In Venice, inside the legendary 5-star The Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal, a charming cooking school, one of a kind in the lagoon, the setting for refined courses, events and wine tastings, and a really special Convivial Moment.
Learn all the prestiges of the masters of Venetian cuisine, with the refinements of the “grande cuisine” that only a few cooks know, pampered by the executive chef Alberto Fol and his team in the unique context of a noble palace that contains 5 centuries of history.
It is with this premise that The Gritti Epicurean School, the first cooking school to open inside a hotel in Venice in 1975, is one of the best-kept “secrets” of the legendary The Gritti Palace, one of the most exclusive in the world, which has always been a treasure chest of the best Venetian traditions, to which food and wine is no exception.
Since 1949, the culinary art of the lagoon has played a fundamental role in the history of The Gritti Palace and its cooking school, a tradition it has continued since 1975, is its guardian of choice.
(Alberto Fol, Executive Chef)
Completely renovated in the name of Venetian artistic craftsmanship and traditional country kitchens, The Gritti Epicurean School, which can be accessed from the internal room of the Club del Doge Restaurant, is the scene of exclusive events to be experienced as a couple or with friends.
Ancient Venetian recipes and the best seasonal products are, in fact, the protagonists of the Convivial Moment orchestrated by Executive Chef Alberto Fol and of the cooking courses led by Sous Chef Franco Sanna, which will take you on an extraordinary culinary journey through the gastronomic secrets of the Serenissima.
The large convivial table in the center of the room, by reservation, becomes the protagonist of one of the most unforgettable experiences offered by The Gritti Palace: the Convivial Moments with the presence of Chef Alberto Fol.
Prepared in live cooking, which will take you on a journey to discover Venice, combining the authenticity of the local raw materials with the mastery of the Chef, starting with a welcome aperitif based on Prosecco and cicchetti (local tapas) and then continuing with 4 courses to choose from among various suggested culinary routes.
In combination with dinner, or optionally as an independent experience, the Head Sommelier will be able to guide you through vertical and themed wine tastings, such as the Le Tre Venezie Collection, Amarone Vertical Tasting, Italian & Vintage Wines and The Italian Iconic Bubbles.
Furthermore, The Gritti Epicurean School offers various cooking courses, for a maximum of 8 participants and available for both hotel customers and external guests, to learn how to prepare homemade pasta or work with local specialities, from fish (such as moeche, schie, or spider crab) to vegetables (such as castraure).
Among the most loved classes, we certainly find the one that begins with a visit to the historic Rialto Market, one of the oldest in Italy, where you shop with the chef for the best local products, followed by an aperitif in one of the traditional bacari (wine bars) in the area.
Back at The Gritti Epicurean School, you put on the school apron (a must-have that is given to the participants as a present at the end of each course) and start a fun cooking lesson. The purchased ingredients will be transformed into a 3-course menu which will then be served on the convivial table and accompanied by the wines proposed by the sommelier.
One of the most beautiful cooking schools in the world, The Gritti Epicurean School is definitely one of the experiences to have at least once in a lifetime!
The Secret
The Gritti Palace is and has been the second home for many ruling families and celebrities from all over the world, including the writer Ernest Hemingway who defined it as “the best hotel in the city, in a city of great hotels”, so much so that he also made it the protagonist of one of his novels.
Among his favorite dishes, we find scampi risotto with shellfish broth, whose original recipe, called “Hemingway Remedy Risotto”, is still hanging on the walls of the school.
The Convivial Moment
Cooking class with visit to the Rialto Market
Useful Info
The Gritti Epicurean School
Campo Santa Maria del Giglio 2467
30124 Venezia
Tel. +39 041 794611
Indigenous course: 280 euro per person, max 8 participants, includes the 3-hour cooking course and 3-course lunch
Half-Day Course: 360 euro per person, max 8 participants, includes the 1-hour tour of the Rialto Market with aperitif, the 3-hour cooking class and the 3-course lunch
Convivial Moment: tasting menu starting from 145 euro per person, wines excluded
