Enter in our Tuscan life is like to be part of our history and traditions in the respect of our family education…….. Discover our “ TuscanFood staff “ is more that follow a guide book.

 

 

 

La Limonaia Staff:

 

La Limonaia-Founder Mr. Giulio Benuzzi

Giulio Benuzzi is a native Italian began his career as a restaurateur in Milan at the highly respected restaurant Le Api.

 

 

After having travelled all around Italy he follow in love about Tuscany, where he has open a bed&breakfast on the south hill of Florence. His passion for food and wine transmit him self the power to continue to discovery local artisans and wine producers to add in the experiences offered to the guests.

 

Cristina Teixeira Coelho a native Italian began her career as a fashion model working for some of most important Italian designer in Florence, Gucci and Tod’s. With her vast knowledge of the fashion world she shows you Florence from another point of view. Explore the history of fashion, visiting some important fashion museum and organize for you your personal shopping finds. Cristina in the mind time is the manager of La Limonaia and help Giulio to better accommodate the guests.

 

Pierre Cusseau is our French friend or “herbs shepherd” as he likes to be called, will introduce you to the aromatic world of spices- from the secrets of the harvesting and the drying process to preserving the fragrance. This amazing Renaissance man left the hustle of big city Paris when he feel in love with his Italian wife and the earth Tuscan soil .Discovering all is spice bland products is a new road to better work in your kitchen.

 

Donatella Cinelli was born in a small village on the hills of Maremma (South of Tuscany, near Grosseto) under the Amiata Mountain. Since she was a child, she has learned the traditions of a simple Tuscan cooking with authyentic flavours and recipes from her mother .She is a popular caterer and consultant to a Florence respected restaurant. Donatella she became the official Tuscan Chief of la Limonaia. Moreno Moroni Moreno Moroni lives in the countryside near Arezzo with his favorit dog Alba and is considered by most Tuscans to be one of the most authority in truffle hunting. Moreno is now president of the Truffle association of the Aretine hills. He is our truffle guide during our truffle experience.

 

Viola Zampagni lives in Tuscany in an old farmhouse surrounded by olive trees. Bread is one of her passions. Its smell, its taste and all its marvellous shapes … She has been baking now for ten years for her family and her customers. she sells now her organic products at local typical markets in Florence, Pisa, Prato, Cecina and Livorno.

She does everything as it was done in the past: hands knead the dough - Uses the sour dough method - Bakes in a wood fired oven. “ For me, to bake bread is something really special. I never get bored of it. It is something that makes me feel alive teaching me the art of life. To be able to create my own food is very important for me. I feel that my life is more real. I really hope to be able to pass this passion of mine for making bread onto other people, so they can discover what I have learnt along the way …”

 

Roberto Fanciulleschi live in the beautiful village of San Gimignano. His father was the Mayor of San Gimignano between 1955 to 1972! He was appointed mayor very young, just 10 years after the war. With Ivo Fanciullini a new period opened in the life of San Gimignano: that of the struggle to uphold democracy and programmes for the city's economic rebirth. He had been a member of that group of young people who from the hard years of the Resistance and the struggle against fascism had drawn the stimulus to devote his life to political and labour union activities and to public administration. His was a "choice of life" which in those days called for sacrifices and forgoing not only personal, but also for the family. He left the post at just 46 when he thought the time was right to leave way for fresher and younger energy. He bought Casanova di Pescille in 1986 and after careful restoration, turned it into one of the most beautiful farm houses in San Gimignano. Roberto continue the family tradition and now they produce saffron and a wonderful vernaccia wine. His son is a chief in a local restaurant where the guests will have the possibility to try his saffron lunch.

 

 

Cristian Giorni, is a professionist sommeiler born in Siena in the earth of Chianti Classico area where very young discovered “the soul of his territory trough the wine”. He became sommeiler at only 20 years old and after different important wine experiences in some Chianti wine bars, he moved to England to work as sommeiller at the George of Standford Resort Hotel. At the moment Cristian works for a dynamic and modern Florence winery and collaborate as head sommelier at our wine bar.