The Academia Barilla Culinary Center is one of the “hot spots” of the fine cuisine world. Located in the heart of one of the world’s top gastronomic cities, Parma, Italy, it offers much for those interested in fine Italian food, from private cooking classes to gourmet tours to travel and cooking packages.
Academia Barilla classes are open to everyone, from professional chefs to cooking enthusiasts of all levels. While you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to attend the Academia Barilla classes, on occasion well-known culinary celebrities will stop by for a refresher course or just to visit. For instance, Academia Barilla recently welcomed American Cooking Network star and author Giada DeLaurentiis.
For those looking for authentic Italian cooking instruction, the Academia Barilla Culinary Center is a dream come true. Cooking-only classes can be arranged for individuals or groups and can range from a three-hour class to a full three days. Classes are 100% hands-on and tailored to the students’ interests. Cooking classes can also be combined with gourmet tours of the region and its specialties. There are no set schedules for classes—Academia Barilla can arrange the instruction to fit the student’s schedule and availability.
Classes are customized for the individual or group’s interest. For instance, for those whose passion is truffles, a class can be centered on that delicacy (in truffle season, of course), or if the student is a dessert chef, the classes will be focused on desserts. Instruction is by top professional Italian chefs, in English when appropriate, and is backed by the Barilla family name.
The Academia Barilla Culinary Center features a 16-station state-of-the-art kitchen for instruction and a 90-seat amphitheater for lectures. For cooking-only instruction, Academia Barilla offers three-hour, full-day, two-day, and three-day classes. The session generally ends with a tasting of the items prepared in the class.
For those who are short on time, Academia Barilla offers a convenient three-hour cooking class, conducted by one of Academia Barilla’s English-speaking international chefs. This half-day class can be either a morning session or an afternoon session.
During the full-day class, cooking enthusiasts will learn to prepare authentic regional dishes, unless they have a stated preference for another type of instruction. This five-hour session will be guided and assisted by one of the Academia Barilla top chefs.
The two-day class gives guests an additional day of working with an Academia Barilla chef to continue instruction in the culinary art of authentic Italian cuisine. This day can be used for a more in-depth exploration into such topics as seasonal sauces, regional dishes, intricate pastas, or pizzas.
A three-day class provides an opportunity for serious “foodies” or cooking enthusiasts to get more in-depth instruction. The third day could also include a trip to the local markets accompanied by a private chef/instructor who will help students identify and purchase local goods. After the early morning market tour, students will continue their session at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center.
Parma and the Emilia-Romagna region are home to many well-known culinary specialties. So it’s only natural that Academia Barilla combines cooking and touring, with the gourmet tour conducted during the morning session and the cooking class held at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center in the afternoon. For a deeper immersion, the Full-Day Deluxe Gourmet Tour is an excellent way to experience Emilia-Romagna’s famous products. On this tour, students will visit a producer of Parmigiano Reggiano, a maker of Prosciutto di Parma, and tour one of the traditional Balsamic vinegar lofts of Modena.
To take its offerings a step further, Academia Barilla offers 13 cooking/touring packages which may also include cultural interests (as well as accommodations). For instance, there is “Classic Parma,” for food lovers who would like to explore the capital of Italy’s FoodValley. Some of the other packages offered include: “Fast Cars & Slow Food,” “Food & Wine,” “Food and Wellness,” “Medieval Flavors,” and “Opera and Food.”
To complement its many forms of instruction is the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, the largest culinary library in the world, with some volumes dating back to the 16th century. The Academia Barilla Culinary Center is located on the site of the original Barilla pasta factory; the building was designed by the renowned architect Renzo Piano.
By Michael Ardizzone
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