text Sabrina Bozzoni
Jerry Ruffilli, the founder and owner of Le Cirque Firenze
A journey through taste, aromas and gastronomy with a caterer who realises special events
It all began with Bernardo Buontalenti… Please explain why.
As a young architecture student, I was fascinated with Buontalenti, the byname of Bernardo delle Girandole. I wrote my final dissertation on him. He was the first “event planner” for the Medici family.
Le Cirque is something unique of its kind, it brings style and creativity to the culinary world…
Food is not the final step of a process that ends with eating something good, but a beginning, an experience of taste, a journey through colors, aromas and music. Every sense is involved in this journey that begins with tradition and the memories of each of us, in the belief that “ you need to know tradition to be able to break with it”. Le Cirque is all this and much more.
The 4 places in Florence that best speak of who you are.
I Canottieri di Firenze(Florence’s Rowing Club), a five-year long adventure as Manager and the planning of great events: Florence’s most beautiful parties, still remembered after thirty years. La Taverna di Le Cirque, my very first restaurant. Piazzale Michelangelo, where in 1999 I planned the World Surfing Championships. American Diner 1950, Florence’s most American-style and delicious hamburger
If you were asked to plan a very special party in Florence, what location would you choose?
Probably the most creative, largest, best-equipped and most innovative of all Florentine venues is the Net Records. A wonderful loft of the 1960s were Mina performed.
The upcoming Le Cirque projects that you would like to share?
Revealing new ideas is like scoring an own goal, isn’t it? But I’ll tell you one thing: it’s important to have ideas, mixed with a lot of passion and good taste, a brilliant combination which today is rare to be found in the same person. I believe I possess it, so get ready for some great news coming to town.
