Cooking or culinary holidays, vacations, tours in Italy:

The International Kitchen
. . . top quality, authentic, intimate cooking experiences

In 1994 The International Kitchen, founded by Karen Herbst, originated the concept of "cooking school vacations". Karen had decided to combine her travel experience with her lifelong passion for food and wine to create the The International Kitchen. Today The International Kitchen remains the leader in the industry, now offering over seventy programmes and over thirty choices for a daily class.

Karen has personally handpicked the chefs, locations and excursions and works to ensure that every International Kitchen experience is unique, professional, and richly rewarding. Karen is recognised as one of the innovators of culinary travel, and, as an authority, is an advisor and frequent speaker to industry and professional groups. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian Travel Promotional Council, a non-profit organisation working in conjunction with the Italian Government Tourist Office, as well as a member of the Slow Food Organization and the James Beard Foundation. In 2004 Karen was the honoured recipient of the La Medaille d'Argent du Tourisme, the French Silver Medal of Tourism awarded by the French government.

The International Kitchen credo and promise to you is:

a top quality, authentic, intimate cooking experience, with lots of laughter and friendship

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Cooking vacations to Spain (and Morocco) . . .

Whether you yearn for warm Mediterranean breezes, rolling wine country, or cities bursting with energy, you will find what you are looking for in Spain. Everything about this marvelous country - its food, wine, and culture - exudes passion and sophistication. The bustling outdoor food markets, a collage of flavors, smells and vibrant colors, add a touch of the exotic to the sizzling paellas and delectable specialties of this sun-drenched county.

TASTE OF CATALONIA

• About the location:
  
  About an hour and a half outside of Barcelona is the beautiful El Racó de Madremanya. The hotel offers you a place of charming refuge: magnificent stone farmhouse dating from the 18th century and completely restored, with 8 large rooms with balconies, fireplaces, several lounges with comfortable spaces, a wonderful garden and a beautiful swimming pool for the warm months.

• About the lessons:
  
  Your hands-on lessons will be with Chef Oriol, a graduate of the Hosteleria of Girona and presently at the Aula Gastronomica del Emporda. He has worked in some of the most important restaurants of the region, and will be leading you in the preparation of tapas, traditional Catalan and Mediterranean menus as well as some modern creative Catalan cuisine.

For the itinerary or further information see The International Kitchen web site - click here

WINE AND CUISINE OF THE PRIORAT

• About the vacation:

  El Masroig is a small, agricultural town of merely five hundred inhabitants, nestled in the beautiful and unspoiled Priorat wine-producing region. Your home during the stay will be a fourth-generation family house, built in stone by Chef Alicia’s great grandfather.
  
  The home has recently been completely restored and transformed into a private “hotel,” fitted with all of the amenities necessary to make your culinary vacation a truly exquisite experience. Some of the wonderful features include hardwood floors, thermostat in each room, beautifully outfitted bathrooms including terrycloth bathrobes, and a private sitting area with a fireplace and computer with internet access for guests’ use.

• About the cooking lessons:

  Catalan cuisine is a form of cooking that still closely reflects its medieval origins; occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the Romans, followed by several centuries of the Visigoths, and then four hundred years of occupation by the Moors, the varied influences are still discernable today. During the program, you will have a chance to visit some of the Priorat's best wineries where the wine tastings and one-on-one presentations will allow you to discover what makes the wines so fabulous and renown. You will also discover why the Priorat olive oils are so outstanding with the help of an official olive oil tasting session.
  
  Alicia is a native of the Priorat region and will be teaching you her region’s specialties in the very home that her family has occupied for the last four generations. You’ll immediately feel at home here, thanks to Alicia’s warmth and enthusiasm for Catalan cuisine. The lessons focus on using the freshest ingredients including seafood, vegetables, and specialty meats.

For the itinerary or further information see The International Kitchen web site - click here

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES IN MOROCCO

• About the location:
  
  The city of Fes was founded in 789, and for more than 400 years was the capital of Morocco. Today, it’s still Morocco’s intellectual and cultural capital. It’s also the oldest and largest medieval city in the world, with over 200,000 people currently living within the medina walls. It’s vibrant and alive - and almost unchanged for hundreds of years. During your Moroccan cooking vacation in Fes you’ll see the highlights of life in the medina: the historical and cultural sites that have made Fes a world heritage city, the donkeys and mules that are the predominant means of transportation through the narrow streets, and the souks (markets) and craftsmen. You’ll learn about the traditional foods of Morocco through hands-on cooking classes and gastronomic visits—you will see olive oil pressed as it was hundreds of years ago, and you’ll see ouarka and couscous being made by hand, the methods unchanged for hundreds of years.
  
  Your home for the week-long Morocco cooking vacation will be the Riad al Bartal, a traditional Moroccan home built around the turn of century, restored to it’s former splendor and converted to a small maison d’hôte by hosts Mireille and Christian LaRoche. There are 5 suites and 2 rooms, as well as the common areas: the Moroccan living room, the roof top terrace, and the central courtyard that serves as our dining room. All the rooms are filled with beautiful antiques and lovely Berber rugs.

• About the lessons:
  
  The cooking classes are held in the kitchen of the riad. During your four hands-on cooking classes, Fatima, the riad’s chef, will teach you how to make the traditional dishes that are central to Moroccan cuisine: tagines, couscous and b’stila, a myriad of salads, breads, and desserts; and you’ll learn about the spices and key ingredients necessary to make authentic Moroccan cuisine.
  
  Fes is a fascinating city and the walking tours will offer a glimpse of it’s long and noble history. The riad is both magnificent and comfortable and, although we’re serious about our cooking, our classes are always fun and informal . It is a week of great food in a historically and culturally spectacular city, with plenty of time to relax with your fellow Moroccan food enthusiasts to share stories and a glass of wine.

For the itinerary or further information see The International Kitchen web site - click here