ABOUT
Stile Mediterraneo is “much more than a Cooking School. It’s a deep and authentic cultural experience“, according to Tripadvisor reviews.
You will discover the essence of Puglia‘s Mediterranean cuisine and culture and experience that it’s possible to reach happiness and wellbeing through food.
Stile Mediterraneo is unique because run by local people, born and raised in Puglia, who speak fluent English: the two sisters, Marika (Cardiologist) and Cinzia (olive oil taster, wine sommelier and Harvard MBA).
They will welcome you to their elegant home (a family historic palace with a subterranean frantoio – olive press) and share the secrets of their ancient cuisine of Puglia, handed down from their Grandmothers.
At Stile Mediterraneo, you will learn that the quality of the “ingredients” is the most important principle in the Pugliese cuisine. Cinzia & Marika’s Grandmothers would get mad if the ingredients were not “good”!
Also, at Stile Mediterraneo the best extra virgin olive oil is used almost for everything, even desserts. Cinzia & Marika personally select the best extra virgin olive oils and each single ingredient (locally sourced, organic and in season) to ensure the highest quality.
Finally, you will learn that the Mediterranean preparation method is key to make the Pugliese cuisine so simple and so tasty.
At Stile Mediterraneo you don’t just replicate recipes! For the foundation of each lesson, Marika will explain the health benefits of each ingredient and preparation method. Cinzia (as olive oil taster) will tell about the importance of eating and cooking with extra virgin olive oil to enhance taste and health benefits.
At Stile Mediterraneo you won’t spend all your time in the kitchen! You will visit beautiful markets and small wine, cheese, olive oil producers and see how these artisanal products are made. After the morning trips, you will have fun in the class, cooking, drinking and eating with your new friends.
If all the above reasons are not enough to visit Stile Mediterraneo……well then there are Marika’s famous limoncello and home-made jams, made with their own organic fruit. Not mentioning their Nonna Nzina’s almond cake that you won’t be able to taste anywhere else as it was invented by their Grandmother. The preparation of this cake was featured in the Culinary Institute of America’s video about Puglia.
Contact Cinzia & Marika to attend their cooking classes and wine tours in Italy and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
About Cinzia Rascazzo
Cinzia is Co-Founder and Director. After living abroad for 15 years, in 2005 Cinzia quits her finance job in NY/London and goes back to her home region. She realizes she wants to contribute to the world by teaching how to cook simple and healthy food and how to have a more balanced lifestyle.
Cinzia trained with some of the best Italian chefs, but in her classes she only teaches the autentic home-made cuisine of Puglia. She is an Italian wine sommelier also trained at the Ecole du vin in Bordeaux France, a certified extra virgin olive oil taster and writes for several International food and wine magazines. Cinzia also works as consultant for the best Italian food & wine producers, which means that she knows them well and includes the best ones in her wine and olive oil tours.
When Cinzia is not cooking, tasting wines or olive oils and writing on her blog, Cinzia LOVES playing the piano. She finds music and cooking have lots in common.
Cinzia has a degree in Economics from Bocconi University, a 2-year MBA in General Management from Harvard Business School, Boston. She worked for many years in Marketing & Finance in Milan, London, New York (Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft). She speaks Italian, French, Spanish and English and has a 10-year degree in Classic Piano.
Favorite food: Marika’s famous pear jam made with our parents’ organic pears.
Favorite ingredient: very fruity extra virgin olive oil. Cinzia is crazy about olive oil!
About Marika Rascazzo
Marika is a Cardiologist and Co-founder of the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School.
Her goal is to teach students about the benefits of the Mediterranean cuisine and red wine for the heart and health in general.
She strongly supports the use of freshest ingredients, extra virgin olive oil and very little salt as a way to prevent most cardiovascular risks.
When she is not working at the hospital, she loves going to the fishmarket and enjoying the freshest seafood with a glass of wine.
She thinks that eating well and cooking with friends is key to live a longer and happier life.
Her passions include: experimenting with herbs and spices in the kitchen.
Favorite food: her famous ricotta cake, made with no butter and no olive oil! After lots of requests, she finally teaches this recipe in their classes.
Favorite ingredients: red tomatoes, rich in anti-oxidants. Their freshly made tomato sauce, so simple and so tasty, is THE number ONE most successful recipe in their classes.
Partnerships with Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School in Puglia
