Meet our Michelin Star Chef in a culinary adventure in Parma. This glorious 8-day food adventure heads to the culinary heart of Parma for an authentic hands-on cooking class and food tour like no other. Tie on your aprons for a cooking experience in a Michelin Star kitchen with Emilia Romagna’s high-quality products such as prosciutto di Parma, Parmesan cheese, and aged balsamic vinegar from nearby Modena. Learn the art of making tortellini and tortelloni and delicate sheets of hand-rolled pasta in our small classes with personal attention to each cooking guest.
Imagine an immaculately restored antique court rescued from the waters of the Po, gradually rebuilt, brick by brick, room by room, and returned lovingly to its original glory. An ancient dwelling that was once home to Maestro Giuseppe Verdi, now an impressive structure of ancient red brick sitting grandly on the banks of the Po, a luxurious, welcoming retreat for discerning guests. Our exclusive Prestigious Parma program brings you to the lush rolling countryside of Parma, the very heart of Reggio Emilia, where renowned Chef Massimo will welcome you into his kitchen and introduce you to local traditional flavors, using organic produce that comes directly from his vegetable garden and the estate’s working farm. Chef Massimo’s cuisine is elegant, fresh, and colorful, and is based on exalting the natural goodness of truly fresh produce.
Our week-long program offers a guided tour of Parma with its theater, duomo, and baptistry, as well as a boat trip along the Po, and a fascinating visit to an artisan Parmesan cheese maker. Enjoy a cycle along the riverbanks where you can stop off for a picnic, relax and enjoy the thermal waters of the Terme di Salsomaggiore, and learn more about the Parma of Maestro Verdi. The perfect program to bring you closer to Italy’s celebrated gastronomic heart.
Parma Cooking Classes
Cooking classes take place in the property’s beautiful Michelin-star kitchen with Chef Massimo and his team and make full use of the excellent organic produce from the kitchen garden. But that’s not all. On the estate, there are also cows, geese, pigeons, ducks, rabbits, and chickens, all of which make their way into the kitchen, as well of course, as the area’s famous pigs which are transformed into artisan produce such as culatelli, salami, preti, coppe, spalle, and many other types of salumi. And don’t forget that this is the land of handmade pasta, and Chef Spigaroli and his team will soon have you rolling out paper-thin sheets of pasta to create anolini, tortelli, ravioli, tagliolini, tagliatelle, stringoni and pasta rasa. Learn how to conserve the fruits of all the different seasons, making jams and marmalades, crystallizing fruits, and making tomato and vegetable preserves. And (depending on the season), pick up tips on how to create delicious traditional liqueurs and herb teas like Nocino allo Sbùrlon (walnut liqueur), Bargnolino al Luigino (prune liqueur), and Canarino a digestive drink based on hot water and lemon zest, all wonderful traditional remedies and tipples to recreate at home.
Parma
The property is situated a short distance from Parma and is one of an assortment of antique buildings and hamlets that make up the small typical village. The city of Parma which dates back to Etruscan times, is an attractive, wealthy, and well-organized town that over the years has been a Roman colony, and a home to Goths, Lombards, and Franks. As well as being a city that produced two great Maestros – Verdi and Toscanini – Parma also offers a beautiful Romanesque Duomo which contains some astounding frescoes by Lattanzio Gambara and a pink marble baptistry by Antelami, both of which are well worth a visit. Restaurants and trattorias where you can sample the area’s excellent hams, salumi, and cheeses abound, and an afternoon wandering around the gardens of the Parco Ducale is a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi, the famous was born October 10, 1813, in Roncole. His hometown is a small village five kilometers southeast of Busseto in Emilia Romagna. During your visit to Bussetto, walk in the footsteps of Italy’s greatest composer. The National Museum Giuseppe Verdi is inside the beautiful Villa Pallavicino in Bussetto where 27 works of the great composer are represented throughout the tour showcasing the original scenographies of Casa Ricordi, the precious fabrics of the 19th century, costumes, and his music.
Parma Accommodations
This unique property makes the perfect destination for anyone wishing to experience the beautiful countryside of Emilia Romagna. The landscape is dominated by fertile fields and woodlands and the windings River Po. The property offers six rooms, and two suites, each warm and elegant, furnished tastefully in a style that blends modern accents with period details and furnishings featuring magnificent sixteenth-century ceilings. All rooms offer splendid views over the fields and rivers with comfortable beds and Italian linens, functioning fireplaces, a minibar, and a basket of fresh fruit. Private ensuite bathrooms furnished with bath linens, marble baths, and handmade artisan soaps scented with olive oils and wine
The estate’s working farm produces the fruits and vegetables for the kitchen and cooking classes including the famous prosciutto, ham, and pork products which are aged in the cellar. This aging cellar dates back to 1320.
The property also has a restaurant that serves excellent local cuisine that overlooks the countryside and the River Po. Sit back, relax, and sip a Sangiovese wine while cozying up to an open fire. Set in the heart of the Emilia Romagna countryside and nestled in the triangle of Parma, Cremona, and Piacenza on the Po River, our cooking experience with Chef Massimo will have you preparing local foods like a rising star chef.
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Itinerary: 7 Days, 6 Nights
Day 1: Arrival, Tour of the Property, Welcome Dinner with Chef’s Tasting Menu
• Check-in and welcome to the property.
• Enjoy a traditional lunch on the property featuring the estate’s organic produce, artisan bread, cheese, and salumi with wine included.
• Tour of the property, including the working farm and wine cellar with an English-speaking guide.
• Welcome Dinner with Chef’s Tasting Menu featuring a culatelli with a full-course menu with local fare and wine included.
Day 2: Boat trip on the Po River, Cremona and Countryside Biking
• Breakfast is served.
• Following breakfast, meet your driver and driver to Cremona. Enjoy a boat trip on the Po as far as the pretty town of Cremona, home of the Stradivari violin. Pick up your bike and cycle along the countryside with a picnic lunch included. Following the tour, return to the property.
• In the evening, enjoy a Chef’s Tasting Platter featuring Parmesan, first course – choose between Parmesan style tortelli and
Anolini with broth, salad of our garden, focaccia home-made dessert, and Fortana wine
Day 3: Excursion to an Artisan Parmigiano Reggiano Maker & Cooking class 1
• Breakfast is served. Following breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide for an excursion to an artisan Parmigiano Reggiano cheese including a tour with tastings included.
• Following the tour, return to the property for your Cooking Class 1. Aprons on and into the kitchen with Chef Massimo and his team where you learn how to transform fresh organic produce from the estate’s vegetable garden into delicious local dishes. Everyone enjoys dinner to follow which includes the foods prepared in class with local white or red wine.
Day 4: Excursion to Bussetto, Home of Italian Musician, Guiseppe Verdi & Cooking Class 2
• Breakfast is served
• Following breakfast, meet your driver for a visit to the town of Busetto, home of Giuseppe Verdi. Discover the beauty, music, and landmarks, or opt to visit the museum dedicated to his music. Take time out on your own to enjoy lunch or a gelato.
• Following the excursion, return to the property for Cooking Class 2. Meet Chef Massimo and his team and learn how to prepare handmade pasta and risotto. Learn the secret of preparing delicate tortelli, ravioli, tagliolini, tagliatelle, stringoni, or pasta rasa, and how to prepare pasta sauces, along with risotto using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Dinner follows at the Chef’s table and includes the foods prepared in class with local white or red wine included. Everyone enjoys the foods that were prepared in the cooking class, with wine included.
Day 5: Cooking Class 3
• Breakfast is served
• 9.30 am – Cooking Class 3. Roll up your sleeves and prepare for your third class with Chef Massimo and his team. No one has a better knowledge of local cuisine than your chef, and today you will create a full territorial menu featuring specialties from Parma made from fresh, organic produce. Lunch follows and includes the foods prepared in class. Local wine included. Following the cooking class, take the rest of the day to relax, walk through the gardens or take an E bike and discover the area on your own.
Day 6: Excursion to Parma with Food Lover’s Tasting Tour and Farewell Chef’s Tasting Dinner with Wine
• Breakfast is served
• Following breakfast, meet our driver for an excursion to Parma. Enjoy a Food Lover’s Tour including tastings along the way with our English-speaking guide. Visit the Duomo, Baptistry, theater, and landmarks of this beautiful city.
• Take time out for lunch on your own or enjoy a gelato in the piazza. Following the tour, return to the property.
• In the evening, enjoy a Farewell Chef’s Tasting Menu featuring a full-course traditional menu with wine included.
Day 7: Arrivederci!
• Breakfast is served
• Checkout and Arrivederci!
Program Includes:
7 days, 6 nights based on 2 guests.
Daily breakfast and maid service included.
3 hands-on Michelin cooking classes, followed by lunch including the foods that were prepared in class with wine included.
1 Welcome Lunch featuring local fare with wine included.
1 Welcome Dinner featuring a Chef’s Tasting menu with traditional fare with wine included.
2 Chef’s Light Tasting Platters featuring an assortment of local fare with wine included.
1 Farewell Chef’s Tasting Dinner featuring a full-course menu with wine included.
Guided visit of the property garden and farm with an English-speaking guide.
Guided visit of an artisan Parmesan cheese maker with discussions and tastings included.
Excursion to Busetto, the town of Giuseppe Verdi with driver included. Museum tickets, if you opt, are not included.
Full-day excursion to Parma including a Food Lover’s Tour with English-speaking guide and driver.
Boat trip to Cremona with a picnic lunch served at the end of the ride with round trip transfers to and from the property included
Cooking Vacations Welcome Bag with Chefs’ aprons, Prosecco, and recipe booklet.
A copy of Lauren’s cookbook, It’s A Dream Place – Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast.
Program Prices
$4,895 per person, based on 2 guests in a Classic room.
$5,295 per person, based on 2 guests in a Suite.
For Single Guests: If you are traveling on your own, please call us for the best group price. We are happy to welcome you into an already scheduled group.
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2024 Dates: This program is available throughout the year. You can check in and start your cooking program any day of the week, as this program is offered 12 months per year. Rates are subject to change based on currency exchange. Call for updated rates. Airfare is not included. Group transfers for any cooking tour or tours that include transfers, are for the group and are not private. Transfers before, after or to another destination outside of your cooking tour are not included in the program price. If you would like to add on a private transfer or transfers, let us know and we will send you pricing.
