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A Week with the Tuscan Chef at
the Villas of Vorno
Tuscany, Italy
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Tour
Description |
 About
the location: Discover a little piece of Tuscan heaven and savor
the very best in Tuscan living gathered together in our kitchen
and around our table. The Tuscan Chef is based in one of a
number of wonderful private villas in the area near Vorno, a
small town outside of Lucca. Your week might take place at the
Villa al Boschiglia, while other weeks may be held at the
charming Casa Matteucci or another equally wonderful private
villa. The villas are all of the same caliber, surrounded by
wild and stunning olive grove terraces or fruit orchards
reaching out over Monte Pisano with views across lavender and
lemon scented Italian gardens towards the enchanting walled town
of Lucca. They each feature a small selection of wonderfully
outfitted rooms (usually only 6 to 8 rooms) with private en
suite bath or shower facilities. Your cooking classes are held
in the charming Tuscan kitchen of your villa, with meals served
in the elegant dining room. During your free time you can enjoy
the lovely grounds or the gracious Italian living areas.
About the cooking lessons: Our hands-on cooking courses are
under the guidance of professional Italian chef, Valter Roman,
one of our top collaborators for many years! If you asked Valter
what he wanted to do when he was a child, he would have always
said "be a chef." Like, many, he began his "studies" at the side
of his mamma and grandma learning the traditions and kitchen
culture that are today the essence and basis of any successful
Italian chef. Valter studied professionally at the Instituto
Alberghiero di Casargo, which led to many successful positions
in renowned restaurants throughout Italy and the world. His
mentor, Ugo Amato, trained him in London in the art of pastry
where he created some of the most sought after pastries and
cakes and even supplied the British Royal family. He has also
studied with the formidable Tuscan chef Alvaro Maccioni and
after three years of study has achieved his sommelier status to
accompany his vast kitchen knowledge. Craving the "bella vita"
life of Italy, Valter returned to Tuscany with his English wife,
Julia, where together they have teamed up for the last ten years
to create the ideal cooking vacation.
The classes are fun, informative and full of tips and tricks of
the trade. You will discover and explore the tastes and textures
of some of the finest ingredients from fresh home-made pasta and
plump potato gnocchi with their various complimenting sauces to
truffles, fragrant garden Italian herbs, porcini mushrooms and
wild asparagus, freshly pressed olive oil, creamy pecorino
cheeses and classic Italian wines. Kitchen studies are enhanced
and complimented by a special touring program to some of the
most enchanting and personally selected towns, markets,
vineyards and other hidden treasures of Tuscany.
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Included
in the Program: |
If you wish to substitute any of
the above activiites with one of the following tour options, it
can be arranged at an additional cost:
- Renaissance Florence with
a tour of the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, Duomo and Giotto’s
Tower, all complimented by Italian shopping on Via
Tournabuoni.
- A visit to a local
Lucchese press to watch the whole process of olive oil being
made followed by a tasting (November-January)
- A boat trip along the
Ligurian coast and the world heritage site of the five
cliff-clinging villages of the Cinque Terre with a visit to
a local vineyard and a picnic lunch.
- An outlet shopping
experience which includes Prada and the new Gucci Mall
featuring a host of Italian designer names.
- Time out on the golf
course (with the chef!).
- A visit to Vinci to see
the Leonardo da Vinci museum with its life size scale models
of some of his incredible inventions. Stop off also at the
Fratelli Taccini studio with a showroom full of unique
ceramics, vases, plates, jars, sculptures available for
purchase.
- A tour of Siena, the
one-time capital of Tuscany and one of the most beautiful
cities in Italy. This trip may also include a stroll around
the small town of San Gimignano with its medieval towers (of
the original 76, just 14 have survived) and charming piazza.
- A visit to see the
Bernardini family still in residence at Villa Bernardini, a
stunning Lucchese villa dating back to 1615. Tour the villa
and it’s beautiful gardens before heading off on a 2-hour
walk through the hills to a hidden away restaurant where a
special lunch has been arranged.
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Tour
Itinerary |
Day One - Sunday
Transfers from Pisa or Florence airports or train stations (or
from Lucca train station) for arrival at your accommodation on
the outskirts of Lucca around midday for a welcome buffet lunch
prepared by your Italian chef for the week, Valter Roman. Buffet
lunch - meet your hosts & cooking colleagues with time to settle
in and relax before the first hands-on cooking lesson. Hands-on
cooking lesson with preparation of dinner:
- Fiori di zucca ripieni & fritti con cestini di parmigiano -
Deep fried, ricotta filled zucchini flowers with oven crisped
parmesan baskets
- Gnocchi di patate con pesto Genovese - Potato gnocchi with a
basil, olive oil and pine nut sauce
-Tiramisł – A little “pick-me-up”
-Cantucci di Prato – Almond biscuits from Prato
Welcome aperitivi and orientation before dinner.
Day Two - Monday
Breakfast available. Join us for a leisurely morning stroll
around the ancient walls of Lucca. Pasta and its Sauces - a
specially themed cooking lesson. Tagliolini al pomodoro
ciliegino & basilico – Long thin pasta with a cherry tomato and
basil sauce. Ravioli di asparagi selvatici con una salsa
tartufata di stagione – Wild asparagus filled ravioli with a
seasonal truffle butter. Maltagliati con funghi porcini &
niepitella – Bad cuts of pasta with a porcini mushroom and
calamint sauce. Torta di formaggio – Chef’s summer cheesecake.
Lunch al fresco followed by a short guided tour of Pisa & its
Leaning Tower. Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of
dinner.
- Melanzane alla Parmigiana - Oven baked layers of eggplant,
tomato and parmesan.
- Risotto ai carciofi – Artichoke risotto.
- Torta di ricotta con grano & aranci - Orange & grain ricotta
tart.
Limoncello di Nonna Maria - Grandma Maria’s lemon liqueur
Aperitivi and dinner.
Day Three - Tuesday
Breakfast available. Depart for a Chianti adventure stopping off
at an enchanting market town as well as renowned vineyard for
wine-tasting and lunch followed by a further vineyard and
distillery visit. Leave Chianti and return home for an informal
pizza supper in the lively village trattoria, just a short walk
from the villa.
Day Four - Wednesday
Breakfast available. Chef’s tour of the bustling market town of
Pistoia to choose fresh produce for dinner followed by a kitchen
challenge where students and chefs work together to prepare a
buffet lunch with items found at the market.
Lunch followed by free time to relax and enjoy the peace and
tranquillity of the villa. Hands-on cooking lesson and
preparation of a special wine-tasting dinner.
Pappardelle con cinghiale & finocchio selvatico – Pasta ribbons
with wild boar and wild fennel. Tagliata Fiorentina con funghi
porcini & rucola & fagioli zolfini – Florentine steak dressed
with a porcini mushroom sauce or rucola topping and served with
zolfini beans. Pesche agli amaretti con gelato di cannella -
Amaretto peaches with cinnamon ice-cream. Introduction to the
wines of Tuscany followed by dinner with wine tastings to
accompany each course.
Day Five - Thursday
Breakfast available. Guided tour through Lucca followed by a
specially selected tasting menu for lunch at Valter’s
restaurant, The Gazebo at Locanda L’Elisa. After lunch there’s
plenty of time to discover Lucca for yourself with great
shopping along Via Filungo or to return to the peaceful haven of
the villa for an afternoon of relaxation. Hands-on cooking
lesson and preparation of dinner.
Crema di fagioli con gamberi al guazzetto - Cream of cannellini
beans with pan-seared prawns. Pesce in cartoccio -Fish in a bag.
Sorbetto di limone & salvia - Lemon & sage sorbet. Preparazione
panna cotta – Panna cotta pudding preparation. Aperitivi and
dinner.
Day Six - Friday
After breakfast, your hands-on cooking lesson specializing in
pastry and dessert techniques. Lunch is followed by an afternoon
at leisure to either relax and enjoy the villa, spend some
last-minute shopping time in Lucca and/or join Valter at Enoteca
Vanni in Lucca for an olive oil tasting session. Return to the
villa for your final hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of
your final dinner.
Crespelline Fiorentine – Fiorentine spinach & ricotta crepes
with a walnut sauce
Ossobuco alla Milanese con riso pilaff – Beef shanks in a citrus
vegetable sauce & pilaff rice
Torta di pere e marzipane con salsa di cioccolato – Pear &
marzipan pie with chocolate sauce
Farewell drinks, graduation ceremony and celebratory dinner.
Day Seven - Saturday
Breakfast available and transfers to Florence or Pisa airport or
Florence, Pisa or Lucca train station. Goodbye, until the next
time!
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Dates and Rates |
2008 Price Per Person
US$3400 per person based on double occupancy
US$450 single supplement
US$300 less non-cooking participant
Please note: this program requires a US$1500 per person
deposit.Celebrating A
Tuscan Spring 2008
March 30-April 5* (3 double rooms left)
April 6-12 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
April 20-26 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
April 27–May 3 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 4-10 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 11-17 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 18-24* (1 double room left)
2008 Tour Dates
Celebrating A Tuscan
Spring 2008
March 30-April 5* (3 double rooms left)
April 6-12 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
April 20-26 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
April 27–May 3 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 4-10 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 11-17 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
May 18-24* (1 double room left)
Celebrating A Tuscan Fall 2008
August 31-September 6 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
September 7-13 (please inquire)
September 14-20* (1 double room and 1 twin room left)
September 21-27 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
September 28–October 4 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
October 5-11 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
October 12-18 (sold out)
October 19-25 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
October 26-November 1 (5 double rooms and 1 twin room left)
Please note that all weeks need at least 6-8 participants to be
a guaranteed departure.
*Guaranteed weeks, spots going fast! |
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