Marco Albanese General Manager
Born in Toronto to the parents of Italian immigrants, “I knew
by the age of 12 that one day I would live my life in Italy.”
Marco Albanese brings many years of experience in authentic Tuscan hospitality
to Borgo Finocchieto. A successful restaurateur in both Canada
and the United States, Marco moved to Florence several years ago where
he immersed himself in the local restaurant and hospitality industry.
He most recently served as the General Manager of one of Tuscany’s
finest agroturismos, the nearby I Casali di Bibbiano. Marco understands
the needs of the most discriminating guest, and his intimate knowledge
of all things Tuscan will help make your stay at Borgo Finocchieto one
filled with a lifetime of memories.
Luigi Ricci Owner's Personal Chef
Luigi Ricci, who is available to cook for the Borgo's guests, has now
returned to his native Siena after decades working for internationally-famed
chef Paul Bocuse in Lyons. His wealth of experience marks an ability
to please discerning palates, but guests will be most delighted by his
classic Italian showmanship and the quality of ingredients. Luigi’s
daily breakfasts are feasts of handmade breads and tortes with an array
of homemade preserves, yogurt, fruit, cereal, coffee, tea, and made
to order eggs. Dinners at the Borgo are typically three courses paired
with the finest regional vintages, offering the most authentic of Tuscan
cuisine. Each meal presents an opportunity to sample true regional
cuisine in a relaxing and intimate setting as you reflect on the day
with your fellow guests.
Luigi has fallen in love with and is committed to the slow food movement.
His assistants, some of whom are guest chefs at the renowned American
Academy in Rome, are well versed in keeping nature, healthy living,
and traditional Tuscan cuisine at the forefront of their kitchen. With
Borgo Finocchieto's initiative, an extensive vegetable and herb garden
has been planted and maintained by Fabio, a Bibbiano resident farmer,
who in the ancient methods of organic farming, raises the bounty for
all inspired chefs, providing fresh produce at every stage of all four
seasons for guests at Borgo Finocchieto. Buon Apetito!
Anna Lisa Tempestini Tour Guide and Resident Wine Expert
Your tour guide and resident area expert is Anna Lisa Tempestini. A
dual citizen of Italy and the United States, raised in Florence, and
twenty year resident of Buonconvento, Anna Lisa is the most accessible,
knowledgeable, and utterly appealing of guides and a beloved friend
of Borgo Finocchieto. Her services are sought by exclusive travel agencies
worldwide, and her discerning palate and talent for understanding wine
have earned the respect of wine producers and sellers. Anna Lisa
serves as the honored Consigliera for the Consortium of Doc Orcia wine
producers. Her special relationship with well respected estates
including Altesino, Caparzo, Paradiso di Frassina, and Costanti means
that you are welcomed as an old friend. Even better, this is a chance
to witness up close the creation of her personal wine, Martin del Nero,
which recently received the appellation of Orcia DOC as well as her
incomparable extra virgin olive oil.
Amalia Agnelli Architect of the Borgo
Amalia Agnelli, the architect of Borgo Finocchieto, was
born in Palermo, brought up in the Italian alps and graduated in 1982
from the architectural faculty of Rome University. While completing
her thesis she worked for various studios in Rome on important national
and international projects before opening her own office with two associates.
Work then took her to Tuscany where she was appointed town-planning
officer of her area whilst continuing private practice across a range
of building types and projects, above all the restoration of historical
properties. Her passion for and unsurpassed knowledge of historic
Tuscan architecture has given the restoration of Borgo Finocchieto an
uncommon authenticity.
Kimberly Darlington Director of Marketing and Operations
Kimberly has managed and marketed some of the world’s finest residences.
She started her hospitality career in the cruise industry, serving as
an Activities Director while circumnavigating the globe twice.
Her travels eventually led her to Seattle, where for many years she
worked for both the Allen and Gates families, managing multiple residences
and overseeing staff, operations and special events. The experience
in this highly demanding environment led her to provide consulting,
marketing and management services to villa owners worldwide, in locations
as diverse and challenging as Deer Valley, Puerto Vallarta and Tuscany.
Kimberly sets the highest standards for service and staff and has the
“hands-on” experience to ensure that Borgo Finocchieto meets
and exceeds them.
CREATIVE TEAM
DESIGN Eric Baker, Cindy Goldstein, Chris Cannon
Eric Baker Design Associates, Inc., is a Manhattan based design firm
established in 1986. The group produces a wide range of projects in
the fields of branding, publishing, packaging and corporate communications
for an array of clients including corporate, hospitality, entertainment
and cultural concerns. A two time recipient of the National Endowment
for the Arts Design Grant for his independent design history projects,
his work has appeared in Print, Communication Arts,
How, Domus, Metropolis, Blueprint,
ID Magazine, The New York Art Directors Annual, British
Design and Art Direction, The New York Times, Vanity
Fair and Graphis.
A partial list of clients the group is proud to work with include:
Alfred A. Knopf, Maya Angelou, Community Services Society of New York,
Francis Coppola, Gordon Parks, Gramercy Tavern, Ricky Jay, The MGM Grand,
The Mark Twain House, Mayower Inn & Spa, Danny Meyer, The Museum
of Modern Art, National Geographic Society, The New York Times, The
New Republic, Random House, The Studio Museum in Harlem, Union Square
Cafe.
PHOTOGRAPHY Dave Yoder is a photojournalist working from
Milan, Italy. He’s shot assignments for numerous publications
including National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times,
Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, among many others.
His bounty hunters story was exhibited at Visa Pour I’Image, the
world’s premier photojournalism festival in Perpignan, France.
TECHNOLOGIST Nicco Mele, born in West Africa to foreign
service parents, is the founder and president of EchoDitto (EchoDitto.com),
a leading internet strategy consulting company with offices in Washington
DC, New York, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. EchoDitto's clients include
the Clinton Foundation (MyCommitment.org), Research In Motion (Blackberry),
Rosie O'Donnell (Rosie.com), the United Nations World Food Programme
(FightHunger.org) and Hughes (HughesNet.com).
Nicco has broad experience working with emerging technologies and
is a considered a pioneer in the social media and Web 2.0 field. As
the Internet Operations Director of Gov. Dean's presidential primary
campaign in 2003, Nicco managed all technical, functional and design
aspects of Gov. Dean's national web presence. Following the Dean campaign,
one of EchoDitto's first clients was a then little-known state senator
in Illinois, Barack Obama, who was running for a seat in the US Senate.
Nicco is a co-founder of GeniusRocket.com, a crowdsourced creative ad
agency, and he is also a co-founder of ProxyDemocracy.com, an online
resource for proxy voting and shareholder resolutions. In December of
2003, Nicco was named one of America 's "best and brightest"
by Esquire magazine.
Nicco teaches in the Johns Hopkins University graduate communications
program and has presented for Harvard University's Berkman Center and
John F. Kennedy School of Government. Nicco sits on the board of Democracy
21 (Democracy21.org), a non-partisan campaign finance reform group founded
by Fred Wertheimer, and the Lower East Side Girls Club (GirlsClub.org).
PUBLIC RELATIONS DBC PR + New Media
Dan Baum is a leading creative director and expert on brands, and he's
pretty good at thinking up the ideas that build them. He serves
as CEO of DBC PR+New Media; where he has represented AOL, Microsoft,
MSN, MSNBC, Reuters, Slate, UPS, and Yahoo!, among others.
Never afraid to take a calculated risk on a big idea, Dan draws creative
inspiration from human observation, and a keen understanding of how
to create a compelling story.
He began his career in American politics under the direction of Kennedy
speechwriter Robert Shrum, and has been involved in over thirty major
political campaigns. Previously he served as Director of Operations
for Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt and Executive Director of the
Granite State Alliance. Dan has been called one of the “top
rising business stars” in marketing and has appeared numerous
times as a PR expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC and FOX. He is an active
member of the largest network of entrepreneurs, EO; the American Marketing
Association, and PRSA. His agency has won numerous awards for
their creative work in new media.
