Aurelio Barattini's restaurant, L'Antica Locanda di Sesto is in Lucca in Northern Tuscany in Italy. Aurelio's family became part of the history of the restaurant in 1920 but the setting has been a place of renewal and refreshment for several centuries dating back to 1368. Aurelio's relationship with food and food preparation started as a young child. He grew up in the kitchen where his grandmother and mother prepared foods for the restaurant. To mix with the Tuscan foundation to his cuisine he has a strong influence from the Emilia-Romagna Region where his paternal grandparents are from. His unique fresh pasta recipes are one reflection of that heritage. Aurelio and his restaurant are a distinguished part of the Lucchese / Tuscan / Italian Landscape. For the past 7 years Aurelio has been the featured cook for Lucca Province on an extensive list of promotional events around the globe. Since last may has begun,with Andee Sorenson of Travelling Native,Cooking classes of typical Tuscan food in private houses around the United States. But like much of the living scenery surrounding Lucca, his story and his message are still relatively undiscovered gems to most Americans.

http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/allthingstuscany/tuscanycious/tuscan-cook/