In 2023, TuttoToscana returned to New York City with “Aroma of Tuscany,” a contemporary culinary experience presented by Apicius International School of Hospitality as part of the ongoing collaboration between Florence University of the Arts, The American University of Florence, and the historic James Beard Foundation. The event marked a renewed chapter for TuttoToscana, continuing its mission of presenting contemporary Tuscan culture abroad through gastronomy, hospitality, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
More than a study away program, TuttoToscana continued to function as a multidisciplinary experiential learning platform where Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Digital Media, Communication, Publishing, and Event Management students collaborated directly with chefs, faculty members, and hospitality professionals to create real international cultural events. Through hands-on production experiences, students participated in menu development, culinary execution, storytelling, branding, guest relations, communication strategies, and hospitality operations.
The 2023 theme, “Aroma of Tuscany,” explored the relationship between scent, memory, territory, and flavor. The menu was conceived as a sensory journey through contemporary Tuscany, where ingredients such as rosemary, pecorino, figs, mushrooms, anchovies, black pepper, and herbs became expressions of regional identity and emotional memory.
The welcome reception introduced guests to refined reinterpretations of Tuscan flavors through dishes including rosemary confit rabbit bites, pecorino fondue with black pepper bignè, confit duck mousse on spiced bread, and choux “baci di dama” with finocchiona and black cabbage.
The dinner continued with contemporary dishes that balanced elegance and tradition, including broccoli cannelloni with shrimp and almond curd, salt cod ravioli with Tuscan corn velouté and confit chanterelle mushrooms, and slow-cooked beef cheek served with potato foam, vanilla, and garden vegetables. Desserts concluded the experience with fig sorbet paired with Tuscan blue cheese foam and “8 textures of Panna Cotta,” a modern interpretation of one of Italy’s most recognizable desserts.
Tuscan wine producers including Tenuta La Novella, Niccolò Lari, Contucci, I Balzini, and Castello del Trebbio accompanied the menu, reinforcing the relationship between Tuscan gastronomy and regional wine culture.
Alongside the gala dinner, TuttoToscana 2023 also featured La Tradizione in Tavola, an interactive cooking class led by Apicius chefs and students that invited guests to prepare and experience traditional Tuscan recipes firsthand.
The workshop focused on handmade dishes deeply rooted in Tuscan domestic traditions, including Tortelli di Patate al Sugo di Funghi, Gnudi di Ricotta di Pecora e Spinaci al Burro e Salvia, and Zuppa Inglese. Recipe cards and live demonstrations transformed the class into both a cultural and educational experience, emphasizing the preservation and transmission of Tuscan culinary heritage through direct participation.
Through “Aroma of Tuscany,” the 2023 edition reaffirmed TuttoToscana’s role as an international platform capable of translating Tuscany into a contemporary language where gastronomy, education, storytelling, and hospitality merge into immersive experiential learning and cultural exchange.