Love for all things done well, attention to the relationship between the beauty and functionality of the object and the quest for innovative and unique design can all be perceived when handling a pot manufactured by Serafino Zani in Italy. 

For centuries now, in-depth knowledge of the working of iron and steel has been the industrial heritage of the residents of the sub-alpine valleys to the north of Brescia. Lumezzane, a small town in that area, was where Serafino Zani put to good use the experience he gained while working with his father, Bernardo Lorenzo, when he founded Zani Serafino & C. back in 1963. Right from the start the company applied this centuries-old know-how, rules passed on from generation to generation, together with great attention to detail, finish and materials.

Serafino Zani produces its pots and pans at its Brescia Lumezzane plant, using exclusively high- quality stainless steel (18/10 stainless steel). This is the only material that guarantees optimal hygiene in contact with food, lasts a lifetime and is very easy to clean and maintain. Steel is used in all components and details and is always applied in generous layers that guarantee optimal heat distribution, thus keeping its shape over time. All steel cookware pieces are made with a special heat-diffusing base patented by Tarcisio Zani in 1980 (USA patent 4204607) made up of a core of pure aluminium “sandwiched” between a double stainless steel bottom. The use of this type of base allows for optimal heat distribution throughout the pot with minimal waste of energy and the option to use the cookware on gas, ceramic and induction hobs and electric rings. 

Over the years, many designers have contributed to the company’s product range. Serafino Zani has thus been able to transcend mere fashion trends, offering an original and diversified series of items that make up our ‘domestic landscape’. The first of these designers, Tapio Wirkkala, is a master of Finnish design and has worked with Serafino Zani since the early ’80s; then there are Andries Van Onck and Iroko Takeda, F.A. Porsche, Isao Hosoe, Liliana Bonomi, Angeletti and Ruzza, Romiti and Mandelli, Marco Susani and Mario Trimarchi, Tamar Ben David, Sezgin Aksu and Silvia Suardi; last, but by no means not least, there is that great master of design, Ettore Sottsass. Together, Sottsass and Serafino Zani produced ‘La cucina sapiente e la tavola contenta’ [masterly cuisine and satisfied table] in 2004: a complete, systematic programme of utensils and accessories for the kitchen and table. Konstantin Grcic is the most recent partner, responsible for the ‘Passami il sale’ [pass me the salt] project, a work in progress that showcases the creativity and aristocratic essentiality of this internationally renowned German designer’s language of design. 

Today, the Zani family continues to run the business, developing projects and manufacturing products that combine traditional craftsmanship with a unique and innovative industrial vision. All the processes involved in the manufacture of steel pots and pans, saucepans and frying pans still take place at the Lumezzane plant, confirming its own mission to produce beautiful and high-quality items.