About Ganzo
WHAT IS GANZO?
It is a cultural association that promotes the arts, gastronomy, and sense of community in the city of Florence. Ganzo is the cultural bridge between the academic institutions of Palazzi – this is where Apicius students serve in the areas of hospitality, wine, and culinary arts while FUA art students exhibit their work, for example. The association is run by industry professionals and where students can volunteer in a dynamic atmosphere catering to the different communities present in the city whether Florentine, Italian, or international. Ganzo is Palazzi's window on the city through which its institutions put into practice what they teach and most importantly, promote a project of integration between its students and the Italian culture that hosts them.
APICIUS @ GANZO
Apicius professional students carry out their internships in the following areas:
Front & Back of the House Service
Hospitality Service
Wine & Bar Service
Kitchen Service
*For more information on internship positions, hours and responsibilities please consult our Service Learning page under PROGRAMS in the top menu.
**Apicius students whose programs don't include internships can get involved in these service areas and others such as PR & Communications, Event Management, and Catering. See Service Learning.
A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Florence is renown for life, being the center of Renaissance Art. If I think about the Renaissance, I think about the public square and the life, activity, enthusiasm, vision of the future, innovations that were raised and praised in the period. But living in Florence doesn't give me the same idea, the same sense of opening. I feel Florence today is more Middle-Aged(d) instead. I feel high walls of suspicion, high walls of individualism. Ganzo doesn't have the ambition of starting a new Renaissance era, but surely intends to open the city up to novelty, to share its beauty beyond the surface, to help all the people who come to visit its splendor, to better understand its significance, beyond the Disneyland attraction Florence may appear to be. Ganzo opens its doors to art, culture, genius, aggregation, food, wine, and anything that will bring a new enthusiasm to the city and its visitors. The future is to build bridges and links between cultures and to educate/teach the younger generation to respect and appreciate what is different. Because “different” does not mean better or worse, just different. There is no color at Ganzo, no religion, no dress code, no boundaries: only a youth, inspired scent and a brilliant energy of hope.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday to Saturday, noon till midnight.
ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS
Lunch and dinner service
Full coffee and drink bar
Sandwich and snack menu all day long
Aperitivo + buffet on Wednesday evenings, Saturday brunches at the lunch hour
Special events ranging from wine tastings, themed dinner menus, lectures, films, readings
Wine events hosted by renown producers and the Apicius Enology Department
Art shows curated by students, local artists, international and Palazzi faculty
Free wifi
Apicius culinary library will be located on the terrace of the second floor from Fall 2009
Location for private events
MEAL PLANS
Ganzo Meal Plan Information
Meal plan holders may use vouchers at Ganzo all day until 8:30PM. Each voucher includes:
Lunch (one voucher): 1 main dish, homemade bread, and water.
Dinner (two vouchers): 1 main dish, homemade bread, 1 appetizer or dessert, and water
Lunch is served from 12:00PM until 3:00PM (last orders taken at 2:30PM), however a selection of courses, salads, appetizers and desserts will be served all day long. Students may use the vouchers at any time of the day.
Dinner vouchers may be used from 6:30PM until 8:30PM (last orders taken at 8:00PM)
Meal Plans may be purchased, please click on link below for pricing and info. For purchasing info please write to info@ganzoflorence.it
Pricing and info (PDF)
STUDENT AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER positions are available in various areas
Event management and public relations
Restaurant operations and catering for special events
Reception and organization for hospitality services
MEMBERSHIP
Ganzo is an ACLI cultural association which requires membership by Italian law. A minimal fee will guarantee access for an entire year from the day it's obtained, and it comes with an alcoholic beverage on the house.