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Exclusive Italian Culinary Experience

With Vancouver’s Chef of the Year
September 18th - 25th, 2019 *Limited availability*
 
Learn how to cook real Italian cuisine with an award-winning Chef.

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Imagine delighting your senses with the delectable tastes and enticing aromas of Northern Italy. Picture yourself experiencing local delicacies and indulging in genuine Italian living.

We offer a truly unique Italian adventure like no other in the heart of Italy’s gastronomic region.
 
Escape for 7 days on a custom-made itinerary through the sophisticated region of Piemonte and let yourself be charmed by the array of refined foods, variety of fine red wines, exclusive cheeses, and quality chocolates. Piemonte is also the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement. This says a lot about their love and appreciation of food, culture, and tradition.

And let’s not forget about the famous aromatic white truffles that make their (concealed) arrival every fall in the area. Can you see yourself enjoying the thrill of a white truffle hunt embraced by Piemonte’s beautiful landscape?
 
How about sipping a rich Barolo wine in a palace from the XVII century that was once the rendezvous place for aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals?


Yes, please!
 
Want to learn how to cook real Italian cuisine with an award-winning Chef?

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JC Poirier is 2018-2019 Vancouver’s Chef of the Year and has accumulated several awards throughout the years. He is thrilled to be exploring the Piemonte region and is actively exploring the flavors and fragrances of this sophisticated area of Italy. You will join him in the kitchen to learn first-hand all the secrets that make Piemonte cuisine so special.

 

 

 


 
Leave with some new culinary talents to impress friends and family at home.

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Sounds absolutely mouth-watering. How can I join?
 
Chef JC Poirier co-founded several award-winning Italian restaurants in Vancouver over the years, namely Ask for Luigi, Pizza Farina, and Di Beppe Restaurant.

He has recently returned to his roots and is now the owner and Executive Chef of St Lawrence Restaurant that was awarded Best Restaurant and Best New Restaurant at the 2018 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.

He also owns the titles for Chef of the Year in 2018 and again in 2019, Best Restaurant, Best Gastown and Best French at the 2019 edition. St. Lawrence restaurant was also singled out for the No. 5 spot on the 2019 compilation of Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants.

Suffice to say that JC is a talented and dedicated chef!
 
Cuisine de campagne is rustic, generous and honest, to be enjoyed with family and friends. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” - JC Poirier.
 
At the end of the day, you realize the closest you can get to being honest with yourself and your guests is going back to the source. It’s who I really am as a person and chef.” JC Poirier

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Yes, I want JC to cook for me!
 
Permesso Avanti  - Experience you can trust
 
Permesso Avanti offers a generous, intimate, and genuine life experience. Travelers will leave with a rich, deep sense of accomplishment and connection with local people. Expect a tangible, direct immersion into Italian living. We won’t settle for less than exceptionally good food, wonderful company, and great wine!

We will take you to places that you may never go on your own and that are only accessible through our personal network of friends and family members in Italy.

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Tours are tailored to each group and are flexible to accommodate every guest.
 
Monique Polloni, the mastermind behind Permesso Avanti, has unique knowledge and family ties in Italy that ensures a dynamic experience for every traveler in the group.
 
She loves Italy so much that she felt compelled to share the beauty and the uniqueness of her ancestral land, particularly the Piemonte region. Let her immerse you in local Italian living and get to see and feel for yourself the kindness of the Italian people.
 
Monique will guide you in this first-class, personalized trip that will bring you to the candid core of Italy’s gastronomic soul. She will introduce you to local people and you will get to experience the culinary delicacies in their own way, often away from the regular tourist hangouts.
 
Get to cook with locals who were selected for their genuine interest in sharing their lives, their homes, and their stories with you. You’ll experience Italy in a way that no ordinary traveler normally would.

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I’m swooning, I want to know more!
 
Monique will be taking you to the charming and vibrant city of Turin. Get to visit the local fairs in the region and take part in the cultural and gourmet events. You will also get to experience the charm of an aristocratic residence embraced by vineyards in a finely restored eighteenth-century village.

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Monique Polloni is a well-known former CBC-Radio-Canada Personality and Emcee in Vancouver. A radio Host and Producer for eighteen years, Monique has always loved sharing her stories and her passion for the good things in life.
 
Thanks to her roots, family history, and many journeys there, she knows the art of tasting, breathing, and touching Italy. Her passion for Italy's warm-hearted, authentic and colorful people have simply deepened the special bond she has with her father's land.
 
Having a big Italian family in the Veneto region, Monique studied Italian in Florence and spent three months in Turin, representing Canada at the 2006 Olympic games. She is a trained wine "enthusiast" (WSET), a music connoisseur, and a food lover.
 
"The sky is not the limit"! There is always a solution!" Tutto bene"! – Monique Polloni
 
Space is limited. We keep our groups small in order to provide the maximum personalized experience for every traveler.
 
Contact Monique to book a call and let her tell you more.
 
We’ve planned everything so all you have to do is book your tour and let us take care of you. Let us give you the key to discover the secret culinary soul of Italy.
 
Highlights from our travelers:
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Thank you, Monique, I loved your absolute passion for Italy!  I fell in love with the people, the food, the language, the architecture. And, I can’t wait to go back! Everyone should DO this trip!” Lauren Zenzen, Langley, BC

I really appreciated the comfort at all times, discovering the beautiful region of Puglia, amazing flavors at the gourmet agriturismo and the surprises!” – Louise Turgeon, Vancouver, BC

I discovered awesome places, out of the touristic circuits, that I would have never known they existed before! I was speechless!” – Pierrette Savard, Grenoble, France

Si, si, si...Italia per favore!

Your Adventure
Eat, Drink, and Explore

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You begin with two nights in the luxury 5-star hotel in the center of Turin. Your culinary adventure starts with a welcome cocktail and dinner where you will experience your first taste of refined traditional Piemontese cuisine and distinguished local wines. The restaurant is hidden in a 17th-century palazzo and used to be a traditional meeting place for artists and literary intellectuals. It has a beauty that will fill your mind as the food nourishes your soul.
 
In the evening, you will be hosted by a local family who will welcome you in their home and introduce you to some different Piedmontese dishes.
 
The next five days of your experience will be in the beautiful Langhe, Roero and Monferrato region of the Piemonte. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where ancient villages and castles are perched on the sides of hills.
 
This region is the source of Italy’s finest wines!


Wines and Vines

piemonte-culinary-tour-wine-cheeseThese strips of land extend into lively shapes, modulated by the changing of the seasons. They represent the outstanding quality of the Piedmont landscape and its profound culture of wine.
 
These areas produce wines of international quality and excellence - such as Barolo and Barbaresco. Created ​​thanks to a rich heritage and centuries-old techniques based on the knowledge of the vines cultivated in this area (Nebbiolo, Moscato Bianco, Barbera).

 

 

 

 


Markets and Culture


jc-poirier-food-tour-marketOur secret food tour is the best way to get to know the city and it’s the heart of gourmet delights, flavors, and genuine atmosphere. The route runs through the historic center, between the narrow streets of the Roman Quarter, to find the most authentic places in the city center. The secret food tour is combined with the visit of Porta Palazzo, the largest open-air market in Europe with around 800 stalls.

 

 

All About Vermouth

jc-poirier-food-tour-vermouthGet ready to take part in the unique Vermouth Experience®! Guided by a master in mixology, you will have the chance to smell, touch and taste some of the spices that make vermouth.
     
Originally created in Torino in 1786, vermouth is now essential in many cocktails and aperitif. In this workshop, you will make your own and take it with you!
 

 


Hunt for Truffles
 
jc-poirier-food-tour-trufflesYou will become truffle hunters, just for one day! An adventure in the woods, following the trail of white truffles, lead by a real “Truffle Hunter” and his faithful dog. The truffle hunting experience is essential to understanding the unbreakable bond between the local area, the truffles, and those who carry out this valuable work. Truffle-based lunch will follow.
 
Cooking Classes with award-winning chefs
 
Get hands-on and learn some genuine Italian cooking concepts as you help prepare exquisite feasts with JC and other renowned chefs.

Buon Appetito!
 
Book an online information call with Monique to learn more about this exceptional and unique travel experience. Find out if this exclusive culinary experience through one of Italy’s top gastronomic region is right for you.

 

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