Italian Culinary Experience
The Italian Culinary Experience will forever change how you think about life and food by exposing you to the language, cuisine, and culture of Italy. In this immersive seven-month program, you'll study cooking hands-on in our New York cooking school and in Parma, Italy, learning principles that are vital to an authentic understanding of Italian culinary traditions.
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Authenticity from Day One
No country in the world combines its passion for food, family, friends, and daily life more than Italy. So learning to become a top Italian cook requires intense training in more than just Italian cooking techniques and traditional recipes of Northern and Southern Italy. It also demands full immersion in Italian language and culture. This is the focus of the Italian Culinary Experience and provides one of the most well-rounded and authentic training programs available anywhere for the aspiring Italian cook.
Immerse Yourself in the Cuisine and Culture of Italy
As a student in The Italian Culinary Experience, you'll find yourself totally immersed in Italian culture, learning to speak and comprehend the language as you also become adept at preparing classic Italian cuisine. You'll learn up close and hands-on from top chef-instructors in an environment that's fast paced and inspiring. You'll master fresh and filled pastas, from ravioli to agnolotti to tortellini, and create a variety of fillings and sauces. You'll prepare such Italian staples as risotto, polenta, and pizza. You'll learn how to work with fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, and game, preparing recipes featuring lamb, chicken, duck, quail, and rabbit. You'll even become skilled in creating classic Italian pastries and desserts.
Learn the Classics Where They Became Classic
Our unique Italian culinary curriculum divides your time between The International Culinary Center's campus in New York City and Colorno (located near Parma) in Italy to bring you the most exciting and well-rounded training ever created for the aspiring Italian cook. The program's curriculum was designed by our dean of Italian Studies, the renowned New York chef Cesare Casella of Salumeria Rosi in Manhattan.
Your intensive training begins with 10 weeks in New York City studying Italian culinary techniques, cuisine, culture, cooking terms, and language. Then, you're off to Italy, where you'll spend nine exhilarating weeks training at our partner school, ALMA, The International School of Italian Cuisine.
Be a Student, See the World
At ALMA your Total ImmersionSM training takes on an added dimension. In fully equipped teaching and cooking facilities located in the Palazzo Ducale in Colorno, you'll learn the cuisines of Italy's 20 regions from expert Italian chefs. Trips to local production centers for such products as Parma ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, truffles, and Italian cuisine.
To sharpen your skills even further, you'll spend an additional nine weeks working in the kitchen of a noted Italian restaurant. Training will be intense, exhilarating, and life changing. Inspired by your depth of understanding, you'll return to ALMA for your finals: a practical exam that will be evaluated by a panel of esteemed Italian chefs and your chef-instructors. You'll graduate with the tools you need to not only create excellent, authentic Italian cuisine, but to pursue your dreams in the culinary industry.
Can’t Move to Italy?
We understand if you can’t commit 18 weeks in a foreign country, but we still think it’s important to visit the region you’re studying. That’s why we’ve designed an Italian Culinary Experience program where you can study in New York and then take an 8-day, guided tour through Italy. You’ll start off in Parma where you’ll visit a Parmigiano Reggiano farm. Then you’ll move on to a Parma Ham Farm where the owner will explain how he cures his hams, and of course, you’ll be able to taste the difference between different aged prosciuttos. You’ll visit Modena where authentic balsamic vinegar is produced, and you’ll travel south to Florence where you’ll visit olive oil farms, Tuscan markets, and vineyards. And this is just a taste of what you’d experience on this tour. You’ll see and taste more food than you’d ever think was possible in eight days.