Southern Sicily’s Gastronomic Heritage
18th - 23rd October 2024
A Culinary Journey introducing local flavours, farmers and producers
Cooking, tasting and sharing are the cornerstones of a very special four-night trip to Verdura Resort with our Creative Director of Food, Fulvio Pierangelini.
The Experience
The culinary retreat starts in Verdura Resort’s own organic garden. It’s here that the learning begins, with cooking classes and a meal. You might master how to make exemplary pesto or weave Sicily’s chestnuts, pomegranates or prickly pears into delicious dishes.
Local ingredients are the star of the show. “Simplicity is being able to find the right produce and ingredient and then eliminate as much as you can,” says Fulvio. “When you have very few ingredients on a plate, there is nowhere to hide.”
Trace the journey of the olive, from grove to harvest. Prepare your own blend of olive oil at the mill, under the guidance of the local producer. Lunch on traditional bruschetta, drizzled and dipped in olive oil, before relaxing with a massage at our beautiful spa. Then, as the evening unfurls, enjoy the catch of the day and seafood by the ocean, specially cooked by Fulvio to showcase the island’s produce.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival & Day at Leisure
Day 2: Vegetable Garden
Morning: Tour of Verdura Resort’s Grounds – Sustainability & Cooking Class in Verdura Garden Kitchen.
Lunch: Dining in Verdura Garden Kitchen with home-grown ingredients.
Afternoon: Ricotta making and best of Sicilian pastry: cannoli, cassata, iris. Sharing stories of gastronomic heritage and cultural importance.
Dinner: At Zagara with a special menu created by Fulvio.
Day 3: Planeta Vineyard
Morning: Traditional handmade pasta making with Fulvio and a local expert.
Lunch: Food with wine tasting at the 16th-century “baglio”, a beautiful ancient stone farmhouse.
Afternoon: Time to explore Planeta Vineyard
Dinner: Pizza making and dining at Liola
Day 4: Olive Grove and Oil Mill
Morning: Olive harvest and oil mill visit. Prepare your own blend of olive oil with the local producer.
Lunch: Dine at a traditional Sicilian table in the oil mill, laid with local ceramics, artisan bread, and traditional bruschetta with olive oil.
Afternoon: Relax with an Olive Oil Massage Treatment (optional) at our Irene Forte Spa, Sicily.
Dinner: Dining by the sea at Amare on the local catch of the day, fresh seafood, elegantly displayed, and a cooking demonstration by Fulvio.
Book Fulvio’s Culinary Secrets and enjoy:
- 4 nights at Verdura Resort
- Breakfast daily
- Return transfer from the airport
- All excursions on the itinerary
- Lunch and dinner daily
- Irene Forte skincare kit
- Sicilian hamper by Fulvio Pierangilini
As a Rocco Forte Friend, you can enjoy additional exclusive benefits including:
- 15% off drinking and dining experiences
- 15% off selected spa treatments
- Bespoke cultural experiences
- Guaranteed early check-in and late check-out
Terms & Conditions
Our culinary secret retreat requires a minimum of 6 participants to proceed. The final program will be confirmed two weeks before the scheduled arrival date. In the unlikely event that the retreat may not take place, an alternative program will be offered to ensure you still enjoy a memorable experience. All offers and experiences are subject to availability.
Book through roccofortehotels.com or contact your travel advisor.