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After completing my course in the Culinary Arts at Westminster College, I worked at a chef friend’s father’s agritourist business near Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Being in the heart of North Italian gastronomy, I produced 20 kg of fresh pasta a day, some of it by machine.

On my day off, I would travel to various places of interest, including Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, and Parma. These were just day trips, so I would start early and finish late to cover the sights and to eat beautifully made artisan food.

Opening demo by Chef Andy baking focaccia. Recipe in the link if you want to make this before the class.

What You Will Cook

Spaghetti Carbonara – This is now considered a famous comfort food superbly cooked by modern day Romans. (Cooking the pasta al dente, Knife skills, cutting the Guanciale or Pancetta into matchsticks, mastering the sauce, and presenting the pasta)

Fennel, Green Bean, Mint & Citrus Salad – I love to eat food with bold, distinctive flavours, and fennel is one of them. (Knife skills, slicing the fennel, chiffonade of mint, segmenting citrus fruit. Making the dressing, blanching & refreshing vegetables)

Real Vanilla Pannacotta – If you can get hold of a Vanilla pod, great news; if not, there are some pastes available with seeds. (Cutting the vanilla pod and scraping out the seeds, cooking the cream mix, soaking the gelatine leaves, hulling the berries, making a very berry mix, and presenting the dish)