Custom Italian Cooking Tour Member Comments
from Gourmet Travellers

Custom professional tour comments from chefs and culinary students

Sample custom gourmet traveller itineraries

In Piedmont, Italy

Dear Margaret,
I wanted to write to you to tell you how much we enjoyed the tour. It far exceeded our expectations. We loved staying at our B & B (in La Morra). The location was great and the owners were wonderful. Our poor Italian and their limited English offered us a wonderful introduction to Italy. We couldn't have been treated better. We loved La Morra. We aren't "hotel" people and enjoyed the opportunity to be in a local setting.

Elio was wonderful. We enjoyed everything we did with him. His hikes through the vineyards are very nice. He knows all about all of the flora and fauna too which he shares willingly. I am so glad to see such a hiking system being developed. He does have more than 10 words of English and understands far more in English than we did Italian. Carmen is a jewel! She made our trip.

The winery tours were very good and informative. The tasting great. We learned a lot. We had not expected to meet the owners or vintners but in most cases did. Some, like Massimo Martinelli at Ratti were so nice. The gentleman at Borgogno was very nice. Actually, most were great.

As for meals, they were unbelievable. Those associated with cooking classes were fun and informative. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun in the process. In one case I am sure we were the entertainment for the staff which was very enjoyable. We ate a wonderful lunch at a villa that has just become a B & B. The owner's name was Marina. As for the other meals, we loved the food and that we were introduced to so many of the typical foods of the area.

I personally, was reluctant about the "farm trip" but have to say that it was great. Francesca was great. I had inquired if we could buy some of the preserves that she had served with the cheese but they were out. She "gave" both Debi and I a jar of other preserves and wouldn't take any money for them. Her bread was to "die for" and all the food was wonderful. It did highlight Giovanni's cheeses which were unbelievable. I wish we could have brought them home! The farm was worth the trip and I would encourage anybody doing a tour to spend the pleasant visit there.

The entire trip was great. Please pass on to Carmen and Elio how much we enjoyed the trip. We are hoping that in a couple of years we could have Carmen take us on a Toscana wine/cooking tour through your company. We appreciate how nice it was and what you provided us. Thank you.

Donna Madison, Anchorage, Alaska.

"Sincerest thanks for arranging such a memorable and spectacular trip for us. All four of us enjoyed and savoured every moment. We've long believed that Barolo and Barbaresco are among the world's finest wines, but we learned so much about the other wines of the region. Cooking with Chef Mollo and her daughter (at Rabaya Restaurant) was especially fun for us since we had the opportunity to do some hands-on work, especially making agnolotti. Again, the hospitality was remarkable, and we would recommend Rabaya highly. We compliment you on the fine work you did in arranging our visit, and cannot wait to visit again. You have much to be proud of!"

Jeanne and David Beck, Camden, NJ

In Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Dear Margaret,

I just wanted to tell you what an incredible trip we had to Emilia-Romagna. Marcello and Raffaella were wonderful and we laughed for 7 days. They could not have been more gracious or accommodating and we truly had a personal guided tour. They were so knowledgeable about the area and everything we did was interesting and fun. We are already trying to get another group together to go again.

The cooking lessons were fantastic and had an excellent mix of various foods of the area. We have enjoyed sampling some of the new recipes and using new cooking tools that we purchased from a store Marcello took us to.

Both Ken and I thank you for arranging such a personal trip for us. It was much more than we ever imagined.

Valerie Roffe, Westport, CT

"Dear Margaret, I just arrived home yesterday afternoon after one of the most remarkable experiences I have ever had abroad.

Being with Marcello and Raffaella in Bologna and in the picturesque surrounding towns was like sailing on a cloud. My mother and I felt truly pampered, safe, taken care of, and happy. More than anything, however, is the absolute warmth, kindness, and professionalism that Raffaella and Marcello both possess.We quite simply adore them.

Being allowed to tailor our tour to meet all of our needs (gastronomic and retail-therapy!) is such an unusual and wonderful feature of your company. I already want to do another tour with wine and food and friends sometime in 2000!

Saying thank you is hardly enough, but know that if anybody ever needs a recommendation, I'd be more than happy to share my experiences! You and Marcello and Raffaella are true gems in the industry.

With profound thanks, Jocelyn Wise, Brookline, MA, a caterer

"Responding to Margaret Cowan's web site, we were directed to Marcello and Raffaella Tori as we looked for a gastronomic tour of Italy. On very short notice, they put together the experience of a lifetime and catered to our every desire, going beyond the call of duty. Some nice touches included a magnificent hotel room in Riolo Terme, and the surprise one day of the owner of the local alimentari in Brisighella with a wonderful lunch as we tasted the greatest olive oil in the world. Having lived a year in Italy and making our seventh trip over,

Emilia-Romagna is clearly one of the overlooked beautiful spots in Italy. And Marcello and Raffaella are the greatest and our new friends. Go with them! Go to Emilia-Romagna!"

John & Connie Kurowski, Belleville, IL

In Southern Tuscany, Italy

Dear Margaret,

I wanted to write and thank you for such a great program you created for us! We have not stopped talking to our friends and family about the great food and wine we had! We commented on how much better it is to have these classes as you get to know the local area, people, food and wine in such an intimate way. You become part of the place.

Andrea was great...he treated us like old pals and so did Marco, plying us with great wines and teaching us a little bit about them. Both days with them was perfect. Just driving around the area was fun.

Marguerite was fun too and very helpful, of course. She made noodles with us at 13 Gobbi. Patrizia was wonderful as well, so welcoming and kind with big kisses good bye when we left.

The olive oil and the wine tours were excellent--really made us appreciate GOOD olive oil! And Vittorio Innocenti--what delicious wine! We bought two bottles and have been calculating ever since about buying/shipping 24 more! Our local wine store...has similar wines for 4 times the price.

Pienza we also loved. The place we stayed was large and comfortable.

Thank you very much for putting our trip together at the last minute around the holidays! We are so glad we did it and will do it again. But after our 3 days we wonder how people can eat and drink and have so much fun for 5 or 6 days in a row!

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Julia & Kurt Frey. San Diego, CA, on a custom trip in January, driving their own rented car with our interpreter there where necessary.

"Thank you for your exceptional work for us. Our trip was the best I have ever had. I liked the "down home" feel of the itinerary. We spent a lot of time with real Tuscan people, not tourist stuff at all. We liked the family atmosphere of the hotel. My favourite cooking lesson was at the farmhouse. The family was unbelievable warm and welcoming. The food was wonderful, each meal better than the last. The wine visit to Vittorio Innocenti was magnificent. What a wonderful man, with such history. The view from his garden, as we tasted the wine, was a view worth a million dollars. We bought several bottles of his wine and even got his autograph! Thanks so much for all you did!"

Debi Buckland, Marietta, GA, part of a group of 4 renting a car and travelling on their own with cooking lessons, visits and hotel arranged by us.

"The trip was fabulous and I want to thank you personally for coordinating this with us. Your help was so needed and we could not have done this without someone as knowledgeable as you and your group. What did I like about the itinerary? Everything! Cooking was amzing and I can't wait to cook here at home with the girls! All the chefs were very different and very sweet--learned alot from each! Love learning to cook things I would never try at home. See the freshness of the meats/veggies was great and watching each chef cook as if they have done it since birth was great. I liked how different each lesson and food was--we were not always making the same things. My favourite restaurant? Too hard to answer.

Tuscany was beautiful and being there cooking and meeting the chefs made it worthwhile including horseback riding in the mountains.

Again, can't wait to do this soon--but longer...thank you!

Perri Kowalsky, New York, NY. Part of a group of 4 who rented a car and drove themselves in a custom tour itinerary.

"The itinerary was interesting and diverse. I would change nothing in the itinerary. Next time we'll make a new one! Il Chiostro is beautiful, serene with a wonderful view and position. Eleonora (our tour director) is a nice, straight forward person, very responsible. The local guides were well informed and spoke good English. All the chefs were nice, friendly and flexible. The menus were well balanced, the food wonderful and delicious. We also learned about and tasted lots of good wines. In your service before the trip, I liked the prompt answers and changes by Margaret. Thank you--it was wonderful!"

Shula Mozes, group organizer, Petan Tiqwa, Israel, an Italian cookbook author.

"Wonderful views...excellent hotel...a huge variety of tasty food. I liked to cook myself and the chefs were very nice. Eleonora was very nice and funny and comfortable to be with."

Merav Mozes, Petan Tiqwa, Israel

"In the itinerary, I liked the combination of tours in the region with culinary adventures. Il Chiostro was a very nice place, great views from my room. Eleonora was really fun to be with. The local guides were very knowledgeable. They made the visits, especially the museums and art, a totally different experience."

Shay Mozes, Petan Tiqwa, Israel

"In the itinerary I liked the views, the fresh air. Everything in every place was ready for us. I liked Il Chiostro--its antique look and the view. Eleonora was the best--funny and so cool. The local guides were smart and fun. I liked the cooking lessons. I cooked by myself and the chefs were very nice. The menus were full with good plates. THANK YOU.

Matan Radin, Petan Tiqwa, Israel

Contact Margaret Cowan today for the Italian cooking tour you've always wanted...and more!
Phone: 1-800-557-0370 or 604-681-4074
Fax: 604-681-4909
E-mail: margaret@italycookingschools.com