Interlude on Lake Orta
Orta San Giulio (Lake Orta), Piedmont

About the Location: Lake Orta has long been a favorite of tourists thanks to the quiet beauty of the landscape, its fascinating history and its wealth of artistic treasures—principally Romanesque and Baroque architecture. The lake lies to the west of Lake Maggiore in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. It is a minor star in the constellation of the subalpine lakes, but all the fascination and the history of the larger lakes seem to be concentrated in this lovely place. It is considered the most romantic lake in Northern Italy and has inspired poets like Browning. In the town of Orta San Giulio lies the Hotel Villa Crespi, an elegant four-star villa hotel of unique Moorish style. The hotel is reputed to have been built by a spurned suitor who was rejected for not having enough wealth. He left Italy to make his fortune and when he returned built this monument to his vast fortune! The 14 room deluxe hotel offers every amenity, including marble bathrooms and authentic antique furniture, all set amidst a beautiful, sprawling parklike setting on the lake.

About the cookery courses: Your hands-on lessons will be with the talneted chef of the hotel, Antonino Cannavacciuolo. He has received numerous awards, including recognition by Gambero Rosso with the award of Three Forks, and the award of a Michelin star in 2003, and a second Michelin star in 2006. He catered gala dinners during the Olympics in Turin, has appeared on Italian television and has been widely covered in major newspapers and magazines. Chef Tony says “I like to give my customer some emotions which must not be flat and to transmit him something ‘true’ through my cuisine. My dish can be a remake of tradition or simply something new, according to my feeling on that special moment and product.” This is a man passionate about his craft!