When husband and wife, Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi, first arrived in England, they did so with the intention of bringing with them the true taste of their homeland.

Maurizio's vast knowledge of agriculture and flair for gastronomy, coupled with their devotion to genuine Italian hospitality led them to open their beloved La Locanda in 2003, where their aim was to represent Italian cuisine in its original form.

In order to transmit their pride in Italy, Maurizio and Cinzia became dedicated to sourcing their kitchen's Italian ingredients from the most distinguished producers in their home country, while in an effort to support the local community and to guarantee ultimate freshness, they also formed long-lasting relationships with local fish, meat, dairy and grocery suppliers.

By exactly replicating the dishes that their ancestors lovingly prepared for generations, La Locanda soon began to forge a reputation for authenticity without any compromise. And despite the restaurant's location in rural England, Maurizio and Cinzia's methods of delivering excellence through their respect of traditionalism has won them acclaim from many of the industry's most prominent food critics, leading to La Locanda becoming the most awarded Italian restaurant outside of London.

Though such an achievement could be grounds for letting up, for Maurizio and Cinzia their success has simply spurred them on to take their mission statement to the next level, injecting even more history, tradition and passion into their dishes and putting further distance between their menu and those of their competitors.