FRANCESCO LENZI & GRAZIELLA CARTA

“Unpretentious and cosy, Lenzi feels like dining at a friend’s home” — praise for Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen in Thailand’s first Michelin

Guide. Serving up authentic Tuscan cuisine in the heart of the Big Mango, this Italian restaurant is helmed by chef Francesco Lenzi. We spoke to him and his partner, Graziella Carta, about their foodie habits.

How did you guys meet? We met at a private foodie event around eight years ago, Francesco was presenting his family’s hams and cheeses. We have been good friends till two years ago when we fell in love with each other.

Which restaurant(s) do you frequent? We’d love going out for Japanese and our favourite places are Sushi Cyu And Carnival at All Seasons Place and Sushi Hinata at Central Embassy. We even love 80/20.

What’s a ‘date night’ like in Bangkok? Our date night starts with a nice dinner somewhere and ends with some cocktail or dancing. We like Maggie Choo’s and Sing Sing or Ce La Vi. Is there a food that one of you likes but the other despises? Both of us like every kind of food.

Name a dish that you both fell in love with. Where did you have it? We fell in love with ‘Risotto ai Crostacei’ at Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen. It reminded us of the time when we were having dinner in summer time in Sardinia, in a restaurant in front of the sea eating a particular seafood risotto. Back to Bangkok, Francesco made a surprise creating a new risotto inspired by the sea and the beach, elegant and passionate .. Risotto ai Crostacei got a place in Lenzi’s menu: it’s slow cooked carnaroli rice in broth of crustaceans with raw Mediterranean red prawns and dried smoked eggplant. Needs to be tried at least once!

Any recommendations on what to do or where to go this Valentine’s Day? We prefer to share love all days and all times during the year. We would love to celebrate the day on an island like Koh Lipe but unfortunately Francesco needs to work a lot! How to celebrate it? Mojitos, nice music and party on the beach.