Andrea Galanti
Galanti Firenze
See you at Galanti’s
Under the imposing portico of Piazza della Libertà in Florence, you’ll find traditional Florentine cuisine, 1500 labels in the wine shop and the advice of the 2015 Best Sommelier in Italy, Andrea Galanti.
A passion for wine and good food handed down from father to son (or better to say “from ladle to ladle”), and the ability and opportunity to turn it all into a successful business. The Gastronomia Enoteca Galanti presents, in the heart of Florence, a gourmet destination with traditional dishes as well as convenient and efficient home delivery. The family opened the restaurant in 1960 and the business has grown and improved ever since, heading into the future thanks to the insights of the young Andrea Galanti. Thirty-five years old, he has an undergrad degree in economics and a master’s in retail management, but has oenology in his heart for no precise reason. “I wasn’t emotionally involved in my previous work,” he says, “so I decided to go back to running the family business and become a professional sommelier in 2011. My grandparents Aldo and Tosca took over this delicatessen from a previous owner and it has always been a family business run together with my great-grandparents, Andrea and Lisa, and my parents,” Galanti explains.
Elegant and bright, the restaurant overlooks Piazza della Libertà in the shade of an imposing porch. On the plate, attention is focused not only on the quality of the product but also on the ability to give each dish an added value of authenticity. “We have always been distinguished by bringing traditional Florentine and Tuscan cuisine to the table,” Andrea stresses, “with a menu that follows rural customs, blending memory and reinterpretation of the classics. From soup, to ribollita and chicken galatina, along with codfish and peposo. But also pastas, lasagne, and roasts. “We have never abandoned the recipes of the past,” says Andrea, “but, at the same time, we have tried to adapt to the new demands of our customers.”
The great leap in the care and entrepreneurial setting of the business came when Andrea received the coveted title of Best Sommelier of Italy Ais in 2015 in a difficult competition in Milan.
“We decided to enlarge the restaurant in 2016, starting from the visibility that poured in after winning first place in the competition. From that moment on, there are those who come to us for advice on wine and others who come for a private wine tasting with me. So, from the small cellar that my grandfather created in the sixties, I have now achieved a beautiful collection of 1500 labels.”
How is it possible to give a worthy “home” to these bottles and at the same time bring new life to the space? A meeting between Andrea and Aba Arredamenti sparked an epoch-making renovation of the delicatessen. “I already knew Aba’s professionalism from work done for other facilities and I was impressed by their ability to adapt to the environments they deal with.” Gastronomia Galanti is located in one of the most prestigious and historical Florentine palaces: the building was in fact a ministerial seat during the period in which Florence was the capital of Italy in the nineteenth century. The part used as a wine cellar is even older, dating back to the fifteenth century, and was originally used as a stable. “This north-facing space is ideal for storing wine, thanks to the optimal temperature,” Andrea explains. “The idea was to give a touch of novelty. Something beautiful and pleasant that would remain timeless. Relying on professionals for this restructuring was essential. Just like when you choose a car, if you choose all the options, it is rare that you will have any shortcomings.”
“I wasn’t emotionally involved in my previous work.So I decided to go back to running the family business and become a professional sommelier in 2011.”
Massimo Giaccherini has taken care of the layout and architectural design, creating a very up-to-date space with the use of noble materials like wood, marble, and corten steel and with specialised lighting that enhances our products by creating an important sensation inside the room.
The renovation has involved every floor from the kitchen to the delicatessen counter, and from the exterior of the porch to the cellar. “In my wine shop I wanted to give the customer the opportunity to see and touch all the bottles, even the most expensive ones, without the risk of someone taking them away, so we also studied a particular type of wine shop shelf with Massimo Giaccherini. It was not easy, especially because each bottle has a different shape and size, but we have succeeded and the result is amazing.”
A place with a welcoming and genuine flavour but with a contemporary flair, which combines practicality and style.
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