Avalon Wine Tours
Cooking Schools
Many of our guests have a great interest in learning about the traditional recipes of the region they are visiting and the secrets of the local chefs.
Bordeaux Wine & Cooking Tour |
Peter and Holly Smith are both accomplished chefs, and share the enthusiasm of their guests for great cuisine - both preparing it and eating it!
We run our own cooking/wine combination tours, and we also arrange more dedicated courses at established cooking schools in selected regions. These stays can be arranged either as an add-on to another tour, or as a complete vacation on their own. Call us for details!
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FRENCH COOKING SCHOOLS
Provence/Rhone
Avignon is in the heart of the Provencal wine region, only 15 minutes from Chateauneuf du Pape. A stay here fits perfectly with one of our Rhone or Provence tours, or we can arrange a self-drive itinerary from your base at the hotel.
Hotel Mirande, Avignon
Avignon's top hotel also proudly cherishes a Michelin Star for it's kitchen's superb cuisine. The hotel provides a variety of residential courses from March to June and September to December, and brings in guest chefs from the surrounding region to teach their specialties.
The Mirande, originally a Cardinal's Palace dating from Avignon's Papal era, was transformed into a 'Hotel Particular" in the 17th century. Situated right next to the Papal Palace, the hotel is within two minutes walk of the Palace, yet secluded from the bustle of tourists on it's own cobbled square.
Gascony (SW France)
Deep in the heart of Armagnac country, you are only 90 minutes form Bordeaux. Perfect for a before or after extension to one of our escorted or self-drive tours in Bordeaux.
Domaine d'Esperance, La Bastide d'ArmagnacAt the 18th century family home of the Countess Claire de Montesquiou, multilingual Chef Natalia Arizmendi has been teaching the secrets of local Gascon cooking for over 10 years. Week-long programs are run at intervals throughout the year in the serene setting of rolling hills and vineyards. Morning lessons are combined with trips to the market and afternoon excursions, plus of course an introduction to the wonderful world of Armagnac itself, often preferred by connoisseurs over the best Cognacs.
Please call us to arrange a stay at any of the schools we represent or to combine a cooking class with your wine tour!
ITALIAN COOKING SCHOOLS
Tuscany These schools are close to the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, and are easily combined with either our scheduled tours or self-drive programs based in Chianti. Villa Lucia, Montecatini Terme Lucy Luhan is an old friend of ours from Newport Beach, California. She and her family own a couple of Southern California's favorite Italian restaurants, and now her sons are taking care of business over here Lucy has returned to her restored farmhouse 20 minutes west of Florence. Here she hosts one of the most informal and FUN cooking schools you'll ever be lucky enough to visit. Interspersed with visits to olive presses, local artists and other places of interest, Lucy's energy and love of life infects anyone she's with - and her cooking lessons are first rate! Programs run throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. Villa Delia, Ripoli di Lari Umberto Mehghi is another great chef, this time from Vancouver where he owns several restaurants. Close to Pisa, there are again many places of interest which are scheduled as part of the cooking program. There are also special cooking and golf programs, and the Chianti region is not far away. Torino, Piemonte Region Italian Culinary Tours Here is a school which organizes serious cooking courses in various parts of Italy, though the base is normally out of Turin (Torino). ICT caters to both the amateur and professional, and tours range from a few days to a serious in-depth course with the opportunity to apprentice in Italian restaurants afterwards. Tours are all different throughout the year, so if you're looking for a full-on kitchen education or are already a food professional, call us for details.Please call us to arrange a stay at any of the schools we represent or to combine a cooking class with your wine tour!
Avalon Wine Tours