A poet in the kitchen and an artist on the plate, the number three chef in the world discusses his Modena restaurant, the perfect tortellini and his love of fast cars
Everyone loves Massimo Bottura, whether it was his nonna, his mamma, his beautiful wife Lara, his two kids, his team, or other stellar chefs such as Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adrià. But no one loves Bottura like Lidia. Even when he torments her, tickles her, flicks her with a towel, all he gets back is unconditional love. He is a disgrace, but he is like my son, she says as he excitedly chases her around her front room.
We are here to see Lidia Cristoni make tortellini as she has made it for Bottura for 28 years since she walked into his first restaurant, Trattoria del Campazzo, a short stroll over the field from her family home. As we watch her expertly work her dough with her long wooden pin and board, Bottura tells me how it was through Lidia that food found him.
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