Four Seasons Hotel Firenze Presents “Panettone Della Gherardesca” Created by Executive Chef Vito Mollica and Award-Winning Pastry Chef and Baker David Bedu

Christmas is around the corner and in Italy, and panettone is an important symbol of the festive season. Honouring this tradition, Four Seasons Hotel Firenze announces a collaboration between the Hotel’s Michelin-starred Chef Vito Mollica and award-winning baker and pastry chef David Bedu, who worked together for months looking for the perfect panettone. Chef Vito selected the ingredients, and David took care of the dough and leavening: thus was born the Panettone della Gherardesca, revisiting the classic recipe of the Milanese panettone and celebrating the Tuscan region and tradition.

The dough comes from a mother yeast produced with a local Vin Santo, and it is the same David uses to create his famous historical breads. Panettone della Gherardesca is made with a mix of top-quality ingredients, such as marrons glacées, oranges, raisins and dried figs macerated in Vin Santo, chocolate drops and vanilla beans. A crunchy frosting made with sugar, hazelnuts and almonds enriches the taste.

“Panettone means tradition, family, and joy to us. In this unconventional year, we wanted to send a message of hope, with a dessert that would warm up the holidays of our loyal customers. I have great respect for David; we have been collaborating for a long time and I asked him to help me creating a special Tuscan version. We have done several tests and we are really happy with the result, celebrating the craftsmanship of our local producers. We also hope the Panettone della Gherardesca will bring some joy to meals during the holidays," comments Vito Mollica, Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.

“Vito and I are great friends and I really admire his work. When I arrived in Florence, he was the first person I met, as he came to my bakery to ask if I could provide the bread for Four Seasons Hotel Firenze,” says David Bedu. “I am really honoured of this collaboration, and I challenged myself trying to revisit the traditional panettone. I am French but proud of my Italian origins: my great-grandfather was a bomb-disposal in Piedmont before moving to France. With my job I have always tried to enhance the incredible culinary heritage of Italy by giving voice to excellent artisans and ingredients."

The Panettone della Gherardesca is on sale exclusively at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze from December 7, 2020 at the price of EUR 39 per kilogram.

Information and reservations - 055 2626450- ilpalagio@fourseasons.com

About David Bedu

David Bedu was born in France. He is a Master Baker, Pastry Chef and Chocolate Maker. He has worked in famous bakeries and pastry laboratories in France - soon obtaining the recognition of "Best Apprentice in France.” In 1989 he was elected “Best Baker in France,” and he also gained experience abroad, in Morocco. In 1993 he came back to his home country and opened Les Délices du Languedoc and Le Vieux Four Sainte Anne, both in Montpellier. In 2005 he was world vice-champion of Boulangerie. As Chef Boulanger and Chief Pastry Chef he has also worked for several French Michelin-starred restaurants. In 2008 he arrived in Italy, leading the Gustar School of White Arts in Pistoia. In 2014 he left the school and launched a new project, PANK, la Bulangeria, at the Central Market in the heart of Florence. David works only with stone ground and artisanal flour, with his Vin Santo mother yeast, he is expert in leavening and in revisiting French-inspired desserts and historical breads.