‘World’s greatest butcher’ Dario Cecchini from Italy to sell S$6.50 beef sandwiches at hawker stall pop-up
Crowned ‘World’s Greatest Butcher’ by the New York Times, larger than life meat maestro Dario Cecchini will whip up Italian-style grilled sarnies filled with beef and pork at a two-day hawker pop-up at Maxwell Food Centre. The Tuscan personality’s most famous store is the butchery-cum-restaurant Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano, Italy. In Singapore, he opened semi-fine Italian restaurant Bottega di Carna at the Mondrian Singapore Duxton last year. It serves nose-to-tail cuts of beef. The gregarious Dario, who has rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of the culinary world (including the late Anthony Bourdain) will team up with Singaporean hawker Alvan Chew of lor bak stall Bold & Braised (BBraise) for the pop-up on 6 and 7 March, at 11.30am to 2pm on both days.
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Dario Cecchini
Dario is best known for “ethical” butchery, where he uses all parts of the animal without any wastage.
Dario says he has “been so inspired by [his] trips to the hawker [stalls] in Singapore”, hence the decision to do a hawker pop-up here. Dario, along with the head chef of Bottega di Carna, Singaporean Kenny Huang, will be making panini, which are sold at Dario’s well-loved food truck in Tuscany, called the Cecchini Panini Truck. The chefs will occupy BBraise’s stall and work alongside its hawker to serve three different sarnies, each costing $6.50.
The sandwiches will be made with Tuscan Rosetta, a round type of bread using a recipe from Dario’s hometown. 
BBraise’s hawker, Alvan Chew
Of the three panini served, one is made in collaboration with BBraise’s hawker. Dario says “Bold & Braised is one of the best”, adding that “they serve all parts of the pig, very similar to my style and philosophy”. Besides pork belly lor bak, BBraise also serves braised pig’s trotters and bak kut teh using pork ribs.
BBraise owner Alvan tells 8days.sg that he has “heard of chef Dario before”, but hasn’t met him in person yet. “When Dario’s team approached me, I was surprised, because he’s someone who is [so] recognised”. He added that Dario’s team “came down to our stall personally to approach our staff” about the collab.
Three types of $6.50 panini to choose from
At the pop-up, panini will be sold for $6.50 each, a steal considering Dario’s signature steaks at Bottega di Carna restaurant range from $88 for 300g of Australian Black Angus beef, all the way up to $385 for 1.2kg of dry-aged beef.
On the menu at the pop-up stall: Panino Pastarmino ($6.50), a beef pastrami sandwich with marinated beef brisket and Dario’s special “Darionese” sauce and mayo, Panino con Guancia di Manzo ($6.50), stuffed with beef cheeks slow-cooked in Italian Sangiovese red wine, plus the Singapore-inflected Braised Pork Belly Panino ($6.50), featuring BBraise’s signature lor bak.
These gourmet sarnies will only be available at the hawker pop-up and won’t be added to restaurant Bottega di Carna’s menu, so get ready to queue if you want some.
Dario Cecchini’s hawker pop-up will be held on 6 & 7 March 2024 at Bbraise, #01-43 Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur St, S069184. 11.30am - 2pm on both days.
Photos: Dario Cecchini, Alvin Teo
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