Collegio alla Querce, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, has appointed Chef Nicola Zamperetti as Executive Chef.

Poised to open in March 2025, Collegio alla Querce will join the group’s portfolio of 27 hotels, resorts and residences worldwide, marking a substantial step in the brand’s expansion into Europe. The resort will be its first property in Italy and third in Europe.

Zamperetti brings a certain culinary pedigree to the role, with previous collaborations including Michelin-starred chefs Massimiliano Alajmo of Le Calandre in Padua and Ciccio Sultano of two Michelin starred Duomo in Sicily.

Originating from Veneto in Northern Italy, Zamperetti cut his teeth at CAST Alimenti. In 2017, Nicola played an instrumental role in the opening of Pastamara at the Ritz Carlton in Vienna. Most recently, he was the Executive Chef at the W Rome.

In his new role, Zamperetti will lead the culinary program at Collegio alla Querce, which encompasses four venues housed within the reimagined former boarding school: La Gamella, Conservatorio, Café Focolare and Bar Bertelli.

Spilling from the orangerie onto a veranda and into the Baroque garden below, destination restaurant La Gamella presents seasonal Italian classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The open kitchen and chef’s table at its heart is a convivial space to graze, engage with the chefs’ artistry and learn through cooking masterclasses.

Meanwhile, the atrium-inspired Conservatorio offers all-day dining, transitioning from a sun-filled space for morning coffee and cafe-style lunches to an intimate evening space for aperitivo, small plates and light dinners.

Designed for all-day alfresco lingering, poolside restaurant and bar, Café Focolare, serves pizzas, petit pastas, crudos, burgers and Florence’s famed panini beneath a vine-covered trellis. Bar Bertelli, once the headmaster’s office, features classic and curious cocktails and an exotic menu of bar bites inspired by the distant lands explored in the school’s old history texts. The bar’s outdoor terrace which overlooks the city’s famed red rooftops.

“Leading the culinary team at Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection is an incredible honour,” says Zamperetti. “I have long been an admirer of Auberge Resort Collection’s dedication to respect the locale of its individual properties. I look forward to creating an exceptional new dining experience in Florence that celebrates Italy’s rich culinary traditions with a comfortable modern flair, and in such a historic and breathtaking setting.”

Chef Zamperetti’s culinary philosophy of quality without compromise aligns with the hotel’s commitment to a hyper local approach to hospitality. He blends traditional flavours with modern techniques to reframe dishes of the region. Drawing inspiration from local ingredients, seasonal menus of handmade pasta, sustainably sourced meat and fish, crisp vegetables and garden fresh herbs encapsulate the richness of Italian culture and Tuscany’s deep connection to food.