Marietta Bellugi and Adelmo Caldesi

Giancarlo’s parents

Giancarlo’s parents lived on a smallholding just outside Montepulciano. His parents involved him in every part of the farm and the kitchen. He was hands-on from a toddler foraging for food in the fields, picking vegetables at all times of the year. His father taught him how to sharpen tools and knives, fetch water from the well, chop wood, prune vines and fruit trees and well as how to look after the cows, pigs, guinea fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkey and rabbits.

Giancarlo says that “Most of all my dad taught me how to be resilient and never give up. He was a tough man as he was a prisoner during the second world war in Daccau and never felt sorry for himself and never talked about his experience.“My mum taught be how to be smart, properly attired, clean and polite. She embodied kindness, standards as well as how to laugh and dance through life even though she was orphaned at a young age.”

Both parents taught him to cook, how to make something out of nothing and not to waste food.

Favourite place
Their home and farm.

Favourite Italian recipe
Memmo’s Tuscan Ragu on tagliatelle, Marietta’s Roast Rabbit with herbs.