ON SALE: Make Every Day Mediterranean: An Oldways 4-Week Menu Plan E-BOOK SHOP NOW
ON SALE: Make Every Day Mediterranean: An Oldways 4-Week Menu Plan E-BOOK SHOP NOW
ON SALE: Make Every Day Mediterranean: An Oldways 4-Week Menu Plan E-BOOK
Visit Whole Grains Council
  • Oldways Cultural Food Traditions
  • Oldways Cultural Food Traditions
  • Oldways Cultural Food Traditions
  • Oldways Cultural Food Traditions
Visit Whole Grains Council
Shop
Shop
0

October 13-20, 2024

Piedmont, Italy: Truffles, Wine & More – SOLD OUT!

Join us to experience the culture and beauty of Turin, along with the spectacular landscapes of vineyards, farms, plains and forests that are home to the signature products of the Piedmont Region.

What You’ll Love about Your Week in Piedmont

What You’ll Love about Your Week in Piedmont

Piedmont is known for its spectacular wines, truffles, rice, chocolate, cheeses and more! To bring it all together, we’ll have Chef Kevin O’Donnell of Giusto Restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island to guide us through the week, including cooking demonstrations.  We’ll also have guided, food, wine and cultural tours with and food and wine guide Alice Rossi, as well as local guides and Chef Kevin. We’ll be staying in one hotel in Turin, within easy walking distance of the elegant center city, full of charm, great shopping, cultural sites and world class museums. We’ll also venture outside Turin to visit producers of Barolo wines, rice, cheese and experience a truffle hunt. We’ll learn about vermouth and cocktails, and we’ll eat fabulously in neighborhood trattorias, wineries and classic city restaurants.

The Piedmont Culinaria awards 14.5 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program.

Day by Day

Turin street life outdoor cafe bar at twilight
Day 1

Sunday, October 13

Check in at the Hotel Victoria Torino.

We’ll get together for an early evening welcome meeting at the hotel, where you’ll have a chance to meet your fellow travelers.  We’ll also enjoy a sampling of cocktails before we move onto dinner at the nearby  Casa del Barolo Enotavola.

Day 2

Monday, October 14

Enjoy a guided cultural and culinary tour of Turin, including stops for chocolate and for Bicerin, the cocoa and coffee drink famous in Turin.  We’ll finish at Porta Palazzo, where you’ll be free for lunch or more walking.

In the late afternoon, Chef Kevin will lead us in a hands-on cooking class, followed by dinner.

Day 3

Tuesday, October 15

Today is rice day.  We’ll leave Turin in the morning, driving north to Vercelli to visit Cascina Oschiena, one of the oldest producers of rice in this part of Italy.  Rice has been produced on this farm since the 16th century at the time of the Benedictine Monks.  The rice is grown in an Ecological Biodiversity Protected Area and it is ‘Friend of the Earth’ certified.

We’ll learn about the production and the farm, and enjoy a lunch of a classic Piemontese Risotto.

After we return to Turin, you’ll be free to rest, shop or explore on your own.  Dinner is on your own.

Day 4

Wednesday, October 16

Truffle Day!  We’ll have the full truffle experience.  First, we’ll divide into groups and go out with guides and their dogs to hunt for truffles.  Our hunt will be followed by a total Truffle Lunch.

Day 5

Thursday, October 17

Today we will visit the famed Langhe wine region, starting with the spectacular LaMorra vista and a visit to the Barolo Castle and Wine Museum. After a light lunch, we’ll visit the G.D. Vajra Winery in the Barolo region, where we’ll have a tour, a tasting and a dinner.

Day 6

Friday, October 18

Today we’ll travel south to the Fiandino Farm in Villafalleto. The farm has 100 brown cows and they make all their cheeses with thistle rennet. We’ll conclude with a lunch.

After lunch we’ll travel to Bordiga, a small craft distillery in Cuneo that Kevin and Giusto are working with.

Day 7

Saturday, October 19

For our last day, you’ll have a choice of visiting some of Turin’s many museums.  You’ll be free for lunch and the afternoon for packing and last-minute shopping.  Our time in Piedmont will finish with a great farewell dinner at one of Turin’s wonderful restaurants.

Day 8

Sunday, October 20

Departures or additional travel on own.

Meet the Chefs/Experts

Chef Kevin presenting
Chef Kevin O’Donnell
Chef Kevin O’Donnell

Born and raised in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Kevin got his feet wet in hospitality at a young age working at a variety of mom and pop spots throughout high school, gaining experience from dishwasher to pizza cook.  He was inspired to enroll in the Johnson & Wales Continuing Education program which afforded him the chance to intern in Italy, an exciting opportunity to connect with his heritage and explore the country’s cuisine. For two and a half years, Kevin fully immersed himself in Italian culture and cuisine under Chef Lorenzo Polegri at Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto. Back in the States, Kevin cooked at the famed Castle Hill Inn in Newport and then the Michelin-Starred Del Posto in New York City.  In 2012, Kevin joined forces with the owners of The Salty Pig in Boston and developed its pasta program. Three years later, the team collaborated on a new concept and in January 2016, he opened his first restaurant SRV with co-chef Michael Lombardi. Kevin lives in Rhode Island with his wife, Sarah, and their son Ray. They own Giusto and are also co-owners of Mother Pizzeria in Newport.

Alice Rossi
Alice Rossi

Our favorite beloved guide in Italy, Alice Rossi, is a native of Parma, Italy, where we met her. Although she loves her home city and region, she is incredibly knowledgeable about all Italian food and wine, and she is a pleasure to be with, no matter the city and region! Alice writes this about herself:

“My passion is food, and my dream is to share my passion! I love getting its magic across, whether to experts or to other interested people. I did a degree in Food & Wine Science so that I could turn my passion into a job. After university, I worked for a year (2012-2013) at Barilla Academy, where I was in charge of Gourmet Touring and Taste Education. I organized and publicized tours about Food & Wine and special tastes. My various jobs made me realize how much I love working in close contact with people, so I decided to become a tourist guide and tour leader. This gives me the chance to show off our Food & Wine specialties to Italian and foreign tourists, and to share my emotion and passion!”

Your Accommodations

Photo courtesy of Hotel Victoria

Hotel Victoria

Hotel Victoria is located in a quiet pedestrian-only street in the heart of Torino’s aristocratic downtown. Within a few blocks you can find the main touristic attractions, museums and theatres, Torino’s world-renowned baroque architecture, Italy’s most elegant brands and some of the finest restaurants. The hotel has a swimming pool and a spa, where you can arrange massages and beauty treatments.

View Your Accommodation

Flight information
to Travel Destination

Flight information
to Travel Destination

There are several options for flights. Flying from the US into Turin’s Airport (TRN) is possible with a connection in Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid, and London Gatwick.  Another option is Milan Malpensa (MXP), an international airport that is 90 minutes away.

We will provide you with airport transfer information, and if you are interested, we can group participants arriving at the same airport at the same time.

Pricing & Registration

Pricing & Registration

Piedmont, Italy: Truffles, Wine & More – SOLD OUT!

  • This trip has sold out. If you’d like to add your name to the waitlist, please email us.
Join the Waitlist

Trip Insurance

Medical Insurance

Oldways has procured medical and evacuation insurance for all Culinaria participants while traveling on one of our Culinarias with an Accident & Health policy from The Hartford.  Additionally, Hartford partners with International Medical Group (IMG), a leading global assistance provider, to give us 24/7 access to medical and travel assistance services anywhere in the world.  The policy also gives you as a Culinaria participant insurance for medical expenses, evacuation, and repatriation.

Since 1990, IMG has offered travel assistance services and a global network of medical providers to millions of people in nearly every country around the world. Working across time zones and in different languages, IMG’s commitment to “Being There” provides end-to-end coordinated care – so you can feel secure while traveling.

Please let us know if you need more information about the medical insurance.

Travel Insurance

While we cannot offer travel insurance for the cost of the trip or your air travel, here are three widely used travel insurance companies:

Allianz

Travelex

Travel Guard by AIG

More Upcoming Trips

Travel With Us

Piedmont

With Chef Kevin O’Donnell
October 13-20, 2024

Croatia

With hosts Sara Baer-Sinnott and Sara Fetbroth
October 27-03, 2024

San Sebastián

With Chef Alex Raij
March 23-30, 2025

Provence

With cookbook author Susan Herrmann Loomis
April 23-30, 2025

Black Sea & Istanbul

With Chef Ana Sortun
May 14-21, 2025
Custom Tour

Custom Cooking Experience in Greece

With food experts Aglaia Kremezi and Costas Moraitis
Custom Tour

Custom Cooking Experience in Parma & Emilia…

With Italian food, wine and travel expert Alice Rossi
Travel With Us

For More Information

For additional questions, please reach out to [email protected] or contact Abby Sloane at  617-896-4875.

Contact Us