Intensive Culinary Arts / Chef Training in Italy

Italian Culinary Institute, English-speaking Cooking Courses in Southern Italy:
Welcoming international students for autumn/winter 2021 and throughout 2022 & 2023: ICI is a professional chef training school in Southern Italy (Calabria region located at the tip of the Italian peninsula just north of Sicily). Our year-round, short and intensive, full-immersion programs (taught in English or Italian) cover subjects including Italian cuisine, pastry, gelato and decoration. Following the tradition of European advanced culinary training, all of your instructors are chefs active in the field. Chefs at Italian Culinary Institute are not only chosen for their awards but for their present status as Italy's & Europe's most innovative masters. In addition to permanent chefs for English speaking courses, several of the world’s best chefs instruct here on a rotating basis. Our school is located in Copanello, 5 minutes from the beautiful Mediterranean seaside town of Soverato.

Professional Italian Cooking Courses:
- Courses in English and Italian (learn alongside English speaking master chefs).

• Master of Italian Cuisine:
- Course Duration: 3 months / 350+ hours
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters
- For Chefs, Bakers, Home Gourmets & Entrepreneurs
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL. 

ICI's longest running all-inclusive culinary program presents the most thorough spectrum of Italian Haute Cuisine in Italy.

This intensive course presents the most thorough spectrum of Traditional & Italian Haute Cuisine in Italy. Working alongside Europe's top master chefs, pâtissiers & sommelier, the program covers every aspect of gastronomy including cooking, pastry arts, baking, curing, drying and conserving, gelato, cheesemaking, pairing food and wines, and more.

The program is designed to integrate culinary training with academic studies and field experience using advanced cooking techniques, topics of contemporary significance, food science, aesthetics, and sensory perception as frameworks.

Students receive a global perspective of cooking and restaurant service enabling them to develop a personal sense of professionalism necessary for working successfully with advanced Italian cuisine in the food service & hospitality industry.


• The Evolution of Italian Cuisine:
- Course Duration: 2 weeks / 100+ hours
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters, for Chefs, Bakers & Home Gourmets.
- Professional Culinary & Baking Program, Classic & Modern Italian Regional Cuisine, Specialty Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Desserts, Cheesemaking & visit to Sicily. 
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

The most advanced, intensive, full-immersion culinary course available in Italy. Working alongside master chefs, you will discover how to recreate the authentic vibrant flavours that have made Italy the food capital of the world.

Particular attention is given to nutrition, gustatory perception, recipe development and spectacular plating presentations. Antipasti, pasta, sauces, seafood, meats, baking, desserts and vegetarian Mediterranean cuisine are all covered.

Cultural exploration and travel in southern Italy & the enchanting island of Sicily as well as fine dining highlight the experience. The history of cuisine is evidenced throughout the program and thus includes cultural travel to several different genres of restaurants as well as visits to artisan cheese makers, wine and olive oil producers.


• The Foundation of Italian Cuisine:
- Course Duration: 1 week / 50+ hours
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters, for Chefs, Bakers & Home Gourmets.
- Culinary & Baking Program, Classic & Modern Italian Regional Cuisine, Specialty Breads, Pizza and Focaccia.
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

The Foundation of Italian Cuisine is the first week of the two week course Evolution of Italian Cuisine. Designed for both culinary professionals and serious gastronomy enthusiasts, this short, intensive cooking course is fast paced and features cultural exploration, hands on full immersion days and fine dining by night. Includes cultural travel.

This course goes beyond the standard and enables culinarians to develop and conserve component ingredients that can be incorporated to any chef's or pastry chef's repertoire with personal products that can be stored on a shelf freeing precious refrigerator and freezer space.


• Traditional Italian Charcuterie: Curing Meats, Sausage Making & Artisanal Salumi:
- Course Duration: 1 week / 50+ hours
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters, for Chefs, Bakers & Home Gourmets.
- Curing Meats, Sausage Making & Artisanal Salami Classical Methods and Modern Techniques for Naturally Preserving Foods.
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

Traditional Italian Charcuterie is an in-depth, intensive program designed to enable culinarians to create an unlimited array of cured specialties. Through continuous hands-on training throughout the program, students master the art of regional Italian charcuterie through the production of over twenty-five types of sausage, salami and meats that can all be modified to adapt to any palate. This program uses only natural ingredients for long term conservation and does not employ the use of nitrates.

The course begins with tastings of Italy’s best and least known regional specialties and then proceeds to cover the science necessary for long term conservation of meats from any animal while ensuring the most important element of any prepared food: perfect flavor. Students then learn the techniques necessary to personalize any preparation according to taste, client trends, regional availability of raw materials, etc. 


• Pizza, Focaccia and Specialty Bread Baking
- Course Duration: 1 week / 50+ hours
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters, for Chefs, Bakers & Home Gourmets.
- Traditional & Innovative Hearth Oven Pizza, Classic & Modern Focaccie & Gastronomic Breads, Natural Yeast Techniques. 
- Covering all aspects of the Pizza and Bread Industries: Quick Service, Retail & Gourmet Includes Raw Material Analysis, Menu Development, Equipment, Staffing & Operations.
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

During this dynamic, hands-on course, we first prepare traditional baked products and then a line of innovative delicacies demonstrating how anything can be personalised for our clients or guests. Using Italy's unique flours, seasonal ingredients & natural yeasts we create a series of specialities including pizza, focaccia and over 20 breads with an array of textures, flavors and colors.

The program begins with an extended tasting of the raw ingredients needed to make perfect pizza, focaccia and specialty breads in the Italian tradition. The science of making natural yeast, sour dough and their eventual fermentation requirements are all covered in detail.

The intensive training covers all aspects of pizza making, cooking methods for wood burning, electric and gas ovens, different yeasts and rising techniques, development of pizza menus, conservation, pricing, workplace staffing and much more! In addition to making Ligurian, Pugliese and Sicilian focaccia, all participants are shown how to make personalized focaccia incorporating flavors and rising techniques that will work best wherever they make the delicacy.


• Pastry, Desserts & Gelato: Tradition & Evolution:
- Course Duration: 1 week / 50+ hours
- The most all-inclusive, hands-on pastry and gelato making course in Italy.
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters - for Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Bakers, Home Gourmets, Entrepreneurs & Hobbyists.
- Classic & Modern Italian Pastry, Regional Desserts, Baking and Artisan Italian Gelato Program.
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

This intensive course combines centuries old traditional pastries, modern desserts and artisan Italian gelato during one week of hands-on full immersion. Every student who attends will gain the skills to make a wide range of sweets and become an expert gelato maker. Everyday we taste all of the products we make for an ongoing gustatory analysis which we consider indispensable for the learning process.

Technique is the cornerstone of the course. All the preparations have been chosen to allow participants to not only replicate traditional Italian sweets, but to also innovate upon them and create your own signature delicacies. The program includes the food science to develop your own creations and to eliminate 'recipes' forever!

Alongside a master chef, participants prepare classic and modern pastries, mignon, biscotti, milieu feuilles, mousses, sorbets, gelato, and more. Advanced dessert plating and garnishing techniques including chocolate and sugar work, are also included in this program.

Participants learn the theoretical and biological constants that are indispensable for making perfect gelato. This is followed by the techniques necessary to produce personalized flavors according to taste, client trends, regional availability of raw materials, etc. The course also outlines the parameters necessary for the operation of a gelato business for both single and multi-unit enterprises.


• Artisan Italian Cheese Making - Technique & Production:
- Course Duration: 1 week / 50+ hours 
- Culinary Certificate Program instructed by the ICI Masters - for Cheesemongers, Chefs, Home Gourmets, Entrepreneurs & Hobbyists.
- The most complete one-week cheesemaking course in Italy, and the only one that is hands-on.
- Classic and Modern Cheeses, Science & Morphology, Machines & Equipment, Creating Personal Cheeses, Merchandising).
- ALL INCLUSIVE OF ACCOMMODATION, EXQUISITE MEALS, COURSE & CULTURAL TRAVEL.

This full-immersion, intensive cheesemaking course begins with the science necessary to process any type of cheese and quickly moves into the production phase.

In addition to making classic regional Italian cheeses, a special section of the course shows participants how to develop personal cheeses to fit any taste and preference. As in all ICI programs, all ingredients are always all natural.

Participants are taken through each step of cheesemaking beginning with the planning and development of each recipe, the phases necessary for production, storage and aging options and optimal serving and accompaniments for each cheese.


Student / Alumni Reviews: 

• "A must for both professionals and culinary enthusiasts... All inclusive courses with an exclusive Italian cuisine teacher Chef John Nocita who takes you the wonder word of learning the proper way of cooking, baking, gelato, cheese & pastry, uring meats, sausage making & artisanal salumi, curing, pickling & sun-drying and lots more. You are going to love it !! Thank you very much to Chef John Nocita for sharing his knowledge and art."
Lenka, Czech Republic.

• "Studying at ICI was among the most amazing experiences of my life. I attended courses both as a student and was then invited to be an assistant to Chefs John and Nic. Not only did I get a Great Education but the setting overlooking the Ionian Sea was absolutely marvelous and breathtaking."
Charles, USA.

• "When I started my career in cooking, I wasn't sure if this course was for me. But it was one of the best culinary decisions! One-week course with Italian cuisine convinced me that Italian cuisine is magic. Chef show ours step by step the best Italian products: oil, spices, meat, cheese and then showed what can we prepare with this products. I remember every culinary workshop day. I often go back to the course book which I get. And I learned a little bit Italian language! You must visit ICI."
Agnieszka, Chef, Author, Actress, Poland.

• "Traditional Italian charcuterie course was one of the richest experiences I’ve had in my life, not only because of all the knowledge and practice you get at the ICI but also because of the people you meet and share with. Additional to this, the facilities, location and landscape are wonderful and make this experience an unforgettable one. Chef John Nocita and staff are great people, always helpful and full of joy of having you there and sharing their experience."
Andres, Salumist, Colombia.

• "Attending ICI was the best investment I have ever made for my future. Not only did we learn everything about authentic regional Italian cuisine and become better industry professionals, I learned how to taste and trust my palate. Chef John is a true master and will always be a mentor to me."
Mike (Master of Italian Cuisine), USA.