Culinary & Wine Programs

Rocco Cartia

7 day Premiere Culinary Immersion

This program includes 6 nights at Masseria Gelso Bianco, a beautifully restored Pugliese farmhouse and 5 intensive cooking classes with Chef Rocco Cartia at Southern Visions’ very own culinary school La Cucina at Gelso Bianco.  You will shop at the local markets, visit artisanal food, wine and olive oil  producers and be guided on walking tours of the region’s most characteristic towns. The week includes many fabulous meals and even time to lounge by the pool and in the garden.  Click on the itinerary below for full details and also visit the website of our culinary school:  www.lacucinagelsobianco.com

Premiere Culinary Dates 2013

June 23-29

October 20-26

7 Day Guest Chef Program

Spend a week under the leadership of a celebrated international chef. Our guest chefs will bring with them years of professional experience as executive chefs and restaurant owners as well as their own creativity and style to add to the cuisine of Puglia. You will learn directly from the masters in the field with the backdrop of Italy’s heel and the freshest ingredients available.

Culinary Adventures in Puglia with Aliza Green

Aliza Green

October 2 – 9 2013

This unique eight day, seven night program is journey of culinary exploration led by the talented chef, Aliza Green, the Philadelphia-based cookbook author, journalist and pioneering chef.  Aliza is the author of twelve highly successful cookbooks and worked as a chef for fifteen years.

This fabulous week is based at Masseria Montenapoleone, a beautifully restored farmhouse in the very heart of Puglia.  What makes this place stand out from other lodgings is how the owners have lovingly restored every detail to maintain harmony with the original  architecture and in particular with nature.  The estate produces extra virgin olive oil and all guests are invited to walk through the grounds and  enjoy all the fruits, flowers and vegetables grown and celebrated at the Masseria.

Culinary Immersion in Puglia with Dominique Rizzo

19 – 26 October 2013;

17 – 24 May 2014;   25 May – 1 June 2014;    25 October – 1 Nov 2014

Dominique Rizzo

Join leading Australian Chef, Author and Presenter Dominique Rizzo for a week of culinary immersion in Southern Italy.  Dominique’s aim is to inspire people to cook with fresh, seasonal and local produce with recipes to  improve health, build confidence in the kitchen with creative cooking and bring vitality onto peoples plates. Dominique’s life and work centres around her philosophy: “Through the sharing of food we share life and one is never lonely or hungry.”   Here is Puglia we absolutely share that philosophy and we are thrilled to be hosting Dominique for a week at Masseria Montenapoleone in 2013 and for three weeks in 2014 (17 – 24 May; 25 May – 1 June & 25 October – 1 Nov)

Chef in Bici with Enzo Fargione

September 15-September 21 2013 – a cycling & culinary vacation

Enzo Fargione

Growing up in Torino, Italy, Enzo learned to love cooking via his mother’s example at a very early age and has never stopped. At fourteen, he enrolled in The Institute Professional Alberghiero di Stato (The Culinary Institute of Turin, Italy) and finished at the top of his class. At the age of 17 Enzo then packed his bags and headed to the United States where within one year he was running a 3 star kitchen in Washington DC. Since then Enzo has been at the helm of several successful restaurants and made a mark on the restaurant scene in DC with his authentic Italian cuisine. Today he owns Elisir, opened in 2011, where he inspires diners with his vision modern Italian cooking. An avid cyclist with unfailing energy, Enzo will join Southern Visions in Puglia to further expand his creative and personal touch on the food he loves to create.

This unique seven day, six night program, combines culinary exploration, cycling and the comfort of villa living all at the same time. With your small group, led by Enzo and our exxpert local team, you will discover Puglia on two wheels and with your palate.  Based at a beautiful countryside villa (or masseria) for the entire duration of your stay, you will be able to  relax  into  your  setting  without  the  hassle  of packing  and  unpacking  bags  on  the  move  every day.

 Your bikes will  stay  at  the masseria  and  the  fully  equipped  kitchen  will  be  yours  to  play  in  each  evening.  Each day Enzo and your cycling guides will take you on a ride through the countryside and into the many fabulous towns of the region, stopping along the way  at  markets,  for  chats  with  farmers  and  food  producers,  for  wine  tastings, indulgent lunches and more.   Returning back to the villa your group will have the chance to follow the lead of chef Enzo Fargione in creating a typical meal based on the ingredients found along the day’s ride.  Alternatively the group will head out to eat at a local eatery, always off the tourist map. Vehicles will always  be  available  for  food  transport and/or alternative excursions for those that do not wish to ride.

For full details see the itinerary below:

Extras

With every program there is always the opportunity to add on extra indulgences like cycling tours, olive oil massage and private Italian lessons. We are here to make your stay as complete as possible.