Bologna & Liguria with Felipe Riccio & June Rodil

Benvenuto in Italia! We begin our culinary tour in Bologna, the culinary heart of Italy. After settling in at the hotel, we set off on a brief walking tour to get our bearings in this historic city. The red porticoes glow in the late afternoon light, and every corner hums with conversation and the scent of espresso and baked sfogliatelle. Alongside a local guide, we wind through medieval alleyways, past Gothic towers and hidden courtyards, gathering a first impression of the city’s distinct rhythm.

Back at the hotel, there’s time to refresh before we gather again for our welcome dinner at a beloved local trattoria. Whether it’s the silky tortellini in brodo or a perfectly caramelized crescentina, the Emilian table offers a warm, generous introduction to the region’s rich culinary tradition.

We start the day in Modena, a city where fast cars, opera, and deeply rooted culinary heritage converge. First stop: the bustling Albinelli Market, where butchers call out orders and produce stalls overflow with fragrant herbs, purple artichokes, and bright citrus. Here, we’ll shop for the day’s ingredients alongside our cooking host. Back in the kitchen, the city’s flavors come alive through our own hands—perhaps with passatelli, hand-rolled gnocchi, or a rich ragù simmered to perfection. Our lunch is the fruits of our labor, shared with good wine and great company.

In the afternoon, we stop at a historic balsamic vinegar factory, where five generations of vinegar-makers have tended wooden casks of aging balsamico in hushed attic rooms. The scent here is syrupy, oaky, and faintly spiced—balsamic that has seen decades pass.

After tastings that awaken the palate, we return to Bologna for time to relax and enjoy dinner independently.

This morning, we head toward the hills of Zocca, where the air is cooler and the land is stitched with chestnut trees and quiet pasture. At a historic mountain dairy, we learn the centuries-old craft of Parmigiano-Reggiano production. The stars here are the Bianca Modenese cows, whose rich milk is transformed into fragrant wheels of cheese.

After sampling fresh and aged varieties, we join a local tartufai for a truffle hunt in the forested hills. The hush of the woods, the earthy scent of damp leaves, the sudden excitement of discovery—it’s a ritual unchanged for generations. Once we’ve had our fill of uncovering an afternoon’s worth of truffles, we’ll return to Bologna for a well-earned Michelin-starred dinner.

Today, we trace a path from the hillsides of Modena to the sunlit coast of Liguria. Our morning begins inside the world of Parmigiano Reggiano, where we continue our exploration of cheesemaking and taste varying maturations along the way and sitting down for a light lunch.

After, we continue west to a local winery, nestled among terraced vineyards above the Ligurian Sea. Here, we’re introduced to their innovative underwater wine-aging technique, which involves submerging bottles in the sea for months. The result: textured, mineral-rich wines best appreciated over a coastal lunch overlooking the water.

We arrive in Chiavari by late afternoon, check into our hotel, and have time to unwind before dinner at a nearby restaurant that captures the spirit of Ligurian cuisine—bright, herbal, and kissed with olive oil and salt air.

This morning, we delve into Liguria’s artisanal heritage. At a local woodworking atelier, we meet a craftsman preserving ancient techniques by carving boat parts, rolling pins, and boards from fragrant regional woods. The scent of sawdust and varnish fills the air as we observe the delicate balance of tradition and precision.

Next, we stop at a beloved local bakery in Camogli, to learn the art of Focaccia di Recco. There’s nothing quite like its warm, delicate layers cradling melted cheese with a hint of sea salt. Afterward, there’s time to wander the harbor at your own pace, past shuttered storefronts, fishermen mending nets along the marina, and piazzas where espresso cups clink well into the afternoon. Then, lunch gathers us back together over the flavors of the Ligurian Sea.

Later, after settling into Chiavari and a quiet pause at the hotel, the evening opens inside the home of a local family for dinner. Here, pesto del Tigullio is prepared the traditional way: basil crushed slowly by mortar and pestle, pine nuts and Parmigiano folded in by hand, stories shared across the kitchen table as dinner begins to take shape.

Start the morning by heading inland to Borgonovo, where we meet a small olive oil cooperative preserving centuries-old traditions. Here, the millstones grind slowly and the air is thick with the aroma of crushed fruit. After tasting grassy, peppery oils, we move to a nearby hazelnut grove where the shade is dappled and the harvest is humble but prized.

Lunch and the rest of the afternoon are yours to embellish before we reconvene for an evening together. Our final dinner is a full-circle celebration at a slow-food trattoria, where Liguria’s land and sea come together in exquisite form. We raise a glass and settle in for a meal that lingers into the evening, rich in stories and local pride.

After a final breakfast overlooking the sea or the garden, we say our farewells. Whether continuing your journey onward or heading home, you leave with a deeper sense of Italy’s regional identity—its flavors, its rhythms, and the communities who have lovingly preserved them. Until next time. Ciao!