Tuscany & Piedmont with the Voltaggio Brothers

Benvenuto to Italy!  Our first day in this idyllic landscape is all about settling in. We’ll leave the airport in Turin and head to Pollenzo, weaving through the green meadows of black-eyed susans, and witnessing the burnt orange of persimmons as they lend their color to vineyards that produce some of the world’s finest wines.

After checking into our country estate, we will officially begin our journey with hors d’oeuvres and scratch cocktails outside our hotel. We’ll raise a glass with Bryan and Michael and toast to the adventures ahead. 

We begin the day by heading to the nearby village of Barbaresco. Awaiting us there are Milva and Renoto Fennochio, renowned winegrowers with a diverse portfolio of award-winning vintages. After a personal tour of their vineyards and cellar, we’ll taste their organic Barbarescos and toast to our dynamic hosts, Michael and Bryan Voltaggio.

From Barbaresco, we’re driving through vine-covered hills and fortified villages to reach Bra, a storybook town known as the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. We’ll be just in time for Cheese, the highly-anticipated Slow Food festival celebrating the best of raw-milk cheese and dairy products. As we wind down Bra’s cobbled streets, we’ll chat with the farmers, cheesemakers, and affineurs behind Slow Food’s most esteemed formaggi, sampling cured meats, honeys, chutneys, and other local fare as we go. We’ll end the day with dinner at one of Bra’s Slow Food trattorias before heading back for the hotel, lulled to sleep with memories of fine wine and company.

Pollenzo is a tiny town resplendent with ancient roots. This morning, we’ll step outside our hotel to explore the Roman amphitheaters and temples next door, then wander among more than 100,000 bottles of Italy’s rarest and most celebrated wines in the University of Gastronomic Science’s Wine Bank. 

From Pollenzo, we’ll make the scenic drive north to Papa dei Boschi, a family-owned farm producing Italy’s favorite hazelnut: the Tonda Gentile delle Langhe. With owners Jose and Marina Noé as our guides, we’ll learn about the unique heritage of this delicate nut while sampling the family’s line of artisanal hazelnut snacks, creams, and pastes. Our nocciola masterclass is rounded out by the Voltaggio brothers, who will share their favorite recipes.

Lunch today is at a local favorite: Reppublica di Perno, a Michelin-star bistro where regional classics come to life in the rustic, open-view kitchen. Buoyed by our vitello tonnato and bagna cauda, we’ll head to the hilltop town of La Morra for a Barolo tasting, then take it the sights at Piazza Municipio—it’s the best spot in town for soaking up panoramas of Piedmont in all her autumnal glory.

Our day takes us through storied towns and ancient villages, but first thing’s first: cheese. Fresh burrata and mozzarella di bufala are the stars of the show at our private cheesemaking workshop in the medieval town of Costigliole d’Asti.  

From there, we’ll head to the namesake village of our illustrious tastemakers: Voltaggio. Nestled within the historic province of Alessandria, the village of Voltaggio counts 800 residents and one of the most renowned galleries of monastic art in Italy. Filled with sacred paintings dating back to the 15th century, the collection hosts work by storied names the likes of Luca Cambiaso and Paolo Pagani. This visit will be truly special for the Voltaggio brothers, tracing their roots and — who knows — maybe bumping into a long lost ancestor.

After lunch at one of the town’s intimate osterias, we’ll return to our hotel to refresh before reconvening for an evening aperitivo. Spellbound by the quiet lull of the vineyards, we’ll watch the sun set over Piedmont with a glass of local wine, then head back inside for what we’ve all been waiting for: pizza. The Voltaggio brothers will serve as our expert pizzaiolos, and we’ll help them roll out decadent pies topped with this morning’s fresh cheeses before toasting to a full day of sumptuous adventures.

Today we’re experiencing Emilia-Romagna in full force. After breakfast, we’ll indulge in Parma’s best salumi with seasoned culatello producers, then make our way to Modena for a tour of the city’s oldest acetaia. The family-owned estate is a cornerstone of ancient craftsmanship, and we’ll feel the full magnitude of Italy’s gastronomic legacy as we wander between hundreds of dusty barrels of Aceto Tradizionale Balsamico di Modena. After a tasting of the acetaia’s luxuriously aged balsamicos, we’ll gather for a lunch of regional specialties and listen in as the Voltaggio brothers share their favorite uses for balsamic in recipes both sweet and savory. 

Somehow, the day gets even better from here: Those with a need for speed will follow Michael and Bryan and hop into the driver’s seat of Italy’s most heralded supercar. Engines revving, we’ll take turns zipping around Modena’s race track in the one and only Ferrari 458!

Then we’re off to dinner at the legendary Osteria Francescana — twice named the best restaurant in the world!! — for a meal as nuanced and vibrant as Tuscany itself. 

Our morning begins with giant copper cauldrons, heavy wooden paddles, and hot branding irons. You guessed it — it’s Parmigiano Reggiano time! On our drive to a dairy cooperative where the inimitable cheese is produced, we’ll pass grassy pastures where Bianca Modenese cows season their milk with a hearty alpine diet of alfalfa, corn, and barley. It’s the first step in Parmigiano’s artisanal production process, which our guide and Casaro (master cheesemaker) will walk us through.

Our emiliani adventure continues at Amerigo 1934, an intimate osteria beloved by locals and the Michelin Guide alike. Traditional Bolognese cuisine is owner Alberto Bettini’s specialty; we’ll join him alongside apron-clad nonnas for an unforgettable tortellini-making workshop and lunch. These intrepid nonnas don’t speak English, so we’ll let the pasta do the talking and delight in the back and forth between Bryan, Michael and our local experts. 

The afternoon is yours to author. While you can enjoy some rest and relaxation in your hotel room, we’re also organizing a bonafide truffle hunt alongside a giddy truffle-hunting dog and an experienced local hunter who will help us root out the most prized fungi of them all: the Alba white truffle. 

After breakfast, we’ll pass through thick cypress groves and rolling Fiesole hills on our way to Fattoria di Maiana for an immersive olive oil experience. The picturesque agricultural estate is one of only 21 crus producing Laudemio, an emerald-green oil that’s the pride and joy of Tuscany. We’ll tour the Fattoria’s historic mill, then join the Voltaggio brothers in the botanic gardens for a hands-on masterclass in herbs and spices. After a tasting of Laudemio’s best, we’ll make the quick drive south to Florence for a rejuvenating afternoon siesta at the hotel.  

After that, it’s time to hit the streets for a walking tour of the city’s cinematic sights. As we wind down the same cobbled alleyways and piazzas that Boccaccio and Galileo once tread, it’s impossible not to feel the thrill of Florence’s unparalleled history. Dinner today is wholesome and fiercely local. At Al Tranvai — a humble, authentic Tuscan eatery and one of the last spots where Anthony Bourdain filmed — we’ll gather around picnic tables inside a tram car for some of the finest cucina povera in Tuscany.

Our day begins with a deep dive into Florence’s culinary heart: its markets, where local families and the city’s best chefs make their way through these winding shops and stalls to stock their kitchens with the freshest produce and choicest seafood. Alongside seasoned nonnas, we’ll rummage stands filled with fragrant olives, vibrant spices, and locally grown fruits and vegetables, selecting the best ones for our dinner tonight. Our guide, an expert in Florence’s foodie scene, will arm us with insider lunch recommendations to explore during our free afternoon.

Ever wonder what it feels like to enter a cooking competition? Our dinner experience tonight is straight from the script of a reality show. Our menu is a spirited cooking contest led by our favorite Top Chef veterans: Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. With a local Tuscan chef as our judge and referee, we’ll split into teams with Bryan and Michael to slice, season and sear our market produce until a winner is declared. (Spoiler alert: We’re all winners tonight!)

Still energized by last night’s lively cena, we’ll have the morning on our own before heading off to San Casciano Val di Pesa for a dreamy afternoon in the Tuscan countryside. Our destination is Fattoria Corzano e Paterno, a sprawling organic farm renowned for its fresh sheep cheeses, regional wines, and fragrant extra virgin olive oils — all produced within the 500 acres of the family-owned estate. 

We reconvene for lunch at the extraordinary Officina della Bistecca. Dario Cecchini is an international legend, Netflix star and the beating heart behind this cozy neighborhood restaurant and ethical butcher shop — he’s renowned throughout Italy for his commitment to honoring the animal and using all of its parts. Over a spread of seared carpaccio, Florentine steaks, and innovative vegetarian entrees, we’ll toast to the unparalleled splendor of a day well spent in Tuscany. 

It’s the perfect prelude to our farewell dinner tonight at Camillo, a cozy trattoria with a multigenerational legacy of serving up family-style Florentine cuisine. We’ll sample fresh cheeses, homemade pastas, and a classic Tuscan fry, rounded out by local olive oil and wines produced at the Camillo family’s farms.

After a final leisurely breakfast at the hotel — and our time together, exploring the backroads and culinary byways of Italy with the Voltaggios — we’ll make the quick 20- to 30- minute drive to the Florence airport where we’ll say arrivederci before our flights home.