For this weekend only, The Kitchen is to excited to be hosting two guest chefs from Florence, Italy: Chef Laura Franceschetti and Chef Gianluca Somigli of “Cooking in Florence.ƒ? When cooking, serving, or instructing, Laura and Gianluca prefer to engage with participants, share stories, and tell jokes. Laura (Gianluca says) is the preeminent lady of the house, the padrona di casa, while Gianluca (Laura says) is the creative force, a “gypsy chefƒ? with global experience. Respectively from Florence and Fiesole, they were both raised in Tuscan families where top-shelf, seasonal ingredients were prioritized over everything else in the kitchen. When that sort of attitude is in your blood, Laura says “Everything we do revolves around our love for the table.ƒ??ÿ Don’t they sound like a perfect fit for The Kitchen?

With these two leading the class, youƒ??ll learn the Italian techniques used while embracing a leisurely Florentine cena (dinner). Laura and Gianluca will guide you through a delightful sampling of four traditional courses: aperitivo, primo, secondi, and of course, dolce. Youƒ??ll learn why Italians always start with the freshest of ingredients, and how to bring out the best flavors in those ingredients.?ÿ

On the menu: aperitivo: Tuscan black crostini ~ primo: hand-made gnocchi with seasonal vegetable sauce ~ secondi: Italian rolled and stuffed chicken ~ dolce: chocolate gelato with almond biscotti

A glass of lovely Italian wine will shared at the beginning of class, and again with dinner.

As always, the class culminates in a family style meal served at our beautiful barnwood tables.