For the special “Tutto Toscana” event at James Beard Foundation Tuscany Event in New York City, students from Apicius International School of Hospitality embarked on an intensive culinary journey that combined creativity, technical training, and real-world international event experience.
The project was developed as a complete educational and professional pathway, allowing students to participate directly in every stage of the creative and operational process behind an international gastronomic event. Over the course of three weeks in Florence, the students worked alongside chefs and faculty members at Apicius to research, test, refine, and present a menu inspired by Tuscan culinary heritage and contemporary experimentation.
The menu itself explored the relationship between traditional Italian ingredients and cocoa, transforming classic flavors into modern and unexpected combinations. Students were actively involved in concept development, recipe testing, plating design, ingredient selection, logistics, and service preparation. The experience represented not only a culinary exercise, but also an immersion into the discipline, timing, and collaboration required for high-level international hospitality events.
Following the preparation phase in Florence, the project culminated in a week of events in New York, where students had the opportunity to bring their work to an international audience during the Tutto Toscana initiative hosted at the James Beard Foundation. Working in a fast-paced professional environment, they experienced firsthand the dynamics of event execution, guest interaction, kitchen coordination, and fine dining service in one of the world’s most influential culinary capitals.
The initiative became a unique bridge between education and professional practice, showcasing Tuscan culture through food while giving students the opportunity to transform classroom learning into a real international culinary experience.
In 2010, Apicius International School of Hospitality and FAST Fashion and Accessories Studies and Technology brought a new interdisciplinary vision of Tuscan culture to Astor Center with “Feathers”, a special finale event of the annual Tutto Toscana series held in conjunction with the James Beard Foundation events in New York City.
Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of Made in Tuscany, the event merged gastronomy, fashion, craftsmanship, sustainability, and experiential education into a single immersive cultural experience. Centered around the concepts of lightness, freshness, and transformation, Feathers explored the dialogue between two of Tuscany’s most iconic industries: food and fashion.
The project represented a collaborative effort between culinary students, fashion students, faculty members, artisans, designers, sommeliers, and Tuscan producers. Through weeks of preparation in Florence, students participated directly in the creative development and operational planning of the event, experiencing firsthand how interdisciplinary collaboration can shape contemporary hospitality and cultural production.
The evening opened with a traditional Tuscan aperitivo featuring boutique wines and small plates inspired by the flavors of the Tuscan landscape, followed by a fashion presentation by Florentine brands Alta Rosa and Mazzanti Piume. The runway component highlighted the craftsmanship and artistic identity of Florence through handcrafted accessories, organic textiles, and feather creations deeply connected to the city’s artisanal heritage.
At the center of the evening was a contemporary Tuscan tasting menu created by chef Andrea Trapani and paired with wines from the organic producer Dalle Nostre Mani, presented by sommelier Caterina Lazzareschi. The dishes translated the “feathers” concept into culinary form through light textures, aromatic elements, and visually evocative presentations inspired by Florence’s historical and environmental identity.
Guests experienced dishes connected to symbolic Tuscan references such as the Boboli Gardens, Caterina de’ Medici, and the natural landscapes of Tuscany and the Mediterranean coast. Among the featured creations were Profumi del Cielo, a delicate lasagnetta infused with mandarin aromas, and cappellacci ravioli folded into the shape of swallows and filled with artichokes, almonds, and potatoes — dishes designed to evoke movement, elegance, and lightness.
The initiative also reflected the schools’ commitment to sustainability and contemporary ethical production. Fashion presentations focused on eco-conscious materials and artisanal manufacturing, while the wine program highlighted organically farmed and rare Tuscan grape varieties revived through innovative viticulture techniques.
As with previous international collaborations, the event functioned as a living educational laboratory where students transformed academic learning into direct professional practice. Culinary students worked on kitchen production and hospitality coordination, fashion students contributed to styling and runway presentation, and communication and event management students supported branding, logistics, guest experience, and promotional activities.
More than a gala dinner or fashion showcase, Feathers became a cultural statement about modern Tuscany — a region capable of honoring tradition while continuously reinventing itself through creativity, craftsmanship, sustainability, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this experience, Apicius and FAST presented Florence not simply as a historical destination, but as a living center of innovation where food, fashion, and culture coexist as expressions of identity and contemporary design.
In 2010, Apicius International School of Hospitality and FAST Fashion and Accessories Studies and Technology brought a new interdisciplinary vision of Tuscan culture to Astor Center with “Feathers”, a special finale event of the annual Tutto Toscana series held in conjunction with the James Beard Foundation events in New York City.
Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of Made in Tuscany, the event merged gastronomy, fashion, craftsmanship, sustainability, and experiential education into a single immersive cultural experience. Centered around the concepts of lightness, freshness, and transformation, Feathers explored the dialogue between two of Tuscany’s most iconic industries: food and fashion.
The project represented a collaborative effort between culinary students, fashion students, faculty members, artisans, designers, sommeliers, and Tuscan producers. Through weeks of preparation in Florence, students participated directly in the creative development and operational planning of the event, experiencing firsthand how interdisciplinary collaboration can shape contemporary hospitality and cultural production.
The evening opened with a traditional Tuscan aperitivo featuring boutique wines and small plates inspired by the flavors of the Tuscan landscape, followed by a fashion presentation by Florentine brands Alta Rosa and Mazzanti Piume. The runway component highlighted the craftsmanship and artistic identity of Florence through handcrafted accessories, organic textiles, and feather creations deeply connected to the city’s artisanal heritage.
At the center of the evening was a contemporary Tuscan tasting menu created by chef Andrea Trapani and paired with wines from the organic producer Dalle Nostre Mani, presented by sommelier Caterina Lazzareschi. The dishes translated the “feathers” concept into culinary form through light textures, aromatic elements, and visually evocative presentations inspired by Florence’s historical and environmental identity.
Guests experienced dishes connected to symbolic Tuscan references such as the Boboli Gardens, Caterina de’ Medici, and the natural landscapes of Tuscany and the Mediterranean coast. Among the featured creations were Profumi del Cielo, a delicate lasagnetta infused with mandarin aromas, and cappellacci ravioli folded into the shape of swallows and filled with artichokes, almonds, and potatoes — dishes designed to evoke movement, elegance, and lightness.
The initiative also reflected the schools’ commitment to sustainability and contemporary ethical production. Fashion presentations focused on eco-conscious materials and artisanal manufacturing, while the wine program highlighted organically farmed and rare Tuscan grape varieties revived through innovative viticulture techniques.
As with previous international collaborations, the event functioned as a living educational laboratory where students transformed academic learning into direct professional practice. Culinary students worked on kitchen production and hospitality coordination, fashion students contributed to styling and runway presentation, and communication and event management students supported branding, logistics, guest experience, and promotional activities.
More than a gala dinner or fashion showcase, Feathers became a cultural statement about modern Tuscany — a region capable of honoring tradition while continuously reinventing itself through creativity, craftsmanship, sustainability, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this experience, Apicius and FAST presented Florence not simply as a historical destination, but as a living center of innovation where food, fashion, and culture coexist as expressions of identity and contemporary design.