Insider Series: Exclusive 11-Day Italy Foodie Tour Co-Curated by Gary Mehigan & Matt Preston
From age-old trattorias to Tuscany’s legendary estates and some of the greatest prosciutto you’ll ever eat, this exclusive Insider Series tour is your ticket to experience the flavours of Italy like never before.
As planned and designed by two of Australia’s most beloved food authorities – former MasterChef judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan – this tour is brimming with insider access and local treasures. With years spent researching the world’s finest cuisines and a deep appreciation for this corner of the culinary world, Matt and Gary’s expert knowledge ensures a journey of aromatic excellence and high-class accommodation, including the grand estate of Torre a Cona – an 18th-century villa owned by the founding family of Martini & Rossi, set among endless postcard-worthy vineyards and olive groves.
Bookend your tour with Michelin Guide-listed dinners at Rome’s Rimessa Roscioli and Milan’s Locanda Perbellin, filling the interim with exquisite dishes from world-renowned chefs. Gary recounts his first visit to Roscioli: “this is a place where the dedication to the very best of Italian produce shines through”. Meet Dario Cecchini – the world’s most famous butcher – at his theatrical shop in Panzano before feasting on his culinary masterpieces at lunch.
Trade ancient Rome for rolling Tuscany and settle into magnificent Torre a Cona wine estate. Master the art of handmade pasta in a Tuscan cooking class, design your own day exploring Florence, Siena or nearby wineries, and dine among lemon groves at the estate’s enchanting Osteria. Journey through Emilia-Romagna’s legendary food valley and taste what Matt and Gary consider among the world’s finest prosciutto as you graze your way through Parma’s hidden culinary gems on an exclusive food crawl.
The quintessential Italian experiences keep on coming, as you discover Bologna on a walking foodie tour before dining in the Ferrari factory’s former staff canteen – now reclaimed as an eccentric ode to the flavours of the Emilia Romagna region. The restaurant and menu is curated by one of Italy’s greatest chefs and proud Modena resident, Massimo Bottura, who sources their tortellini from a project run alongside his wife, Lara Gilmore, to empower young people with autism – an initiative that inspired Matt: “As Massimo once told me: ‘In Modena, if you don’t believe in God, you can always believe in tortellini!’”
Between eats, stay in absolute comfort at handpicked hotels across Rome, Tuscany, Bologna and Milan, including four nights at the magnificent Torre a Cona.
Spain Signature Series: For the ultimate foodie adventure, combine your Italian escape with a 12-day deep dive into Spain’s rich culinary culture alongside Matt and Gary. Book now.