Visit Valpolicella & Verona
Study Trip | Culinary Arts | Spring 2026
Study Trip | Culinary Arts | Spring 2026
The study trip program is crafted
|
During the bi-annual 3-day study trip in the Valpolicella and Verona region, the international students of the Culinary Arts course visit Slow Food Verona Ovest APS, the local chapter of Slow Food, and immerse themselves into the Slow Food world. The program combines immersive field visits and hands-on experiences that perfectly embody the spirit of the Slow Food Movement. This experiential study trip is here to learn more about Slow Food, showcase the importance of supporting the accessibility of good, clean and fair food for everyone on this planet and encourage students to reflect on how to weave these principles into their future careers and personal lifestyles.
The movement "Slow Food" originated in Italy in 1986, founded by Carlo Petrini. Today this movement has spread over all continents of the world, involving millions of people in over 160 countries, working to ensure everyone has access to good, clean and fair food.
Slow Food envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet. Our approach is based on a concept of food that is defined by three interconnected principles: good, clean and fair.
Quality, flavorsome and healthy food
Production that does not harm the environment
Accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions and pay for producers
Discovering the authentic tastes, traditions, and producers of the Verona region.
Since 2022, students of the Culinary Arts course embark on 3-day study trip across the Valpolicella and Verona region, scheduled in spring and fall. Through field visits and hands-on experiences, students connect deeply with the land, its people and local culinary and winemaking traditions and gain firsthand insight into the sustainable practices behind good, clean, and fair food. Under the guidance of EHL Passugg Culinary Arts Lecturer and Executive Chef Alfred Zuberbühler, alongside local Slow Food experts Cristina Piazza and Flavio Marchesini, students meet farmers, cheesemakers, winemakers, extra virgin olive oil producers, food artisans and restaurateurs.They also participate in hands-on workshops on fresh pasta and pizza making. The trip culminates with a visit to the Earth Market, a vibrant Slow Food market where students connect directly with small-scale producers and food artisans, discovering their stories, their care for the land, and their good, clean and fair products.
Tortellini in the making…
Pastificio La Taiadela is renowned for its artisanal production of tortellini di Valeggio. The tortellino features a delicate, hand-rolled dough wrapped around a tender meat or vegetable filling. Fresh, high-quality ingredients are carefully selected and handcrafted according to traditional recipes, ensuring an authentic and exceptional taste. You'll help prepare the filling, cut the dough, and master the art of perfectly sealing the tortellini. The best performer gets a prize! The experience concludes with a tasting of various tortellini, including the classic beef and pork with raw ham, and seasonal vegetable fillings, paired with local wine and sbrisolona, a traditional Veronese dessert.
Say cheeeese …
Latteria Agricola San Pietro is a cooperative dairy producing Grana Padano PDO. This dairy has introduced a special production line from selected farms, where cows are fed exclusively with hay from the area of the upper Mantua plain. During aging, the flavors of the line Grana Padano Selezione Fieno intensify, creating a cheese with unique flavors. Annual production of Grana Padano is around 70,000 wheels. The visit includes the production process and warehouse tour and tasting of 24 & 36-month Grana Padano Selezione Fieno with a glass of local wine.
All around Slow Food
We will conclude the first day of our study trip with a family dinner featuring products from the Sommacampagna Slow Food Earth Market at the home of Flavio and Cristina, our Slow Food guides. It's a great opportunity to learn more about Slow Food, the region, and the people of Valpolicella and the Verona area, with the special presence of a producer from the Slow Food Earth Market who will present their products during dinner.
Wine? Yes please, but….
During our Slow food dinner we will have the opportunity to learn about organic and sustainable wine making. The winery “La Pesenata” follows certified organic and biodynamic farming practices, minimizing chemical use and promoting a balanced agricultural ecosystem. It contributes to environmental innovation through the BioCO₂‑TRAPPING project, which transforms captured CO₂ into bioplastics using advanced biotechnology.
Olio d’oliva at it’s best
Due to its unique latitude and particular breezes, Lake Garda and its hinterland's enjoys a Mediterranean microclimate, making it one of the most northerly olive groves on the planet. At the foot of Monte Pizzoccolo, the Tezza family cultivates their lush, centuries-old olive groves to preserve and renew the natural and cultural heritage passed down through generations. From their olives in organic conversion, selected from indigenous varieties, they extract high-quality extra virgin olive oil every October. Produced in a short time from harvest by cold extraction in their own oil mill, it captures the unique aromas and flavors of this special place. Here at Il Giogo mill, you’ll discover how extra virgin olive oil is made, from pressing to bottling, and taste their exceptional oils.
La soppressa Veronese
In the hills of Valpolicella there is this small producer of the local specialty “La soppressa Veronese”. A family-owned business which grows its own pigs for their production and work with recipes which are handed over from one generation to the next. We will have the chance to sample some of their products, including “Cotechino”, a specialty which is traditionally made for the festive season.
Simplicity, tradition and quality
Fresh pasta crafters for 4 generations, their cuisine seeks to preserve the culinary traditions and flavours of the Venetian region and recipes handed down through the years . You will learn the art of crafting fresh pasta dough, rolling it out using a rolling pin and shaping tagliatelle, tagliolini, pappardelle you'll enjoy with a selection of traditional sauces at lunch.
Wines of Valpolicella
Venturini Winery is a family-run winery in Valpolicella. Now in its third generation, the estate spans 12 hectares of terraced vineyards, producing Valpolicella wines. You’ll stroll through the terraced vineyards, learn about the terroir, explore the wine cellar and discover the winemaking techniques, including the appassimento drying process, used to produce Amarone and Recioto wine. Finally you'll sample a selection of their wines.
The cellar of wines
Dating back to the 16th century, when Verona was part of the Republic of Venice, this small osteria was a meeting point for merchants and citizens. Over the centuries, it became famous as a gathering place for artists and intellectuals to converse over a glass of Valpolicella. The wooden tables, ancient bottles and photographs lined up along the walls still evoke the osterie of the past. Its ancient wine cellar, down its stone steps, boasts a selection of international labels and around 120 wines available daily by the glass. Here, you can savor Veronese dishes like risotto all'Amarone or pair cicchetti (Venetian finger foods) with your choice of wine
Welcome from the mayor
During his welcome speech the Major will introduce the students to Sommacampagna, a charming town which has been the site of two historic battles during Italy's independence wars and that is well known for its local products like Custoza DOC wine and the Broccoletto di Custoza, a broccoli-like vegetable. Soomacampagna is also proud to host important events like the bi-monthly Slow Food Earth Market and the annual Food Festival dedicated to the Broccoletto di Custoza that is a Slow Food Presidio.
Slow Food in Sommacampagna …
A place where food is good, clean, and fair, bringing together 30 to 40 local farmers, producers, and food artisans selected by Slow Food Verona Ovest. Here, you can discover and take home some of the best products the region has to offer, straight from the source
Make your own Pizza, the Italian way…
The Master pizzaiolo will teach you the techniques for making the perfect Italian pizza from scratch. He'll guide you through preparing the dough, revealing tips and tricks, shaping it, adding toppings, and cooking it in a wood-fired oven. And to top it all off, you'll get to taste your delicious creations
Flavio Marchesini and Cristina Piazza, Slow Food Verona Ovest Convivium leaders
Cristina and Flavio live in Sona, nestled in the hills between Verona and Lake Garda. This happily married couple has three wonderful children: Pablo, a chef who's returned home after his last work experience in Switzerland as Chef of Campigiana at EHL Passugg Campus; Xenia, an EHL alumna managing with her husband the family restaurant in Obernai, France; and Carlos, working in finance in Monaco.
Cristina, with a Master's in International Law, has worked as a lawyer for the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Geneva headquarters and in different countries on war.
Flavio is an expert in the field of IT, graphics, and publishing. He also collaborate with Slow Food Editore, providing the publishing house with tailor-made software for managing Slow Food Guides (Osterie d'Italia, Slow Wine, Beers Guide, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Guide).
The whole family is multilingual and considers themselves global citizens (Cristina's Swiss, Italian, and Peruvian; Flavio's Italian and Swiss). Food, wine, and travel are some of their passions.
Every year, they produce extra virgin olive oil from their Lake Garda hillside olive trees.
Their journey with Slow Food began 20 years ago, and they've since become leaders of the local Slow Food Convivium: Slow Food Verona Ovest. With energy, passion, and dedication, they bring the Slow Food philosophy to life through the events and activities they organize, such as the Slow Food Earth Market in Sommacampagna. Their mission is to promote a sustainable food culture and biodiversity, build connections between local producers and consumers, and raise awareness about some of the most pressing issues affecting our food system.
Hotel Saccardi & Spa, Caselle di Sommacampagna - VR
Hotel Saccardi & SPA is a 4-star hotel with 126 rooms which is well known for the high quality of the services provided and for its strategic location. The hotel, in business since 1990, is owned by Marco Saccardi who manages it personally together with his daughter Giulia.
The Cost of the room include:
- 2 nights stay in double room occupancy
- Breakfast
- Access to indoor saltwater swimming pool heated at 30 °C and to outdoor garden and pool
- Access to gym equipped with Technogym
- Access to Wellness Center (700 m2, completely renovated and open 7am - 9pm, upon reservation: sauna, steam bath, Jacuzzi, multi-sensory showers, relaxing area, ice fountain (massages and aesthetic treatments available on request and upon payment)
- Wi-Fi
All the locations we will visit during our tour.