We commenced our trip at the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) with an introduction to Slow Food and traditional Piedmontese food, moved to Turin for the incredible Salon del Gusto, trained to Genoa, and noshed and sipped our way through Liguria, Emilia-Romanga, and Tuscany.

Carlo Petrini started the Slow Food movement in Italy in 1986 to prevent the disappearance of local food culture and tradition, believing that everyone has the right to access good, clean, fair food and dining experiences. Massimo Bottura’s soup kitchens are a manifestation of this tenet -- beautiful spaces that provide sustenance in a dignified, pleasurable way, regardless of the diners’ circumstances.