Owner, Chef Franco Taruschio O.B.E.

Born in Le Marche, Italy. Married to Ann. Career : Franco Taruschio trained as a hotel-keeper in Italy, came to Britain to learn English, and met Ann Forester. Four days after marrying, they took over The Walnut Tree Inn and gradually transformed it from a pub into one of the best-loved and most admired restaurants in Britain In 2003, Mr Taruschio, who worked in Italy, Switzerland and France before moving to Wales, was awarded an honorary OBE for his services to the culinary industry and to the community in Monmouthshire. Owner of famous Walnut Tree in Abervagenny for 37 years. Sold the restaurant in 2001 and retured. Instead of returing launched of cookery holidays with Taruschio in Italy. Not in any old venue, but in the region, indeed in the very village, where he was born: Montefano, near Macerata in southern Le Marche. Wrote "Leaves from the Walnut Tree". Voted Best Italian Restaurant in Briitain on several occasions