Valentina Harris - Cookery vacations and masterclasses in the UK, Italy and France

valentina with course participants in the kitchen

Cookery courses in France

Gastronomy in the French Alps.

Cookery courses in Italy

Culinary adventures in Le Marche, Perugia and Umbria.

chocolate pudding

Book Valentina for cookery events in your home or at work

Book Valentina for one-to-one tuition, a special meal for your friends and family, or a team-building event for your place of work.

spaghetti alle vongole

Wine and food matching lunches and dinners

Valentina teaches you how to make pasta from scratch, plus risotto and original genuine Italian fish and meat dishes, all combined with fine boutique wines.

valentina pudding

Upcoming cookery classes and events with Valentina Harris

Learn with Valentina at restaurants and cookery schools such as Cucina Caldesi, Divertimenti, The Smart School of Cookery, Taste Italia and The Bertinet Kitchen.

valentina harris

Valentina Harris’s December cookery events

Don’t miss these cookery events at Divertimenti and La Cucina Caldesi in December 2014. Perfect for Christmas presents.

Valentina Harris elected President of UK’s first Les Dames d’Escoffier

Chef and writer Valentina Harris is named President of the first UK Les Dames d’Escoffier.

Welcome back Spring!

Well, what a fabulous spring it has been so far!
The most amazing thing happened to me last week: I was awarded with an Honorary Masters Degree in Business Administration by the University of West London at an amazing ceremony at The Riverside Plaza in London! Who would ever have thought that I’d be wearing a mortarboard at my time of life!

I am still reeling from it all!

This spring, I have been teaching the secrets of some of my favourite pasta dishes at The Bertinet Kitchen in Bath. I’m so looking forward to more classes there, as well as classes at La Cucina Caldesi later on this month, when we’ll be taking a culinary journey around Sicily, covering all aspects of making fresh pasta, and also a Masterclass in Risotto featuring Spring Ingredients! And this summer I will start giving classes at The School of Artisan Food as well.

Then, from the 23rd to the 26th March, you can come and find me at IFE at ExCEL where I will be hosting the Italian Trade Commission stand featuring the products of Sicily, Campania, Puglia and Calabria at stand numbers N5106, N5120 and N5239. I will be hosting the stand and demonstrating some recipes, including one that I have specially created to feature all of the best products from these hot southern regions.

Spring is also the time for the Yong Seafood Chef of the Year competition, which this year has taken me across the country. It is always such a thrilling occasion, to see young chefs tackle (excuse the pun!) their recipes with such gusto under the eyes of the judges, who peer over their shoulder and into every pan with beady eyes! With my President of Les Dames d’Escoffier London Chapter hat on, I can say that I am especially thrilled when I see how many young girls have made it through to the practical stage of the competition.

I am giving the first of what I hope is going to be a series of regular short talks at the prestigious Institute of Directors in Pall Mall, about my life and work philosophy and adventures various! If you are in London and around the Pall Mall area, do just drop by as my talks are open to non members and it would be great to see you there – I will be posting dates etc on FB and on the Cucina Valentina website as things get underway!

I’m very excited because it is foraging time once again, and the new season nettles are sprouting up, all green as green and soft. Perfect for making risotto! So my recipe this time is for a wonderful Nettle Risotto/Risotto all'Ortica .

Hope to see you at la Monteduccia or Lake Como sometime this year!

Happy Easter, happy cooking and buon appetito to you all!

Valentina

PS I'm also hosting super luxury culinary events at Palazzo del Vice Re on Lake Como - please take a look.

Valentina Harris is a noted chef, speaker, author and authority on Italian food and food culture. Find out more

Risotto and foods from Northern Italy

April 23 at 10:00am - 3:00pm
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

April 23 at 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Classic Italian Cooking: Tuscany & Umbria (Sold out)

April 25 at 10:00am - 4:00pm

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Events Archive

Cookery vacations and masterclasses in the UK, Italy and France

Food and wine events with Massucco

Book Valentina for one-to-one tuition, a special meal for your friends and family, or a team-building event for your place of work.

Valentina Harris Recipes

If you ever make anything at all with nettles, make sure you are wearing a really good, stout pair of gloves before...

Valentina Harris

Valentina Harris

Renowned cookery writer Valentina Harris has an extraordinary family history to tell: political activism, scandalous love and exile.

Valentina Harris

Valentina Harris

Valentina can take you on a journey around Italy by creating a very special bespoke menu that matches 5 regional dishes with...

Valentina Harris

Book a unique food experience with Valentina in December 2014. Don’t miss these wonderful cookery events - or why not give one...