering support.
To celebrate this remarkable milestone, they invited customers and friends to join them for a special gathering on Sunday, December 10th. They wanted this day to be a true reflection of the love and warmth they have been shown over the years.
Guests at the 20th anniversary celebration enjoyed a complimentary aperitivo and stuzzicchini (Italian for nibbles) – and a chance to reminisce, share stories, and create new memories. They were then invited to stay and dine, savouring a special menu of familiar and favourite dishes served across the years at La Locanda.
Regular diners Joan and Gerald Dickinson said “Over the past 18 years wonderful memories have been, and are still being made at La Locanda – serving award winning Italian food where you are received and greeted with a very warm Italian welcome. Thank you to two wonderful people, Cinzia and Maurizio for bringing a taste of Italy to our North West of England for the past 20 years.”
