When we talk about Mugello, the first thing that springs to mind is undoubtedly Tuscan tradition. This is a broad concept that encompasses various areas: from craftsmanship in its various forms to cuisine, passing through a lifestyle that immediately brings to mind the idea of well-being. In this sense, Il Ginepraio is a promise kept, offering authenticity in both its cuisine and hospitality in all its forms.
But where exactly are we? In Vicchio, in the province of Florence, in the hamlet of Bovino, where a family project is taking shape in a Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by the Mugello hills.
AN AGRITOURISM IN THE HEART OF MUGELLO
Don't be intimidated by the dirt road that separates Il Ginepraio from the main road. The charm lies in climbing up to the property, seeing the mist and fog spread out below a picturesque landscape, immersing yourself in silence and rare hospitality, and savoring high-quality cuisine that captures the best of tradition and respects it.
Il Ginepraio is not just a restaurant: it is an agritourism restaurant, as it likes to call itself, and a few steps away is Vita Nova, a charming “refuge”: a farmhouse with an infinity pool and six apartments converted from an old stone farmhouse that has been recently restored, offering enchanting views of the surrounding hills. Here, time inevitably slows down. The project is completed by the farm, where saffron and oil take center stage in the kitchen and calendula is transformed into natural cosmetics.
IL GINEPRAIO AND VITA NOVA: THE COURAGEOUS CHOICE OF THE BONI BROTHERS
To tell the truth, Il Ginepraio and Vita Nova represent the courageous choice made by brothers Simone and Lorenzo Boni, a change of life that saw them transform themselves from ski instructors to hospitality professionals, returning to their roots and dedicating themselves to a unique entrepreneurial project, turning their grandfather's old estate into a place of conviviality. “My brother Lorenzo and I,” says Simone Boni, "have always shared our passions, ever since we were children. First and foremost, skiing, which started out as an unusual sport for two Mugello natives and then became a job. We spent our first seasons in Madonna di Campiglio, then opened our own school in Corno alle Scale. We inherited an old farmhouse that had been uninhabited for years and decided together to renovate it, dedicating our time and labor to it during the summer season." After a decade of work, Vita Nova Casa Vacanze came to life. The Boni brothers then went further, transforming their passion for their land into a comprehensive project, lighting up the sign of Il Ginepraio: an example of a new voice in the area in terms of cuisine, where everything that makes this corner of Mugello special is reinterpreted in a different way.
The dining room is a former stone stable with a fireplace for the cold season, while in summer, guests are welcomed in the pergola surrounded by olive trees. Every detail has been carefully considered, and each element has been chosen to reflect the local area: from the laser-cut Carrara marble tables with iron bases by Officina Mariotti to the leather placemats and menus created by Stefano Parrini, a craftsman who still works according to the techniques of ancient tanneries. The stoneware ceramics are designed by Ruggero Gesù of Arezzo; the knives are the work of Coltelleria L'Artigiano di Scarperia. As we said, we are in Tuscany, where tradition goes hand in hand with the present and is not lost in time.
THE KITCHEN AND THE DINING ROOM: EXPERTISE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
The kitchen is led by Emanuele Bavetta, originally from Castelvetrano, Palermo, a chef born in 1992 with training in hospitality and a career built through experiences in some of the leading kitchens on the Italian gastronomic scene. He started at the Verdura Resort (Rocco Forte Hotel) under the supervision of Fulvio Pierangelini. In 2015, he arrived in Florence at Borgo San Jacopo alongside Peter Brunel, whom he would also follow in his subsequent experience in Riva del Garda. He then moved to Genoa as chef at Capo Santa Chiara, with the guidance of Luigi Taglienti. His is a close-knit team, consisting of sous chef Marco Muscas and pastry chef Anna Rinieri, who, having followed the same training path with Brunel and Taglienti, has become an interpreter of elegant and light pastry.
The service in the dining room is impeccable: precise, understated, and simple, competent yet warm and familiar. The Boni brothers have succeeded perfectly in “stealing with their eyes” the experience of those who knew more than them about service, learning competence and attention to detail. They are joined by Stefano Dreoni, a sommelier with a long career as head sommelier at Virtuoso della tenuta Le Tre Virtù. Here at Il Ginepraio, Dreoni has created a wine list that favors small Tuscan wineries, natural products, and authentic regional interpretations, with a selection designed to complement the cuisine in a harmonious yet original way.
A PROPOSAL WHERE MEAT AND FISH INTERTWINE FOR A NEW CONCEPT OF CUISINE
Some of the ingredients come from the farm, such as saffron, honey, wild herbs, salads, and sprouts from the garden, alongside meat from selected local farms, artisanal dairy products, and Tuscan spices. “I arrived in a region that gives me the opportunity to work with meat and be close to the sea, so I have everything at my fingertips,” says Emanuele Bavetta. “I have always worked in environments where contamination was constant, and this new project was born from that. There is a deeply rooted tradition here, and together with Simone and Lorenzo, we had the idea of offering a different kind of cuisine, above all to allow people to vary their diet and taste products that the Mugello people don't normally try elsewhere. The region and the territory offer us great support in this endeavor.”
Il Ginepraio's offering therefore goes beyond the typical cuisine of this area: "Emanuele creates the menu and we all taste it together: there is synergy and harmony, everyone gives their feedback, and fortunately there is a truly collaborative relationship. His Sicilian origins and professional background have led him to perfect his fish dishes, so that's the line we follow,“ say the Boni brothers. ”Working with local people and choosing to offer meat, traditional game, and fish is fun and unusual for those who live here. In these areas, people already eat well at home: lunches and dinners are enjoyable. What we wanted to offer was a different, curious, and intriguing product. We are working to build a relationship of trust with those who live in these provincial areas, inviting them to try combinations that they would otherwise never have tasted." For Simone and Lorenzo Boni, this is the focus.
THE MENU
Emanuele Bavetta's cuisine leaves a lasting impression on guests for many reasons: not only for the quality of the raw ingredients, but also for the technique, respect for the ingredients, creativity, and care with which each individual element contributes to the creation of the dish. The welcome entrées lived up to expectations, particularly the pumpkin and panella crème brûlée, a true Sicilian souvenir “brought” by Bavetta and served with creamed cod. The same goes for the Lumache e Crudo di Scampi: bourguignonne sauce, olive soil, curry, and beef stock, simmered with brandy to give it character, a dish that symbolizes Il Ginepraio's cuisine. This was followed by L'Uovo 68°: poached egg, foam and Pietramala white potato chips and truffle caviar. At this point, Bavetta's cuisine had already fully expressed itself, highlighting his skill and passion, and let's face it, his love for the raw ingredients.
Animella is further proof of this: cooked in milk beforehand, then grilled and finished with beef stock, it is paired with pear in osmosis—marinated in water, sugar, and lemon—and enriched with herbs grown in the raised garden. Lamb, Kid, and Fish Soup consists of lamb and kid torcinelli cooked on the grill, mushrooms, fruit in osmosis, and fish and shellfish soup. The first course begins with Cacio, Pepe e Alici Affumicate, a Cappellaccio stuffed with smoked Tyrrhenian anchovies and Ricciolina di Pagliana, herring caviar, lime, and cacio e pepe sauce, a dish dominated by Mediterranean influences: “I always bring something from Sicily with me,” says Emanuele Bavetta, “the savory influence, the fish, the soups, the raw food. I bring the aromas and flavors with me. Ingredients and aromas that I integrate into Tuscan products and traditions.”
Garlic, oil, and chili pepper with pigeon is a Spaghetto Martelli dish, accompanied by sweet garlic foam, parsley powder, chili pepper, and Pagliana pigeon stew. Squid, Rabbit and Cuttlefish Ink: Raw squid spaghetti with oil and lime, white rabbit ragù alla cacciatora and cuttlefish ink sauce, a “fake” first course that sets aside the starches of the pasta to introduce the second courses. Veal Head and Clams, a grilled veal head, clam sauce, lemon cream and green sauce spheres. Livorno-style Salt Cod: Salt cod tempura, Pietramala yellow potato millefeuille, garlic mayonnaise, shallots, parsley chips, and Livorno-style sauce, a traditional classic prepared with cherry tomatoes, capers, anchovies, blended and sautéed.
It is clear that Il Ginepraio's menu is a story in which fish and meat interact with each other, cooked as elements of a single story, leaving guests pleasantly charmed. The gastronomic experience concludes with desserts created by Anna Rinieri, whose hand is distinguished not only by technique, but also by elegance and refined attention to detail. The pre-dessert is a dish composed of cocoa powder at the base, strawberry ice cream, and pomegranate jelly, followed by two desserts that tell the story of Mugello, embodying, if you will, a sort of rituality and tradition of the local community. Bread, Oil, and Saffron: a toasted pancake, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, accompanied by a homemade saffron mousse, a white chocolate cream, and a delicate mandarin custard. Tobacco, Chestnuts, and Whiskey: a dessert that is evocative in the true sense of the word: a creamy “meadow” with a tobacco base, chestnut soil, a chestnut sphere, chocolate twigs, chestnut cake ice cream typical of the area, and transparent whiskey gel. The imagery is immediate: an intimate Mugello home atmosphere between autumn and winter.
Here, hospitality is a comprehensive concept that encompasses every aspect of the experience. The attention to detail in every area of the property, the beauty of the hills, and the tranquility that envelops the estate allow guests to experience the true Mugello, where tradition is renewed and speaks a new language, while maintaining the authenticity that makes this place and its cuisine unique.
Contact
Agriturismo Vita Nova- Il Ginepraio Agriristoro
FRAZIONE, Località Bovino, 23, 50039 Vicchio FI
Telephone: 338 911 2128
