NEW YORK, NY (May 11, 2011) -- Cesare Casella, chef/owner of Salumeria Rosi in New York City, Dean of The Italian Culinary Academy and noted author of Diary of a Tuscan Chef (Doubleday), Italian Cooking for Dummies (IDG) and True Tuscan (Harper Collins), is pleased to introduce Italian Cooking School by Cesare Casella, customized Italian travel experiences centered around his passion for Italian cuisine and culture. These custom Italian tours incorporate unparalleled access to culinary experiences, cultural opportunities, events and world-renowned Italian chefs, purveyors, and artisans.

Cesare's guests will have the opportunity to meet some of the most celebrated chefs in Italy including Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana), Moreno Cedroni (La Madonnina del Pescatore) and Pino Cuttaia (La Madia), participate in private hands-on cooking classes with Michelin-starred chefs, sample the wares of local food producers, and engage in once-in-a lifetime cultural experiences, all designed to bring out the full flavor of one the world's premiere culinary destinations. Each custom-crafted itinerary is designed to cater to individual travelers' tastes in food and culture, and will provide intimate contact with local traditions and personalities through Cesare's exclusive knowledge of Italian cuisine and culture.

Born, raised and trained as a chef in Italy, Cesare is best known in his native homeland for transforming his family-owned restaurant, Vippore outside of Lucca from a local favorite into both a regional and international destination. By developing his trademark herbal cuisine and updating traditional Italian recipes with new ideas and twists, Cesare earned Vippore a Michelin star and a reputation that attracted clients from Henry Kissinger to Tom Cruise.
Alongside his world-renowned cuisine, Cesare is notorious for building eternal relationships – with customers, purveyors, and friends. As such, he is innately familiar with the best hotels, restaurants, and gourmet and cultural opportunities in his native Italy, and is eager to share his knowledge with his guests. As rings true with a guest's dining experience at his Salumeria Rosi restaurant in New York City, he will make sure that one's travel experience is as close to perfect as humanly possible.

The inaugural trip is scheduled for the region of Sicily from September 4 to September 11, 2011. There, Cesare will introduce guests to his Sicilian friends ranging from Sicilian chefs and butchers, restaurateurs and chocolatiers, farmers and fishermen. Additional trips are scheduled for Calabria, Emilia Romagna, and Marche throughout 2012. For a full itinerary of these trips or for customized itineraries, please visit www.italiancookingschool.com.

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