Rugged, handsome and charismatic, Berardino Lombardo is the product of his native region, the Sannio. Ever since he can remember, the land, its people and the food have been a constant source of inspiration in every aspect of his work – both as a chef as well as a world-class breeder and producer of pork and cured meats.

Chef Lombardo is a man with a mission. Born and raised in the Sannio, he is passionate about maintaining the great culinary traditions of Southern Italy. He has spent years tracking down local recipes, cajoling mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers into sharing the cooking wisdom that has been handed down from mother to daughter. His philosophy is based on three basic principles: respect the land, follow the seasons and always keep in mind the history behind each recipe. His organic farm supplies the ingredients used in his recipes. He raises fruit, vegetables, geese, ducks, guinea hens, cows and the famous maiale nero casertano, once on the verge of extinction. He produces fine cured meats and salamis as well as a unique creation of his own invention, “la Stringata”, the result of tying together lard, bacon and loin of pork - hence the name - ’stringed’.

In the early 90’s Berardino launched and ran La Caveja, one of the region’s best-known restaurants. But such was his desire for perfection, he decided to create his own estate where he could grow the produce for his new restaurant according to his own strict guidelines. At Terre di Conca, with its 40 hectares of organically grown farmland, Berardino could finally dedicate time to accumulating a seed bank for local varieties of heirloom fruits and vegetables, many of which are on the verge of exctinction. But he is best known for his selective breeding of the Casertan black pig (maiale nero Casertano), once on the verge of extinction, which roam in the woods on his estate.

Here is what the food critics say about Berardino Lombardo:

Faith Willinger, author of Adventures of an Italian Food Lover:
“Berardino’s organic farm supplies the restaurant with poultry, rabbits, pork, salumi and a garden of heirloom vegetables and fruits. The menu is pure tradition, with local just-made mozzarella, sheep’s milk ricotta, and polenta sauced with sausage, for starters”…”The bread is outstanding, baked in their wood-burning oven”…”There’s local pecorino aged in barrique casks, caciocavallo cheese aged six, twelve, or eighteen months, jam tarts (with homemade jam from organic heirloom fruit), conventuali butter cookies, spiraled with nuts and raisins, and scauratielli, or boiled cookies drenched with honey and orange zest. ”

Luciana Squadrilli (Gambero Rosso):
Berardino Lombardo has invented “La Stringata”, a monument to flavour and an extraordinary example of cured pork.”

Luciano Pignataro:
“This is one of those rare places that should be kept jealously secret and revealed sparingly only to those capable of appreciating the state of euphoria that comes when every pleasurable sense is fullfilled; like that offered by Berardino Lombardo, anthropological chef-turned-farmer-and-breeder who, with his wife Antonietta, have created a breath-taking restaurant, situated amidst ancient chestnut groves and the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina.”

Berardino Lombardo è animato da una grande passione per la sua terra d’origine e la applica da sempre in tutti gli aspetti della sua attività. Creando anni fa il ristorante La Caveja e basandone la cucina ed il successo su ricette e prodotti assolutamente locali e di qualità, ha sviluppato il suo interesse al punto di decidere di avviare la sua propria Azienda, Terre di Conca, su bellissime colline in vista del suo paese. Qui l’esperienza maturata in cucina e l’amore per la terra ed i suoi frutti stagionali si combinano; la profonda conoscenza delle varietà locali di ortaggi, frutta ed olive come pure l’allevamento di galline, faraone ed oche. Infine ed ancora più speciali i selezionatissimi maiali neri casertani allevati quasi in libertà: oltre agli ottimi salumi classici, Berardino ne ha creato uno suo da gustare solo qui. La stessa ricerca è applicata nelle ricette spesso recuperate nei giorni di mercato incontrando gli anziani della zona.

from Adventures of an Italian Food Lover (ISBN 978-0-307-34639-1 Clarkson Potter Publications)

“…Berardino Lombardo - tall, handsome, bearded, blue-eyed - is the powerhouse behind La Caveja, hidden on a curve before the village of Pietravairano, about an hour south of Rome. There’s a casual wine bar, where locals snack on homemade salumi, cheese, a few simple dishes, and wine, and La Stalla, a comfortable one-room restaurant housed in the stables, a culinary destination where Nadia de Simone charms. On my first visit Berardino was basting a capon turning on a spit-roaster in the hearth fireplace. I was entranced.

“Berardino’s organic farm supplies the restaurant with poultry, rabbits, pork, salumi and a garden of heirloom vegetables an fruits. The menu is pure tradition, with local just-made mozzarella, sheep’s milk ricotta, and polenta sauced with sausage, for starters. Diners continue with soup, then handmade pasta or gnocchi, but there are always two different kinds of pancotto, or bread cooked with vegetables. The bread is outstanding, baked in a wood-burning oven. Also look for main courses like simple roast chiken or capon, packed with flavor. There’s local pecorino aged in barrique casks, caciocavallo cheese aged six, twelve, or eighteen months, jam tarts (with homemade jam from organic heirloom fruit), conventuali butter cookies, spiraled with nuts and raisins, and scauratielli, or boiled cookies drenched with honey and orange zest. Each course can be paired with an appropriate wine by the glass or diners can choose from the surprisingly extensive list of Italian wines, especialy strong in the wines of Campania…”

“Antonietta Rotondo runs a wonderful agriturismo farm inn, Terre di Conca, not too far from her husband Berardino Lombardo’s restaurant inn, where we met for the first time. They bought the farm in a state of total abandon, the house an uninhabitable, roofless ruin, and have lovingly resurrected it, now dedicated to cultivating the local foods. Beradino and Antonietta began with black pigs - a native breed - and poultry such as guinea hens, chickens, and capons to supply his restaurant. Later he grafted the heirloom fruit trees (over twelve kinds of apples!) growing wild on the property and planted saved seeds for local tomatoes, greens, eggplants, and squash. Antonietta guided therestoration of the house. It’s appropriately rustic, with a large open fireplace surrounded by sofas in the living room and a table nearby where guests both breakfast and dine in the evening. Antonietta is one of Italy’s most important collectors of antique lace from the sixteenth centuries, and some of her pieces are displayed in the living room. Lace-trimmed or embroidered linens in the bedrooms are a joy to sleep on. Ask to see her extensive collection of handkerchiefs, from a time when the handkerchief was a most important fashion accessory.

“Antonietta does all the cooking on the farm, utilizing produce straight from her organic garden. I hung out in her kitchen as she prepared dinner, which included two vegetable dishes; both were so terrific and easy that I couldn’t decide which recipe to ask for, so I got them both…”