Parma's Food Lover Kitchen™

Meet our Michelin Star Chef in a culinary adventure in Parma.  This glorious 5 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, aged balsamic vinegar from nearby Modena.  Learn the art of making tortellini and tortelloni and delicate sheets 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 that comes 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, making tomato conserve and preserving vegetables. 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 lemon drink.

Parma

The property is situated a short distance from Parma center set between antique buildings and in a hamlets that comprise the 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. The town is filled with restaurants and trattorias, artisan shops and its renowned covered market home to artisans and farmers from the nearby farms selling their seasonal fruits, vegetables, cheese, wine, meats, fish and olive oils.

Giuseppe Verdi

Discover Verdi during your stay in Parma!  Giuseppe Verdi, the famous Italian composer best known for his operas. 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 very particular countryside and atmosphere of Parma’s lowlands, where the scenery is dominated by expanses of flat fields and woodlands and of course, the windings of the 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, and featuring magnificent sixteenth century ceilings. All rooms offer splendid views over the nearby fields and rivers, have functioning fireplaces, a minibar and a basket of fresh fruit, and private bathrooms where you’ll find beautiful linens, marble baths and handmade artisan soaps scented with olive oils and wines.

On the estate there is a working farm where most of the fare that reaches the table is grown, raised and produced, including the many excellent pork products the area is famed for, which are aged in the cellar which dates back to 1320. The property’s exclusive restaurant boasts open views over the surrounding countryside and the River Po, and guests are able to soak up the atmospheric panorama while cozying up close to an open fire.  Bikes available at the property in your free time.

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Itinerary: 5 Days, 4 Nights

Day 1:

: Arrival, Visit the Property & Welcome Dinner with Chef’s 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 & Artisan Parmigiano Cheese Tour with Tasting

• 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 light 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: Excursion to Parma & Chef’s Tasting 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 afternoon, relax around the property, enjoy a walk through the property.
• For dinner, enjoy a full-course traditional dinner at the property’s medieval Hosterie restaurant.

Day 5: Arrivederci!

• Breakfast is served.
• Checkout & Arrivederci!