October 26, 2015 6:45pm

Florence University of the Arts

Queens College CUNY

THE FUA TUTTOTOSCANA TEAMTonight’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

MARTA CONSALES

CHARLES EWALD

GIOVANNA FERNANDES

JOSE GUEVARA

SERGIO LOZANO

JENNIFER LUCAS

SHEA MATTHEWS

PAOLA ANDREA MUNOZ PINEDA

ALEC SOBOTKA

SARAH WATERS

PASTRY BRIGADE

Led by Head Pastry Chef

Simone DeCastro

ANNALISE CARLSON

FILOMENA CASTROVILLARI

REBECCA JARDINE

AUDBJORG JORUNDSDOTTIR

MARY MCGUINN

KIMBERLY SOUSA

ROMINA WAGENER

TAYLOR WHITCOMB

FRONT OF THE HOUSE

Led by FUA staff members

Jessica Volpe and Cristiana Gallai

BRENNA BOONE

LUCA DEL FANTE

DIGITAL MEDIA AND VISUAL ART

Led by FUA faculty member

David Weiss

NELLY MCKAY

MENU DESIGN

FUA Communications & Marketing Office

Federico CagnucciAlberto Simoncioni

Art Director David Weiss

Event Manager Grace Joh

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 univers i t ies throughout the US. He makes occasional appearances on Italian culinary shows for the SKY cable network.

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 honeyMini 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 ArtsCorso dei Tintori 21, 50122 Florence Italy Tel. +39 055 2469016 info@fua.it www.fua.it