FUA APICIUS: International School of Hospitality

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APICIUS International School of Hospitality at FUA-AUF:

Apicius International School of Hospitality is the first International School of Hospitality in Italy. The city of Florence – a top global destination for millions of tourists and a thriving center of cuisine, wine, hospitality and art – offers an unparalleled natural environment to the School of Hospitality. Founded in 1997, the school is now an internationally respected leader in academic, professional and career oriented education. All of the above academic areas have been developed and expanded with the rapid changes in higher education and the demand for international experiences.

Students are immersed in career situations from the first day of class, with courses designed on the basis of real world, hands-on projects and the latest industry input. Strong experiential education opportunities, interdisciplinary activities and active engagement with the community are essential for the school learning strategy. The curriculum is designed so that students gain the knowledge and skills to succeed in this sophisticated ever-changing industry.

Academic departments are housed in the following schools gathered under Apicius:

School of Food and Wine Studies (FW)

School of Hospitality (HP)

School of Sports and Health Sciences (SH)

Please visit the Apicius website for more information on academic programs and news related to the School.

APICIUS VISION

APICIUS International School of Hospitality:

Reinterprets the concept of hospitality and tourism in the international destination of Florence, where the cityscape is teeming with traditional and contemporary structures sought by people from all over the world.
Firmly believes in the importance of a cultural approach to hospitality by examining the unique context of cities and countries in a global framework. Hospitality should and must be enhanced by the local culture of a city, and our position and interaction within the city of Florence has the goal of culturally educating those who visit through the hospitality industry.
Seeks to shape students who make dynamic, proactive contributions to the areas of hospitality in Italy during their studies and go on to become excellent professionals with the same impact in future destinations.
Is deeply committed to making a prolific vital impact on the city of Florence not just for its obvious touristic aspects but as a viable city, where city conservation and contemporary implementation complement each other in a delicate balance, through its belief in eco-sustainable methods and didactics.
Strives to provide its students with an experience that goes beyond cultural stereotypes and the touristic facade of Florence.

APICIUS MISSION

To provide a professional and academic environment in which students gain expertise in the areas of hospitality and tourism, culinary arts, baking and pastry, and wine studies as well as sports sciences.
To go beyond classroom learning by promoting student interaction with the convergence of the multicultural societies in the city of Florence, achieved by unique practical experiences in direct contact with service areas and the various professional figures who operate in these spheres (Fedora and Ganzo, please see below for descriptions).
To redefine the idea of sustainability by rethinking how services and structures enhance local economies and culture through a respectful balance of technology, innovation, and tradition.
To positively sustain Florence’s reputation as a historic yet contemporary Italian cityscape in a globalized world economy in the following ways:
- Increase our efforts in favor of sustainable hospitality and tourism starting from our own structures and teaching methods.
- Promote student knowledge and capacity to recognize and actively participate in the conservation of the Florentine's cultural and economic heritage.
- To shape students for careers in a rapidly developing industry that encompasses a wide range of exciting, constantly evolving fields.

APICIUS VALUES

To offer a passionate, highly competent and international faculty; a broad curriculum, and state of the art facilities that broaden our students' horizons and perspectives.
To enhance the concept of technical learning by integrating training opportunities into the curriculum, allowing for students to be involved in cultural integration projects that require active participation in Florentine and Italian society and that reward challenging professional experiences. One such example is experiential learning through Ganzo and Fedora, the student-operated restaurant and pastry lab open to the public and where cultures and communities unite.
An academic structure based on lectures, workshops, seminars, and laboratories that activates diverse types of student engagement with study discipline.

2012 apicius florence school of hospitality

Professional student kitchen brigade working on prep for events in New York City, the capstone experience of the TuttoToscana program that begins in Florence.

Niche and established wine producers from all Italian regions are represented in the Wine Department Cantina.

Executive Chef Andrea Trapani in the classroom with advanced culinary students.

Seasonality, ingredient composition, plating and cultural context are studied for every dish in culinary labs courses.