Located in the Gucci Garden, a three-story multi-sensory space dedicated to the Gucci brand, GUCCI OSTERIA DA MASSIMO BOTTURA FLORENCE is the culinary flagship, taking the luxury fashion house on a new and extraordinary venture.
Godfathered by world renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura, the restaurant has found a perfect platform in Florence, a city so deeply rooted in its Italian history and art, but with a mind always open to the wider world and ready to embrace a second Renaissance: this time of cuisine.
GUCCI OSTERIA DA MASSIMO BOTTURA FLORENCE is a passionate project created by two world-famous icons, luxury fashion house Gucci led by CEO Marco Bizzarri and chef Massimo Bottura — childhood friends who wanted to combine food and fashion into one.
GUCCI OSTERIA is a series of contemporary restaurants that share the same values and principles under one roof. Located in selected world cities including Florence, Beverly Hills, Tokyo and Seoul, they each celebrate their own varied and unique identity while sharing a culinary philosophy that rides the wave of the seasons with creativity, elegance, playfulness and sensuality and from where they draw their inspiration. Capturing the youthful energy embodied in the world’s leading luxury fashion brand Gucci and its parallels with the philosophy of chef Massimo Bottura, they draw from a thread of legacy: always contemporary in its present, yet ever driving forward to the future.
GUCCI GARDEN — Floral Touch of Florence
The Gucci Garden art space, housed in the historic 13th century Palazzo della Mercanzia at Piazza della Signoria in the heart of Florence, is another cultural hotspot in an already culture-filled city. The ancient palace was restored with the financial support of the Gucci concern.
The Gucci Garden art space was implemented by Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, who brought together several bright projects under one roof. Here you can find some more info about the Archetypes exhibition currently at Gucci Garden.
The book and gift shop and boutique located on the ground floor sells unique items and accessories under the Gucci Garden logo, unique in its kind — currently available only in Florence.
Karime López & Takahiko Kondo — Travel Around The World
A new gastronomic attraction GUCCI OSTERIA DA MASSIMO BOTTURA FLORENCE since its opening in 2018 has become a must-see for aesthetes and gourmets from all over the world. And in 2019, its recognition rose even higher when the restaurant received a Michelin star. According to Massimo Bottura, this is “an incredible achievement of a long-term friendship with Marco, which fills us with great joy when ideas born from friendship are the beginning of an exciting adventure.”
GUCCI OSTERIA interiors are a tribute to Florentine history. Wall panels in green are adorned with antique gilded mirrors and 13th-century stone Negociant coats of arms and the text of Lorenzo de’ Medici’s 15th-century carnival song, Canto Carnascialesco, as well as depictions of crafts practiced in Florence in the 17th century.
Velvet chairs and sofas, hand painted floor with leaf patterns. All dishes are made of Ginori porcelain and hand-painted based on the Gucci herbarium. At the back of the 30-seat restaurant, a richly decorated private Foliage room for 12 guests hides behind the door.
In the Photo: Karime López and Takahiko Kondo
At the helm of GUCCI OSTERIA DA MASSIMO BOTTURA, FLORENCE are Co-Executive Chefs Karime López and Takahiko Kondo bringing their true vision of a playful and colorful cuisine, daily nourished by the finest local ingredients, personal memories and life-changing travels exploring the world. Believing food and fashion often express kindred languages, sharing the same requisites when it comes to art de vivre and creativity, their à la carte and tasting menus are continually adapting, according to what is best offered up by the sea, land or local markets.
Karime Lopez is a Mexican chef with a stellar culinary experience in some of the best restaurants in the world. Karime’s passion for cooking began at a very young age, she often helped prepare meals for the family. Through this, she inherited the pleasure of being selective, picking only the freshest ingredients from the local markets, transforming them into something utterly delicious.
Her passion for art took her to Paris, where as a student she regularly visited the city’s brasseries and bistros and fell in love with the new world cuisine. She subsequently graduated from culinary school in Spain and began her star journey through Michelin-starred restaurants, from Noma in Copenhagen, RyuGin in Tokyo, Santi Santamaria and Mugaritz in Spain to Pujol in her native Mexico City. Fate brought her to Virgilio Martinez, where working for him in New York she met her future husband Takahiko Kondo, sous chef of Osteria Francescana by Massimo Bottura.
“I am grateful to all my mentors and teachers with whom I worked hand in hand, learning this fascinating culinary world, — says Karime. — After moving to Italy, I met Massimo Bottura. Our shared love for art led us to work together on the book “Bread is Gold”, then Massimo offered me the position of chef at GUCCI OSTERIA. In GUCCI OSTERIA, I represent my own culinary universe, intertwining the colors and flavors of Italy and other countries with poetic surprises. Massimo inspired me to unleash my creativity and take my cuisine beyond the traditional — to make it more inventive and open. I love Italian cuisine very much and I am inspired by its tastes, knowledge and special places that are close to my heart and give great joy. The basis of my cuisine is the best Tuscan and Italian products. And I draw my inspiration from this unique city, which deeply fascinates me with its history and magnificent architecture, with which I interact every day.”
Thanks to Karime’s perseverance and dedication, the GUCCI OSTERIA restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, and Karime became the first Mexican female chef to receive this high award.
Born in Tokyo, Takahiko Kondo, or Taka as he is known, began his career in 1997 as a chef at an Italian restaurant. Working in various Italian restaurants throughout the city, he strengthened his connection with Italian food and gastronomy, which led him to Massimo Bottura’s three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena, where he worked for 17 years and was appointed sous chef. In 2022, Taka became co-executive chef of Gucci Osteria Florence alongside Karime Lopez.
“My passion for cooking started in high school, I cooked a lot at home, I liked to experiment, — says Taka. — Another passion of mine has always been sports, which has ingrained in me a sense of discipline, an emphasis on achieving success and the concept of teamwork. I still play football with the Gucci Osteria team, maintaining the team spirit, which is a key value for me and Karime. I met Massimo Bottura un 2005, who recognized and appreciated my passion and creativity. Since then, a strong bond has been established between us, developing from day to day.”
Taka’s approach to food is one that is anchored in culture — as an inquisitive person by nature, he looks beyond what is immediately in front of him. Through constantly learning about the world around him and exploring the artistic aspect of food, he has developed a style of cooking that explores emotion and aims to tell a story. He looks to play with memories, to evoke connections and create a truly memorable experience for the diner. These notions are at the very heart of GUCCI OSTERIA’s ethos of “come and travel with us”.
Taka and Karime, together with the team, bring guests on a journey of delight, giving them the sensation of having embarked on a great adventure without having left the table.
COME TO ITALY WITH US
Karime and Taka present their COME TO ITALY WITH US journey, which begins with a printed on the menu fragment of carnival chants “Canzona de’ sette pianeti” — “Song of the Seven Planets” — Lorenzo de’ Medici, who was not only a shrewd diplomat and politician seeking to secure power for himself, but also a talented poet:
“Il Dolce tempo ancor tutti c’inibita
lasciare i pensier’ tristi e’ van’ Dolori:
mentre che Dura questa brieve vita,
ciascun s’allegri, tiascun S’ innamori.
Contentist chi può: ricchezze e onori
Per chi mon si contenta, invan si chiede.”
Purple Corn Tostada — Purple corn tostada with Adriatic marinated bonito, a hint of spice and citrus — a tribute to Karime’s Mexican roots
Think Green — Chawanmushi, mushroom, shrimp of Tirreno and Franco’s herbs
Summer at Versilia — Crispy cod and mediterranean flavors
“Pronto Luisa ..dedicato a Bizza” — Rice, peas and pecorino
The Cannoli That Wants to Become a Cannelloni — Taka may not have been the only foreigner in Italy confused with the three Italian words but he has found an imaginative solution for it in this dish. A cannoli waffle made of cannellini beans, is stuffed with a savory filling of salted ricotta and Chianina beef ragù.
Charley Marley Goes to Mexico — Eggplant, mole and chianina
Trip Around Noto’s Almond: Almost an Almond — Risotto, citrus fruits and almonds — The burst of aroma that fills the air when you crack a freshly picked almond and it’s plump texture is an experience one never forgets. A journey to Noto, Sicily, where almond trees line the fields and oranges hang like golden globes under the sun. The daikon is turned into “almost almond” in this dish with osmosis, bitter almond milk, served with risotto, cream with almond milk, orange and capers.
From Paestum to Carrara — Mozzarella di bufala, tomato, basil and strawberry
Historic Compromise — Tortellini with Parmesan Cream, unexpectedly served at the en of the meal
Petits Fours
Tasting menu Come to Italy with us — 200€
Menu & wine pairing 6 glasses — 320€
GUCCI GIARDINO 25 — New “Garden” for Fans of the Brand
In 2022, Gucci Garden pleased its admirers with another update — a cafe and cocktail bar called Gucci Giardino 25 opened on the same Piazza della Signoria in front of the Florentine Palazzo Vecchio.
The name Gucci Giardino 25 speaks to its connection with Gucci Garden (giardino is the Italian word for garden) and includes a number that is meaningful to Alessandro Michele and often seen in his creations.
The number 25, according to Michele, symbolizes good luck, and also his birthday, November 25.
Taking inspiration from one of the location’s previous tenants, a historical florist, the venue is characterized by a sense of wonder and harmonious contrasts, playing with the codes of the House and its Florentine surroundings, while drawing from the colors, scents and exuberance of a flower shop.
You can enjoy the secluded daytime hours or livelier events in the evening At Giardino 25. Here you can find a variety of offers prepared in-house, which is reverent for the season and draws inspiration from the Tuscan countryside. Gucci Giardino 25 is headed by Umbria native bartender Martina Bonci, who is passionate about mixology and has extensive experience gained throughout Italy.
Martina brings a distinctive line-up of balanced, colorful cocktails including the ‘Mémoire di Negroni’ — a tribute to the more than century-old Italian Negroni, said to have originated in Florence — characterized by creative inventiveness and high-quality ingredients, reflecting the core values of the House.
Other signature cocktails worthy of attention:
Chi Si Ferma É Perduto — Tequila Casamigos Blanco, Italicus Rosolio Bergamotto, Ancho Reyes Verde, Mint & Lemon
Herbarium — Vodka Ketel One, Lemon, Apple Vinegar, Camomile Liquor & Orange, Ginger, Cinnamon Shrub, Ginger Beer Sanpellegrino
Bamboo — Zacapa 23, Apricot Liquor, Turmeric, Peach Bitter, Lemon, Elder, Green Tea Marrakech Mint
GUCCI OSTERIA DA MASSIMO BOTTURA FLORENCE
Opening hours: Everyday from 12.30 to 15.00, from 19.30 to 22.00
Address: Piazza Della Signoria, 10
50122 Florence Italy
Contacts: +39 05575927038
gucciosteria.mb@gucci.com
Instagram: @gucciosteria
Text: Marina Timo
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
