Officine Gullo for Belmond

Officine Gullo has created two kitchen projects for the outdoor spaces of two luxury hospitality gems in Tuscany belonging to the prestigious Belmond group: Villa San Michele on the hills above Florence and Castello di Casole in the province of Siena.

The outdoor kitchen at Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, Florence

Nestled among the hills of Fiesole, Villa San Michele stands on an ancient Renaissance monastery surrounded by terraced gardens and an incredible view over Florence and Chianti. A fairy-tale boutique hotel, a place where the past meets the future, in a villa suspended above the eternal beauty of Florence.
The Officine Gullo outdoor kitchen, installed beneath the portico of the restaurant-pizzeria next to the panoramic pool, makes the outdoor setting even more unique and exclusive, allowing chefs to have at their disposal the same fine-dining tools as an indoor professional kitchen. In outdoor kitchens, in fact, Officine Gullo brings outdoors all the added values of the company’s solutions: high technology, top performance, unmistakable style and maximum scope for personalisation.

In this project, the kitchen, in matt beige (RAL 1019) with a satin chrome finish, consists of a linear kitchen with a pizza oven and lava-stone barbecue, in addition to two parallel islands. The first island is dedicated to food preparation and washing, while the second includes a refrigerated display counter for meat and fish.
Villa San Michele selected Officine Gullo for the creation of this bespoke poolside outdoor kitchen project “for its history and tradition, its exclusivity, attention to detail, and above all the unique possibility of personalisation”.
The project arose from the owners’ desire to enhance the pool area with an informal and interactive dining concept. A kitchen that is functional and, at the same time, beautiful to look at. Officine Gullo responded to Villa San Michele’s requirements, which were seeking “a timeless style that communicated well with our surroundings and made our guests feel at home”, says Alfio Liotta, Executive Assistant Manager in charge of food and beverage: “Through show cooking, we want to offer an interactive experience that enhances the relationship between guests and our team”.
The chefs too, who wanted maximum functionality from the kitchen, played an important role in the design: every space was studied in minute detail to allow them to move inside it with agility and ease.
In addition, Officine Gullo created for Villa San Michele two trolleys, one for cocktail preparation and one for serving cheeses to the restaurant tables. Two versatile, compact pieces of furniture born from the combination of durable materials and skilful design in the service of functionality and aesthetics. 

The outdoor kitchen at Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel

Two grand avenues lined with cypress trees lead to Castello di Casole, an ancient castle where the eye is lost among the vineyards that form its backdrop. A noble estate boasting a very long history and which, over the years, has hosted crowned heads, film stars and political figures. Today the buildings have been carefully restored, paying tribute to a past rich in history while offering every modern comfort.
For the outdoor kitchen at Castello di Casole, located just a few steps from the property’s spectacular infinity pool, Officine Gullo created an outdoor kitchen in glossy Pearl White (RAL 1013) with brushed chrome finishes, composed of three elements: a kitchen with barbecue and pizza oven, an island with sink, induction plates, pasta cooker and a preparation counter with a steel top.
“We chose Officine Gullo for its heritage, unmistakable aesthetics and functionality. The idea was to create a true restaurant by our pool, seeking a classic style with strong roots in Tuscan tradition yet at the same time innovative,” says Luca Corsini, the Castle’s Food & Beverage Manager.

The project was also defined in detail thanks to the contribution of the property’s chefs who, together with Officine Gullo’s design studio, refined every detail of the kitchen. Daniele Sera, Executive Chef at Castello di Casole, explains: “We will use the kitchen not only as a space to create our dishes, but also to interact with our guests. We appreciate the exclusivity of being able to enhance the pool area by cooking in front of our guests and interacting with them. Compared with an indoor kitchen, an outdoor kitchen must have the same functionality, but it must also withstand the elements and be carefully detailed, as it is on display.”
Officine Gullo outdoor kitchens are in fact designed to live outdoors and are characterised by the use of high-quality AISI 316 stainless steel, known for its excellent anti-corrosion properties. This material, characterised by a low ferrous content, offers unmatched durability, absolute corrosion resistance and an elegant design capable of enhancing any furnishing style.
Pietro Gullo, Managing Director of Officine Gullo, comments on the collaboration: “We are honoured to have designed our kitchens for two of the most prestigious properties in the world of luxury hospitality in Tuscany. With Belmond we share fundamental values, first and foremost the common aim of offering the utmost in quality and exclusivity. In other words, excellence.”
The collaboration between Officine Gullo and Belmond will see further developments: for the next summer season, Villa San Michele’s outdoor kitchen will in fact be expanded with new elements that will furnish the Villa’s outdoor spaces in the same timeless style.