A Week with The Tuscan Chef at the Villas of Vorno

I definitely give the Villages of Vorno 5 stars. From day one we were made to feel like old friends by Chef Valter Roman, his wife Julia and staff. The villa was 1st class, comfortable,tastefully decorated and scenic. I have cooked Italian food for years , but the cooking lessons gave me new methods and incentive to do more cooking. Every day was busy with cooking related trips and many truly delicious meals. I would definitely recommend and hope to go again myself. Suggest going one day ahead so as to be ready for the first day which was busy. A one night stay in Lucca would be more fun if flying into Pisa. Mary Z., USA

I enjoyed the "hands on" cooking. Nothing like doing it yourself, making and having your mistakes corrected, rather than "watching" someone else. We cooked almost EVERYDAY. This is the major reason we chose this class, we wanted to do as much cooking as possible. Chef Valter, was extremely knowledgeable, with an extraordinary sense of humor. He made us feel as though we were in our own homes, as did the magnificent staff at the Villa. The side trips were incorporated into what we were doing at the school. Chef Valter's intimate relationship with those places and people we visited provided a "close up" we would never had had if we were touring on our own. He seemed to take a personal interest in each and every one, to assure that we all had the best experience and instruction. Jo C., NY

We liked the size of the program as most of the time each of the group were working. The meals were very good and complicated enough to have most of us learning new techniques as well as new products or ways of using old products. The accommodations were very nice with ample space and clean facilities. Our trips out were appropriate and very well integrated into the rest of the program, not just a travel experience to tour. Every moment was filled or not, depending on your wishes. We were happy to be busy and were. We had thought that the breakfasts available meant an additional charge, but were pleasantly surprised to find this not the case. That is important to me as I am diabetic and must eat regularly in order to maintain good functioning. Valter and his wife and his other staff of helpers were all very nice and fun. We had concise schedules that were followed. That is nice. The cookbooks were very helpful and will remain keepsakes. This program is very nice for participating husbands and they are encouraged to work. This was great! Bruce A., FL

It was fabulous - the perfect mix of cooking instruction, eating great food accompanied by just the right wines, and sightseeing. The villa was more beautiful than we could have imagined. Valter, Julia, Bartek and Mayka were absolutely great - they are friendly, helpful, informative, very nice people who obviously enjoy what they are doing. Robyn did a great job finding our hotel in Florence and arranging our tickets to the Accademia and the Uffizi. She always answered my pre-trip questions promptly and completely. It was the trip of a lifetime, and we loved it! I cannot imagine how it could have been made any better. Joseph T., LA

Villa was very nice - beautiful grounds and accommodations. Loved the location...Lucca is a beautiful city. Enjoyed all of the side trips-especially to Chianti (would have liked to spend more time at the shops there, but it was a full day with the visits to the wineries). Trip to the farmer's market at Pistoia was also wonderful...I truly felt like we'd stepped back in time. Also enjoyed seeing the olive pressing, which was arranged at the last minute by our host. Cooking lessons were excellent. Would have liked to do more hands on...less chopping of vegetables, more cooking of the dishes. Pasta making was a highlight of the cooking lessons-I feel confident that I can make my own pasta at home, and have already purchased the attachment for my Kitchen Aid. We were well prepared for our trip and everything went very smoothly. International Kitchen staff were wonderful. All of my questions were answered promptly. Karen is extremely knowledgeable and provided valuable insights into the areas of Tuscany to visit. I've already recommended The International Kitchen to several friends. Thank you for making our vacation very special! Susan V., VA

Mum and i had a really fantastic time on our cooking tour. My mum raves about it to everyone she meets, we are both recommending it highly. It was an amazing experience, and the hightlight of our 5 week trip! The food and wine were delicious, it was first class dining all the time, the villa was beautiful an the company was great. Its the best tour I've done to date, everthing was taken care of. Anything I needed Julia and Valter did their best to arrange. We've already starting practising our recipes and putting into practice valters tips. Dvora, Australia

The villa was extremely well maintained. They villa staff was so helpful and friendly! The other participants were really awesome - all of us really "clicked". The food was amazing and our chef Valter Roman was very knowledgeable and friendly. Great food, great wine and new friends! I would recommend this trip to anyone! Robert W., Toronto, Canada

I loved my week cooking with the Tuscan Chef. Everything was just perfect, from the villa to the classes to the staff and all of the little extras! I will certainly consider doing this kind of a trip again real soon. Valter the chef and his team were excellent, always available to answer any questions and went above and beyond thier duty. Lesley J., Toronto

Valter and Julia provide an outstanding program. They are exceedingly pleasant and flexible doing everything possible to make the experience unforgettable. The food was outstanding and Valter's culinary abilities are amazing. He has such a knack for sharing his skills with those of us who are certainly not as accomplished as he. I am not certain I could put in words how wonderful I thought the entire experience was. The accomadations far exceeded what I was envisioning, the food outstanding and the classes fun. The only drawback is the new wardrobe I have to buy to accomadate the inches I gained. I would not hesitate to refer people there...in fact, already have! {The International Kitchen] staff was absolutely outstanding! Jeffrey P., NM

It was the best vacation of my life! No stress and learning everyday. Everyhing I learned I can use at home to improve the quality of our meals and life. There were so many special moments it's hard to pick just a few. The accommodations were excellent, the weather perfect, the food delicious, the atomosphere was relaxed but every day there were new things to learn and try. Susan D., VA

This was my first trip to Europe and it exceed all my expectations. Valter was an excellent and patient teacher with a great sense of humor, as well as being a charming host. His wife and children, along with the wonderful pair of Bartek and Myka, made me feel part of a big family. The accommodations and weather were glorious. The food was exceptional. I especially enjoyed dining al fresco with a lovely view of the countryside. I've already made several dishes and my husband thoroughly enjoyed them. Thank you for helping make this an experience I will never forget! Mille grazie! Diane S., VA P.S. [The hotel reservations in Florence] were also terrific. The staff was most helpful. Simona was able to get reservations at the Uffizzi when it would have been impossible for us to do so and Valentina gave us some superb recommendations for dinner at local restaurants not haunted by tourists. The hotel was in a great location and we were able to get around very easily. Thank you for all of your help!

We had a wonderful time [...] it was one of the best weeks of our lives. The chef and his wife, Bartek, Micah--all fabulous people. And the little babies, we fell in love with them. We hope to go back. Thanks for all of the help International Kitchen. You were fabulous. Bill & Linda S., FL

As for the chef ... Bravissimo! Valter is not only a great chef but he is also an excellent and patient teacher! He is charming and entertaining and has created a perfect menu which covers foods that everyone would be interested in. We learned so many things that you can’t get from a cookbook. L&J, NY

Everything was well organized. All I had to do was show up at the train station. The villa was a luxurious place to live for a week.We had many cooking lessons with a talented chef, Valter Roman. He did a lot of hands on teaching. In addition, we were introduced to the right kinds of wines to serve with our creations, instruction on choosing and using pots, pans, and equipment, and shown creative ways to present our food. I have no negative comments about this course. Kate G.

I have been regaling my husband about our stay with you. He is looking forward to my practicing what I have learned this past week. I had a marvellous time, learned so much, and all the experiences of Lucca, Pistoia, Chianti, Pisa were so special. I could not stop raving about your beautiful villa, warm hospitality and delicious food. I am spoiled forever!! JB, CT