ITALCOOK in JESI ITAL.COOK – The Higher Institute of Gastronomy – School of Italian Regional Cooking is located in Jesi, in the region of Le Marche. The School was born in 2003 according to a project between the Municipality of Jesi and Slow Food Italy. The Institute organizes culinary courses on Italian traditional cuisine for foreign and Italian students, aspiring chefs, chefs and food lovers.
The Institute
ITAL.COOK is located in Jesi, a town of 40.000 inhabitants in the region of Le Marche which, due to its central position in Italy, is an important converging point of the various regional cuisines of Italy. Learn more..
Programmes
The lessons are carried out from Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, with a break for lunch. Each Friday the School will provide folders with recipes, information and the program of the following week that have to be brought at School each day. Firstly the information about monothematic lessons.
The weekends are free for students to do as they wish.
Certificates and Diplomas
Diploma of Slow Food Master Italian Cooking School.
Teaching Materials
The first day, the students are introduced to the school with an overview of the Master Course syllabus, distribution of uniforms and shoes (apron, jacket and hat), kitchen tool kits, school policies, and other necessary administrative items. From the second day onward comes the work in the kitchen with the study and execution of traditional recipes from the regions of Italy. Each two days a new chef will come at School with whom the Students will study and prepare the traditional recipes of his region.
The presentation of each region begins with a short historical introduction and description of the region, with its relevant territorial characteristics, raw materials, ingredients, production methods and qualities. Some products (for example, Slow Food Presidia products) are brought by the chefs from their respective regions. From there the chefs explain and prepare the day’s dishes directly with the students. During lunch, dishes which have been prepared during the morning will be tasted, evaluated, and paired with the wines of that day’s region.
Methodology
Working with small groups has been the choice for the chef instructors. This concept gives direct connection and relationship between students and chef instructors during work in the teaching kitchen. This furthers the experiences and professional skills of the students. The class size also gives students an advantage of experiencing their lessons in a kitchen that is in a realistic setting, for communicating, making comparison experience and professional competence (skills).
As cultural choice, the lessons are conducted in Italian, although there is translation into English, Japanese and Chinese in. However, in order to better grasp the impact of the instructors, it is necessary to understand and speak basic Italian. ItalCook strongly advises all students to attend the Italian language course that is held two weeks before the starting date of the Masters’.
Social and Cultural Activities
During the week-ends students can rent a car and go to visit interesting places, towns, food exhibition and the school help them to find the best event for them.
Accommodation
Youth Hostel or B&B in the town of Jesi.
Excursions and Visits
During the cooking course we go to visit wineries, cheese and salumi factories, olive oil production and taste the products.