October 26, 2015 6:45pm Florence University of the Arts Queens College CUNY
THE FUA TUTTOTOSCANA TEAM Tonight’s culinary team is represented by FUA students and faculty members who are a part of the academic program TuttoToscana, a short-term academic program which culminates in real-life event production experiences in the US. The participating FUA faculty are instructors of Apicius, the hospitality division and campus in Florence. FUA seeks to introduce innovative concepts of local culture while offering an international academic experience to all participating students. Creator: GABRIELLA GANUGI, FUA Founder & President
KITCHEN BRIGADE Led by Executive Chef Andrea Trapani and Executive Sous Chef Massimo Bocus EMMALEE AIKEN
FRONT OF THE HOUSE Led by FUA staff members Jessica Volpe and Cristiana Gallai
MARTA CONSALES
BRENNA BOONE
CHARLES EWALD
LUCA DEL FANTE
GIOVANNA FERNANDES JOSE GUEVARA SERGIO LOZANO JENNIFER LUCAS SHEA MATTHEWS PAOLA ANDREA MUNOZ PINEDA ALEC SOBOTKA SARAH WATERS
PASTRY BRIGADE
DIGITAL MEDIA AND VISUAL ART Led by FUA faculty member David Weiss NELLY MCKAY
Led by Head Pastry Chef Simone DeCastro ANNALISE CARLSON FILOMENA CASTROVILLARI REBECCA JARDINE AUDBJORG JORUNDSDOTTIR MARY MCGUINN
MENU DESIGN FUA Communications & Marketing Office Federico Cagnucci Alberto Simoncioni
KIMBERLY SOUSA ROMINA WAGENER TAYLOR WHITCOMB
ANDREA TRAPANI is from Liguria and is the Executive Chef of Apicius, FUA’s hospitality and culinary division. He is also the Head Chef of ACF Fiorentina, the A series professional soccer team based in Florence, Italy. Andrea comes from a Star Diamond recognition for his stint at the 5-star Relais Santa Croce, has led 8 FUA dinners at the James Beard Foundation, and has lectured as a guest chef at universities throughout the US. He makes occasional appearances on Italian culinary shows for the SKY cable network.
Art Director David Weiss Event Manager Grace Joh
SIMONE DE CASTRO is a native of Tuscany and is the Head Pastry Chef at Apicius. He is specialized in haute pastry arts and chocolate work. He has worked with high fashion brands and luxury hotel properties, collaborated with Slowfood and the Italian TV network RAI, and competed at international pastry competitions in Italy, Germany, and Austria. He won the silver medal at the Frankfurt World Championships and was also recognized for professionalism in pastry arts by the Italian Rotary Club.
MASSIMO BOCUS hails from Tuscany and is the executive sous chef of Apicius. After an academic career in the field of law, he followed his true passion: food. He was involved in the startup of the J.K. Lounge in Florence recommended by the Michelin Guide in 2005/6, the Executive Chef of the Villa Mangiacane Hotel in Tuscany featured in SLH Small Luxury Hotels and JDB Fine Hotels & Resorts, and the Senior Sous Chef at the Michelin-starred Ora d’Aria restaurant in Florence in 2011/12.
This special event features an evening of Tuscan cuisine and a viewing of the Queens College Historic Fashion Collection. The Tuscan Essentials menu prepared by the FUA team goes back to the essential building blocks of Tuscan cuisine: its ingredients. The protagonist of each dish is the ingredient itself as an ode to Tuscan flavors. Supporting actors such as contemporary cooking techniques, ingredient combinations, and the stories, traditions, and cultures behind each dish build up varying levels of complexity to prove how pure simplicity is in reality a carefully crafted art form. Culinary experience diners will rediscover them as the driving force behind a Tuscan regional identity based on quality and singularity.
MENU Please note: vegetarian and gluten-free options are available for every course
FINGER FOOD Pecorino cheese fondue, caramelized pears, walnuts, and honey Mini ribollita soup, Tuscan extra virgin olive oil (Tuscan bread and vegetable soup) Leek, sundried tomato, and goat cheese quiche
ANTIPASTO Truffle potato cremeux, porcini mushroom confit, poached quail egg
PRIMO Artichoke ravioli, parmesan fondue, roast meat jus, and shaved almonds
SECONDO Classic Chianti braised short ribs, and polenta
DESSERT Pre-dessert: meringue, fresh fruit, mint, bavarian Dessert: Macarons, lemon chiffon cake, strawberry mouse (shooter)
FUA Florence University of the Arts Corso dei Tintori 21, 50122 Florence Italy Tel. +39 055 2469016 info@fua.it www.fua.it