From the magazine “Hospitality per Host 2019”

The craft and art of clay
The Tuscan company Goti Terrecotte, with a long-standing experience in the processing of terracotta, produces handcrafted ornamental artifacts for outdoor use in Impruneta clay, and wood-fired ovens built with materials made up of a special mixture.
The tradition of handcrafting garden terracotta artifacts is known to have developed in Tuscany in the area between Florence and Siena. This ancient art has become popular all over the world thanks to a refined design and, above all, the quality of the clay mixture used. Here, small and medium-sized enterprises have resumed manufacturing methods that rely on a long-established tradition, bringing our country to prominence at the international level. This is the place where Goti Terrecotte d’Arte has been producing, for over fifty years, terracotta artifacts with distinctive characteristics, combining passion, enthusiasm and inventiveness.
“Our company - says owner and founder Giancarlo Cecchi – is engaged in the production and distribution of terracotta artifacts, including wood-fired ovens of various shapes and sizes. Manufactured using the hand – pressing technique, our products are intended for garden décor and outdoor use in general, as well as for professional and private catering services”.
Based in Calenzano (province of Florence), Goti Terrecotte d’Arte (Designer Terracotta) was established in 1973 thanks to the great passion for ceramics of master decorator Giancarlo Cecchi and his experience in the sector gained since early childhood.
“Crafting ceramics using the hand - pressing method in place of traditional slip-casting – continues Giancarlo Cecchi – combined with exceptional raw materials such as Impruneta clay, allowed us to become a point of reference in the sector, in terms of quality and consultancy. Moreover, thanks to the careful management of our family-run business, we are able to commercialize products with prestigious technical and artistic value at highly competitive prices. The clay we use comes from the world - famous quarries of Impruneta, in the Chianti territory. The soil of this area, known for its extraordinary biological and physical characteristics, is mixed in doses and proportions based on an original recipe refined in over 50 years’ experience”.
Thanks to this particular recipe, today the company is able to produce exceptionally long-lasting products, resistant to frost and all types of weather conditions in general. The Calenzano workshop is well-equipped for producing a wide range of handmade and customizable items, such as oil jars, tiles, statues, flower boxes, pots, basins, chimneys, tailor-made bricks, bas-reliefs and a varied assortment of ornaments.
Over the years, to avoid giving in to marketing logics that tend to consider local labour less valuable compared to foreign workforce, Giancarlo Cecchi, prompted by the entrepreneurial spirit that distinguishes valiant crafstmen, decided to reinvent his business. He started by introducing professional and outdoor ovens for food use into his collection, with a special focus on top – quality, highly resistant refractory terracotta. The company quickly rose to prominence, becoming a leader in the sector.
«At our workshop – continues Giancarlo Cecchi – you will find a wide assortment of insulated wood-fired ovens, ready for use. In addition, this particular type of terracotta is certified for food use and does not contain harmful residues».
The terracotta mixture obtained through a skillful balance between water, clay and refractory material (based on a secret recipe followed by the Florentine company for over eight years now) stands out for its particular safety properties combined with exceptional cooking performance.
“Although pouring cement into a mould is surely a cheaper solution compared to the processing of refractory terracotta - concludes Giancarlo - in our opinion, there are several drawbacks when it comes to safety and performance. In fact, the main risk is that concrete particles may crumble and detach from the oven walls (that have to endure extremely high temperatures) and end up inside the food, causing a great deal of problems. Moreover, a wood-fired backyard oven, for example, is ideal for get -togethers with guests and friends, and as such, must be designed to last without deteriorating over time. Thanks to the ability of our refractory material to maintain a constant temperature with no need to kindle the fire all the time, bread and pizza are cooked to perfection, reviving old-time, traditional flavours”.
Giancarlo’s invaluable skills have been passed on to his daughter Sara who now works alongside him at Goti Terrecotte d'Arte. Designer and creative director of the Group, Sara shares the same passion and attention to detail as her father, with a view to continue a tradition that perfectly conveys the exquisite Italian craftsmanship behind this noteworthy brand.
Special wood-fired ovens
Wood-fired garden ovens, ideal for cooking pizza, breads and all sorts of dishes, are produced and sold at the workshop - headquarters of Goti Terrecotte D’Arte, in the province of Florence. All Goti products, rigorously made of food safe refractory terracotta, combine exquisite artisan design with high technical performance, and are able to deliver excellent cooking results. Wood-fired ovens, fired at 1040°C, are manufactured according to original designs refined over 50 years of business history. Thanks to a department specifically devoted to the production of wood-fired ovens, Goti Terrecotte has been distributing its products wherever quality matters, even abroad, thus enabling the brand to be recognized as sector leader even outside of Italy.