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Health & Fitness

Westchester Resident Helps Italian Cooking School Create Curriculum

A year ago, Stefano Corvucci, founder of Italy's Culinary Institute of Bologna, visited Marv Alpert at his home in Tarrytown, NY, and together they devised a unique concept for a new type of cooking school. 

They envisioned classes that could be customized for each student; pupils would learn how to cook the specific dishes they requested. The level of instruction would vary depending on whether the student was a novice tourist, a seasoned cook or a professional chef. Classes would be taught by English-speaking chefs.

Corvucci and Alpert were familiar with different aspects of the restaurant industry. Corvucci, a chef and owner of two successful trattorias, has been in the restaurant business in Bologna for 25 years. Alpert has helped American restaurants develop promotional programs, conduct e-mailing campaigns and embrace marketing-related technology.

The lessons would involve completely hands-on participation (not group/classroom demonstrations) by students from start to finish and the students would participate at their own workstations.

Their concept is now fully operational in Bologna.

Registrants can sign up for a half-day of instruction (either a lunch or a dinner) or a full day (lunch and dinner) and pick the dishes to be cooked. The class members are escorted to the marketplace early in the morning to buy the necessary meal ingredients including meat, produce, fish, pastries and other needed grocery products. 

Attendees can register for as little as a half-day, for a few days or even a few weeks.

In order for each student to receive step-by-step attention, no more than six students are taught by an instructor at one time. Some courses require a minimum registration of two people.

"The students work with authentic Emilia Romagna recipes, many of which were handed down for centuries," Alpert said. 

Special intensive one-day, two-day and one-week courses are available for professional chefs only. 

Standardized courses also offered

Standard subject matter is also taught and includes:

  • Special 4.5-hour classes on topics such as "How to Make Italian Pastries" and "Secrets for Making Delicious Preserves and Jams" 
  • Traditional, hand-made pasta classes at which students use 38-inch rolling pins 
  • Gluten-free cooking classes (several dishes are covered)
  • Simplified cooking classes for children (minors must be accompanied by an adult)
Americans planning unescorted trips to Italy can contact the school to reserve specific dates for enrollment in classes. "Our on-line booking system advises status of availability instantly," Alpert said.

Arrangements can be made for people not enrolled in cooking classes but traveling or vacationing with students to join them for lunch or dinner and receive the same food their companions prepared.

For additional information about Corvucci, see "Head of New Italian Culinary School Visits Local Restaurants," Tarrytown-Sleeply Hollow Patch, May 25, 2012., tarrytown.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/head-of-italian-culinary-school-visits-local-restaurants

The Culinary Institute of Bologna is located at Via Augusto Righi 30 in Bologna, Italy. 

To register or check class availablity, go to www.cookingclassesinbologna.com.
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