I am in the San Francisco Bay Area now, giving cooking demonstrations and teaching about Tuscan cooking. Here I am with a class in the kitchen at Michael Tusk’s restaurant Quince. Michael and his excellent crew helped me to make a very good dinner Sunday Evening. My friend Filippo Bartolotta offered a tasting of Italian wines.



Tonight I will be at Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, and tomorrow Leigh and I are going with Kim Schiffer to Santa Barbara. I have never been there before and I’m really looking forward to it.

I have been seeing lots of old friends and meeting new people. I’m a little nervous because I have never done a tour quite like this before, but everyone has been very welcoming to me and I feel it’s going well.

Ciao,

-Benedetta

United States Tour Update

As I prepare to fly from Florence to Boston to begin my tour of the U.S., here is my up-to-the-minute itinerary. All of the private cooking courses are fully booked, but I believe there are still some places available at the Sur la Table stores in Palo Alto and San Francisco. There will be special dinners with Chef Michael Tusk at Quince Restaurant, in San Francisco, and with Chef Jody Adams at Rialto Restaurant, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And, we have just added a special dinner at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.

February 2 and 3 private events, Norwell Massachusetts
February 5 private event, Redwood City, California
February 6 Sur La Table, Palo Alto, California
February 7 Sur la Table, San Francisco, California
February 7 Quince Restaurant, San Francisco, California* Reservations 415 775-8500
February 9 private event, Palo Alto*
February 10 Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California* Reservations 510 548-5525
February 11 to 13 private events, Santa Barbara, California
February 19 and 20 private events, Chicago, Illinois*
February 22 private event, Cincinnati, Ohio*
February 26 private event, New York, New York
February 27 private event, Katonah, New York*
February 28, private event, Southampton, New York*
March 1 private event, Hartford, Connecticut
March 2 Rialto Restaurant, Cambridge, Massachusetts* Reservations 617 661-5050

At the events marked with * I will be collaborating with the wine expert Filippo Bartolotta, of the food and wine travel organization Le Baccanti, in Florence.

For more information please e-mail my tour coordinator, Leigh Vincola, at leighvincola@gmail.com.

This will be my first trip to the U.S. in several years. I am really looking forward to seeing many old friends and making new ones.

Warmly,

Benedetta