MONTEPULCIANO, Italy – Dec. 19, 2022 – Borgo San Vincenzo, Tuscany’s newest luxury boutique hotel has appointed Giulio Lombardelli as its new executive chef and Francesco ‘Franky’ Bonauguro as beverage manager. Together, they will lead the hotel’s food and beverage team and enhance the hotel’s overall dining experience for guests.
Originally from Montepulciano, Lombardelli has more than six years of experience in fine dining and luxury hospitality having worked at culinary industry-leading hotels on the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian coasts, including Riva degli Etruschi in San Vincenzo, Livorno, the Hotel Admiral Palace in Chianciano Terme and La Ménagère in Florence. From an early age, chef Lombardelli was drawn to the idea of becoming a chef, inspired by his interest in becoming an artist and magician, behind a plate. This led him to attend the “Cordon Bleu” Culinary Art School where he learned techniques to perfect the quality of a dish. Chef Lombardelli’s cuisine philosophy was influenced by his interest in worldwide approaches with inspiration from Europe, South America, Asia, Oceania and Africa. His goal for guests visiting Borgo San Vincenzo is to bring an experience to life in all the dishes he prepares by sourcing top-quality natural ingredients from local and small producers.
Francesco ‘Franky’ Bonauguro is an Italian native from Arate Brianza, located near Monza. Before joining Borgo San Vincenzo, he worked at a family-owned Italian restaurant in California. Bonauguro started his career as a dishwasher working his way through various positions including head bartender, sommelier and ultimately, general manager. This experience propelled him into becoming the Four Seasons Sharm El-Sheikh beverage assistant manager. At the Flying Monk bar, Franky wants to create a beverage and cocktail menu that can satisfy both classic and sophisticated drinkers. With his Italian background and passion for the industry, Francesco wants to connect guests with the local culture, people, and ingredients to create a modern, refined and innovative bar concept.
“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding culinary team to this unique property, and we are confident that they will do a great job adding their special touch to our food and dining offerings,” said Shannon Kircher, one of the founders of Borgo San Vincenzo. “Individually, they are brilliant, and with their combined passion for creating unique food and beverage menus that complement each other, hotel guests will have access to a bar and dining program that celebrates Italian inputs in a creative way.”
Offering a variety of dining experiences using fresh, local ingredients, the hotel’s restaurant, Il Ciuchino, brings Tuscan classics to life with an international twist while The Flying Monk Bar serves classic and craft cocktails, wine flights, aperitivo and late-night tipples. The Winemakers’ Bar is Borgo’s outdoor bar for wine tasting experiences. Guests can also participate in on-site wine education and cocktail-making classes.
Originally built in 1780, Borgo San Vincenzo is a re-imagined 18th-century borgo located in Tuscany’s countryside in the prestigious Vino Nobile vineyards of Montepulciano, Italy. It offers a variety of sophisticated wine-driven experiences, breathtaking UNESCO-protected vistas and a fresh take on a traditional Tuscan design with luxurious comforts. Striving to preserve Montepulciano’s legacy of gracious hospitality, vineyards of the world’s best wines, rich tradition of culinary excellence and vibrant culture, the hotel offers personalized itinerary curation making it a place to connect authentically with one of the world’s most storied destinations.
For additional information, visit www.borgosanvincenzo.com or follow via social media (@BorgoSanVincenzo) on Instagram and Facebook.
