Meet our Michelin Star Chef in a culinary adventure in Parma. This glorious 6-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.
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: 6 Days, 5 Nights
Day 1: Arrival, tour of property, welcome dinner
- Check in and welcome.
• Tour of the property which overlooks the hills of Emilia-Romagna. Tour the property’s cellar, exploring the production of artisan ham and salumi.
• Welcome dinner with Michelin-Star Chef’s menu and wine included.
Day 2: Morning Cooking Class 1 & Local Parmesan Factory Tour
- Breakfast is served
•10:00 am – 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. You will make a full four-course “Starred” menu, from starters to dessert. Lunch follows at the Chef’s table and includes the foods prepared in class. Local wine included.
•In the afternoon, take a trip across the street to a local Parmesan factory. Explore the production of the regionally renowned and world famous cheese.
•For dinner, enjoy a light Chef’s tasting menu featuring cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, focaccia, home-made dessert, and wine.
Day 3: Verdi Tour & Evening Cooking Class 2
- Breakfast is served.
- In the morning, meet your driver to explore and follow in Maestro Giuseppe Verdi’s footsteps as you explore the places and monuments marking important moments in Verdi’s musical career. Tickets include Verdi’s birthplace, the Verdi Theater, and the Casa Barezzi Museum, the place the young Giuseppe Verdi had his first musical training.
- Following your visit, return to the property and enjoy a picnic lunch on the property, overlooking the hills of Emilia-Romagna, and featuring local tastings of artisan cheese and bread.
•3:30 pm – Cooking Class 2. Back into the kitchen with Chef Massimo and his team where today’s lesson covers the creation of handmade pasta and risottos. Learn the secret of turning out delicious anolini, tortelli, ravioli, tagliolini, tagliatelle, stringoni or pasta rasa, and how to dress pasta and risotto dishes using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Dinner follows at the Chef’s table and includes the foods prepared in class. Local wine included.
Day 4: Cooking Class 3 & Chef’s Tasting Dinner
- Breakfast is served.
- 10:00 am – 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. You will make a full four-course “Starred” menu, from starters to dessert. Lunch follows at the Chef’s table and includes the foods prepared in class. Local wine included.
- In the afternoon, relax around the property, enjoy a walk or a bike ride.
•For dinner, enjoy a light Chef’s tasting menu featuring cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, focaccia, home-made dessert, and wine.
Day 5: Excursion to Parma & Farewell Dinner
- Breakfast is served.
- Following breakfast, meet your driver and English-speaking guide for your excursion to the city of Parma. Enjoy a guided tour of the ancient city where you will visit the Duomo, Baptistry, theater and other important monuments.
- In the evening, enjoy a full-course traditional dinner at the property’s medieval Hosterie restaurant.
Day 6: Arrivederci!
- Breakfast is served.
- Checkout & Arrivederci!
Program Includes:
6 days, 5 nights accommodations, based on 2 guests in a room.
Daily breakfast and maid service, included.
3 hands-on cooking classes, preparing traditional full course lunch with wine included.
1 Full-Course Welcome Dinner with traditional fare prepared by the Chef with wine included.
2 Chef’s Light Tasting Dinners at the property with wine included.
1 Full-Course Farewell Dinner at the property’s medieval Hosterie restaurant. Wine excluded.
1 Picnic Lunches in the countryside with home made foods from the Chef’s kitchen.
Guided visit of property, including a working garden farm and beautiful 14th-century wine cellar.
Guided visit of the famous Parmesan cheese maker with discussions and tastings included.
Visit to Giuseppe Verdi’s birthplace, the Verdi Theater, and the Casa Barezzi Museum.
Guided visit of Parma, a food lover’s dream tour.
Bike rental at the property included.
Cooking Vacations welcome bag with Chef’s apron and recipe book.
A copy of Lauren’s cookbook, It’s A Dream Place – Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast.
Program Prices
$3,895 per person, based on 2 guests in a Classic Room.
$4,195 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.
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