The Greatest Gift: UNESCO Recognises Italian Cuisine as La Locanda Celebrates 22 Years
As we mark our 22nd anniversary this December, Maurizio and I find ourselves celebrating something far greater than two decades of La Locanda. On 4th December 2024, Italian cuisine was inscribed on UNESCO‘s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—a recognition that validates everything we’ve dedicated our lives to preserving and sharing.
“It is the best present we could ever receive for our anniversary,” I told our guests recently. “We are proud, happy and full of joy. This acknowledgment celebrates not only Italy’s culinary traditions, but also our lifelong mission to share them faithfully here in the UK.”
From Empty Tables to Cultural Pioneers
When we opened La Locanda’s doors on 9th February 2003, the dining room was quiet—perhaps too quiet. “On our very first day, not a single customer stayed to eat,” Maurizio recalls. “People didn’t yet understand our menu. We were pioneers in the North West, serving real Italian cuisine exactly as it is prepared and enjoyed in Italy.”
It would have been easy to compromise, to add the garlic bread and frozen lasagne that British diners expected. But we didn’t come to Lancashire to do what was easy—we came to share something authentic, something true to our heritage.
Twenty-two years later, the North West’s culinary landscape has transformed. Authentic regional Italian cooking is celebrated, and we’re proud to have played a part in that cultural shift.
The Only One in Lancashire
Since 2010, La Locanda has held the prestigious Ospitalità Italiana certification – awarded by the Italian Authorities to restaurants abroad that uphold the highest standards of authentic Italian cuisine. We remain the only restaurant in Lancashire to receive this recognition.
This isn’t merely an award to display; it’s a commitment renewed each year. Every dish, every ingredient, every technique must honour the culinary heritage we’re entrusted to preserve.
Recognition from Those Who Matter
The Good Food Guide captured our mission perfectly: “Cinzia and Maurizio Bocchi have been raising the ‘tricolore’ in defiance of the fast-food, frozen lasagne and garlic bread norm still typical of many Anglo-Italian restaurants.”
Harden’s Guide expressed it with beautiful simplicity: “Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi will take you to the heart of Italian cuisine.”
That’s exactly where we want to take you—not to some anglicised interpretation, but to the heart of Italy itself. To Maurizio’s mother’s kitchen, to woodland walks foraging for chestnuts, to tables where Italian families gather and meals last for hours.
What UNESCO Recognition Means
UNESCO’s inscription recognises Italian cuisine as living cultural heritage—practices continuously transmitted through generations. It acknowledges that Italian gastronomy represents community identity, traditional knowledge, social cohesion and sustainable practices passed down through centuries.
This is precisely what we’ve championed at La Locanda for 22 years. Our menu changes with the seasons because this is how Italians have always cooked. We source from local Lancashire producers not despite our Italian identity but because of it—in Italy, you cook with what grows around you. We take time between courses because a proper Italian meal is about connection and savouring the moment.
A Beacon for the Future
As we celebrate this milestone, La Locanda stands as a place where Italian culinary heritage is not preserved like a museum piece, but lived, breathed and shared with warmth and generosity.
The journey from that quiet opening day to this moment has been remarkable. We’ve watched customers who once found our menu unfamiliar become passionate advocates for authentic Italian cuisine. We’ve seen children grow up enjoying our food and return as adults with their own families.
Every award has been gratifying, but nothing compares to the feeling when a customer says, “That reminded me of my holiday in Italy” or “That’s exactly how my Italian grandmother used to make it.” That’s when we know we’ve succeeded.
Grazie Mille
To everyone who has supported La Locanda over these 22 years—our loyal customers, our dedicated team, our wonderful suppliers, our Ribble Valley community—grazie mille. Thank you for believing in what we do and for making this journey possible.
And to UNESCO, for recognising that Italian cuisine is indeed a treasure worth protecting—thank you for giving us the greatest anniversary gift imaginable.
Here’s to continuing the traditions we hold dear, and to sharing the heart and soul of Italy right here in Lancashire.
Con affetto (with affection),
Cinzia and Maurizio
