What inspired you to work for Florence Culinary Arts School (FCAS)?
As an experienced executive chef, I enjoy cooking and I especially love teaching Italian cuisine to international students. Since I worked at FCAS, I have taught more than 2,000 students, and most of them are now employed in Italian restaurants or started their own businesses. FCAS gives me total freedom in the choice of programs and teaching techniques.
Group photo with all the students participating in our own Chef Training Class.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
I would tell myself to keep an open mind and be humble. Humility involves having an accurate view of ourselves. Humble people allow others to speak into their lives, giving their open, honest opinions.
If I'm going to study in a different country where they speak a different language and the environment is totally different from where I live. I need to be ready to adapt to a new reality.
Hands-on teaching is what the Florence Culinary Arts School (FCAS) is all about!
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
Compared to other cooking schools and institutes, FCAS is relatively small, but this is one of our strengths. We believe it is easier to learn in small class sizes than in larger ones.
We do not only teach cooking, but the practical training is complemented by extracurricular activities. For example, we have guided visits to relevant food production sites, such as meat processing plants, cheese, ham factories, and wineries.
What is Florence Culinary Arts School (FCAS)'s mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
Florence is one of the most popular tourists’ destinations, and by taking one step out of the classroom, you will encounter countless foods, from traditional foods to foods of the latest trend. Foods offered to visitors and to city residents, foods offered at friends’ houses, ingredients that cannot be found in your own country, and all of these diverse foods will give you hints to know Italian cuisine deeper, and to know Italia itself. Students at FCAS are encouraged to learn from various experiences, not only to study in the school, but to go out and discover what is out there.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
When I teach the students, I try to give them all the knowledge and techniques I have cultivated until now. I want them to understand the marvelous Italian culture, have curiosity for food, and feel the beauty of each dish realized by the love and pursuit for art.
Florence is not only a great place to study culinary art, but also a great place to stay. You can discover numerous globally recognized restaurants; visit markets full of fresh ingredients, and countless special experiences, and be immersed in the world of Italian cuisine.
Teaching truly brings me joy, seeing the students engage and have fun is the best.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Traveling builds confidence. In our daily routines, you know how to act and respond to people and your surroundings. Being in a new place, with different people, who hold different values and go about life differently (or not so differently you may find) strips all that familiarity away.
It can be scary, but once you figure out that you can connect with people despite differences, and you can navigate foreign environments, you become a smarter, more competent individual. Embrace the discomfort. Search for it, because it is helping you grow.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
All travel is meaningful travel. Whether you're on a business trip, traveling for relaxation, or on an epic adventure, something inside you shifts when you’re exposed to a new place, ideals, and mindsets. That said, some trips mold our thinking more than others. Traveling to Italy is a unique experience.
