The Fundamentals of Contemporary Cuisine: The 5-Act Journey - Tuesday, September 22-29, October 6-13-20, 2026

5 practical and fully operational lessons on our brand new Convivial Island to conquer kitchen anxiety, starting from absolute zero up to preparing a complete menu.

•  When: Every Tuesday evening, from September 22 to October 20, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

•  Where: Via Silvio Spaventa 9, Bergamo.

"I don't know how to do anything, can I still participate?"

If this is the question you're asking yourself, the answer is an absolute yes.

This course is not for aspiring chefs or for those who already cook like a professional. It has been designed specifically for beginners, for those who are afraid to even pick up a knife or fear they "aren't good enough."

If you think you are a hopeless case in the kitchen, you are in the right place. Guiding you step-by-step will be Vincenza Yvette D'Orazio, a certified AICI (Italian Cooking Teachers Association) cooking instructor. With over 6 years of experience teaching absolute beginners, Vincenza perfectly understands your fears. Her mission is not to judge you, but to take you by the hand, instill confidence, and help you discover that cooking well is a technique that everyone – absolutely everyone – can learn.

🤝 NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND: THE CONVIVIAL ISLAND FORMULA

Forget old-fashioned cooking classes with aligned school desks, where the shyest hide in the back and are forgotten.

• The Welcoming Island: In our Atelier, we all work together around a single large Convivial Island with 20 workstations. You will have your own space, your own tools, and you will always be very close to Vincenza, who will be able to follow and gently correct you through every single step.

• An active role, without anxiety: Cooking is a team effort. You will have an active role in every preparation, but at your own pace. No one will rush you, no one will judge you. We will experiment, make mistakes, and learn together.

• We cook and eat together: There are no separate dining rooms. Once the dishes are prepared, we will all stay around the Island to enjoy what we have created, glass in hand, in an informal, cheerful, and protected atmosphere. It will become your favorite relaxing evening of the week!

📅 THE DETAILED PROGRAM

🍝 Act 1 | The Art of Fresh Pasta and Express Sauces

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 — 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Fresh pasta is intimidating, but it's just a matter of chemistry and dexterity. We will start by feeling the flours to understand how they behave. You will discover how a simple egg and a pinch of flour can transform into magic.

• What you will learn stress-free: How to knead without lumps, how to use the pasta machine without fear, and how to cut the pasta sheet evenly.

• The dishes you will prepare with your own hands:

  • Perfect Tagliatelle with Porcini Mushrooms: egg pasta rolled by you, seasoned with a fragrant express sauce.

  • Traditional Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli: the art of shaping orecchiette with a simple thumb. A fun and therapeutic manual exercise!

🥧 Act 2 | Designer Shells: The Secrets of Shortcrust and Brisée Pastry

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM "My shortcrust always breaks" or "the cream turns out lumpy." We will debunk these baking and savory cooking taboos by revealing infallible geometric and thermal tricks.

• What you will learn stress-free: How to work cold butter without "heating it" with your hands and how to get a silky smooth pastry cream on the first try.

• The dishes you will prepare with your own hands:

  • Real Mini Quiche Lorraine: a savory tart with a crumbly brisée pastry shell made from scratch and a soft, delicious filling.

  • Crumbly Red Berry Tarts: delicious shortcrust pastry baskets to fill with your pastry cream and fresh fruit.

  • Ricotta and radicchio buttons: a delicious appetizer with puff pastry.

🥩 Act 3 | Meat Cuts and Succulent Cooking

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 — 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Are you always afraid that the meat will remain tough as shoe leather? In this lesson, we will learn to understand the times and temperatures to serve very tender and juicy main courses.

• What you will learn stress-free: How to use a hot pan to create a flavorful crust (without burning anything) and how to create a velvety sauce from the meat juices.

• The dishes you will prepare with your own hands:

  • Elite Roman Saltimbocca: a very quick and impressive second course, perfect for when you have guests and little time.

  • Confit Lemon Chicken in Tajine: the ancient and fascinating slow braising that makes the meat so tender it melts in your mouth.

  • Portuguese Golden Potatoes: the crispy outside and soft inside side dish that will solve your side dishes forever.

🔪 Act 4 | Autumn First Courses and the Art of the Knife

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 — 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM The kitchen knife often instills fear. Vincenza will teach you the correct posture and safe grip to cut quickly and without any danger to your fingers.

• What you will learn stress-free: How to hold the knife safely, how to make perfect geometric cuts, and how to balance water and flour to get very light gnocchi.

• The dishes you will prepare with your own hands:

  • Pumpkin Velouté with Crispy Speck: a warm and comforting cream where we will put the art of vegetable cutting into practice.

  • Stuffed chard parcels: an appetizing 100% vegetarian side dish.

  • Potato Gnocchetti made from scratch with Taleggio Fondue: we will knead the hot potatoes, form the strands, and score the gnocchi one by one directly at your workstation.

🐟 Act 5 | The Sea on Your Plate (Cleaning Techniques and Express Cooking)

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 — 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Cleaning and cooking fish is the biggest hurdle for beginners. We will conclude the course by tackling this fear and transforming it into complete confidence, with a luxurious yet very easy-to-replicate seafood menu at home.

• What you will learn stress-free: Filleting bony fish, cleaning fresh squid and crustaceans, aromatic protective breading techniques, and managing thick pasta formats for large quantities.

• The dishes you will prepare with your own hands:

  • Calamarata with Squid and Rockfish Ragu: a great Mediterranean classic, flavorful and creamy, learning to risotto the pasta directly in the sauce.

  • Shrimp and Calamari Skewers with Herb Crusting: the quick cooking method that protects the fish, keeping it very soft and juicy inside.

🏆 WHAT YOUR ENROLLMENT FEE INCLUDES:

• Individual workstation with all fresh ingredients and utensils already prepared (you don't need to bring anything from home!).

• The printed handout with all the recipes, steps, and scientific tricks to get it right at home.

• Dinner and sharing on the Island: we will taste everything you have prepared together, accompanied by selected glasses of wine, water, and coffee.

• Your Certificate of Participation signed by Instructor Vincenza Yvette D’Orazio: the graphic symbol of your culinary success!

💰 CHOOSE YOUR PACKAGE

🎟️ THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

5 Lessons to unlock your confidence
Price: € 450 (instead of € 600)

📌 SINGLE LESSON: € 120 Subject to availability of remaining spots in September