Connecting with Florence Through Food: One Bite at a Time
Why I’m Writing This
Food is how I connect with my surroundings, with people, and with culture. When I studied abroad in Florence through CEA CAPA, I left the U.S. for the first time. I didn’t expect food to be the bridge to everything new: friends, customs, and self-growth.
In this post, I’ll share how food shaped my time abroad, the cultural differences I noticed, and how I’ve grown because of it. I hope it inspires future study abroad students to explore.
My First Taste of Florence:
Embracing rituals and slowing down.
From day one, I noticed big cultural shifts in how Italians approach food. A cappuccino and croissant wasn’t just a drink and pastry, it was a morning ritual. Dinner didn’t start before 8 p.m., and it often lasted hours.
I adapted by:
Grabbing cappuccinos with friends before class at my favorite cafés: Ditta Artigianale and John Borno.
Slowing down for long dinners that turned into 3 hour conversations.
Shopping at local markets and learning to appreciate quality over quantity with the smaller portion sizes of produce.
These moments made me fall in love with Italian customs and with Florence itself.
Cal Poly Friends Visiting Florence: Chianti Winery
Immersed in Culture Through CEA CAPA’s Food Experiences
Learning to cook and understand Italian cuisine with CEA CAPA classmates and chefs.
CEA CAPA gave me the opportunity to participate in a cooking class taught by professional chefs. I made homemade Bolognese, red sauce pasta, a flourless chocolate cake, and a Tuscan potato dish. Cooking alongside other students helped me see how these meals were crafted with care and how much goes into the dishes I’ve ordered for years.
Jewish Identity and Community Over Dinner
Strengthening my personal connection to my Jewish culture and identity abroad.
Every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., a local Rabbi in Florence welcomed Jewish study abroad students into his home. He and his family cooked beautiful Israeli-Italian fusion meals. From bruschetta with hummus or focaccia with pasta. These dinners made me realize how I have multiple connections to culture and community.
Trattoria Gobbi 13 Dinner with CEA CAPA friend
How Italy Changed My Relationship with Food
I’ve always had food sensitivities, mainly gluten and dairy.
However, those issues eased while I was studying abroad. Italian ingredients are simpler and more natural, and I didn’t feel uncomfortable or unsettled after eating, I felt fulfilled and happy.
Before Florence:
I saw food as either good or bad.
I avoided foods out of fear of gut issues.
Would order takeout or go to drive-throughs.
During Florence:
Learning about the ingredients being put into every product.
Experiencing foods like pasta and pizza that made me feel good after eating.
After Florence:
Cook a lot of my meals and read restaurant reviews in depth.
Stopped purchasing groceries in bulk.
Shopped more locally and supporting small businesses.
Marchesi Antinori Winery with Mom and Sister
What I Learned in My Food & Culture Class
This class brought Florence’s food scene to life. We took field trips to markets, wine bars, and cafés, and learned about:
The different quality levels in food and wine associated with Italy and specifically florence. These indicators are DOP (Protected Designation of Origin), DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin), and IGP (Protected Geographical Indication). I now carry on this knowledge with every food item I purchase and pass it on to friends and family.
Italian wine profiles such as taste, tannins, smell, and region.
Food seasonality and differentiating more tourist attraction markets from local markets like Mercato Centrale and Sant'Ambrogio.
My class projects helped me connect the dots between what I was learning in class and what I was eating every day. One of the most meaningful moments was my first presentation on truffles. From researching online and visiting local restaurants to learn about the history, taste, and the many ways truffles appear in Italian cuisine.
Another project focused on the Sardinia region, where I explored the traditional Italian meal structure:
Antipasti (appetizers)
Primo (first course)
Secondi (main course)
Dolce (dessert)
These projects shaped how I viewed every meal. I became more aware of what I was eating, where it came from, and the cultural importance behind each ingredient. It made my entire CEA CAPA study abroad journey more intentional.
Traditional Small Bites at Trattoria Zá Zá
Unforgettable Meals, Unforgettable Moments
Some of my favorite memories from studying abroad are tied to food
When CEA CAPA Cal Poly friends visited from Rome:
We went to Gusta Pizza for pesto burrata and Calabrese pizzas.
Had affogatos at Vivoli, Florence’s oldest gelateria.
Sipped Chianti during a Tuscan winery tour with small bites of prosciutto.
When my mom and sister visited:
We toured Marchesi Antinori, a beautiful winery.
Shared a charcuterie plate of prosciutto di Parma, eggplant, coccoli, and ricotta.
I got to be their guide and introduce them to my new daily lifestyle with food.
When I made my first new friend abroad:
We bonded over being foodies in our class.
Our first dinner out was at Trattoria Gobbi 13 where we split eggplant parmesan, mushroom pappardelle, and the famous rigatoni in a bowl.
CEA CAPA Cooking Class
Advice for First-Time Travelers
Tips to embrace discomfort and grow abroad
Step outside your comfort zone and you'll grow because of it. This was my first time outside the U.S. I felt nervous, but food grounded me. It helped me connect to friends, understand customs, and build confidence by going outside my comfort zone. My biggest takeaways:
Order a dish on a menu you have never tried before
Take pictures of your meals and write reviews, they’ll become memories
Be open to local traditions, and embrace changes
Final Bite: What I’ll Carry Forward
Food as experience and lifelong connection
Florence taught me that food is more than a meal, it's an experience. Thanks to CEA CAPA, I’ve expanded my palate, grown personally and professionally, and developed a deeper appreciation for how food connects people. I’ll never forget the customs, rituals, traditions, and food of Florence.
This post was written by Abby Samovitz, a CEA CAPA Alumni Ambassador from Cal Poly, and studied abroad in Florence, Italy.
