October 22-26, 2023

UPDATE: THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT. Please send me an email if you would like to be put on the notify list for our 2024 food writing workshop.

Food writer Kathy Gunst and I are teaming up once again for our second Food Writers in Italy workshop. Last year, we explored the stunning area of Cilento, in southern Italy. This fall, in collaboration with Beautiful Liguria, our food writing travels will take us to the Italian Riviera, along Italy’s northern Mediterranean coast

In this five-day food tour and workshop, we will explore this spectacular region, intentionally avoiding tourist spots and focusing instead on off-the-beaten-trail villages and towns, and the cosmopolitan (but still under-the-radar) city of Genoa. We’ll learn about regional specialties, such as pesto Genovese, focaccia al formaggio, local pasta, fresh seafood, and pastries. And we’ll have a daily food writing class where we will share work in a supportive environment.

THE WORKSHOP

The writing workshop, Finding Voice in Food Writing, focuses on honing your voice for food articles, memoir writing, blogs, newsletters, journaling, and more. There will be time for sharing work, asking questions, and getting feedback. Our goal is to create a positive environment for learning and sharing.

This workshop is open to writers of all levels. So whether you’re a beginner who wants to break into food writing, a professional already working in the field, or a dabbler for your own pleasure, you will benefit from this small-group, hands-on workshop.

Want to bring a partner who isn’t interested in writing, but simply a lover of Italian food and wine? They are welcomed to join us.

THE LOCATION

Beautiful Liguria, the boutique tour company that Domenica collaborates with for her Liguria culinary tours, has created a special tour for our food writing workshop. We will be based in the sparkling seaside resort town of Santa Margherita Ligure, known for its colorful architecture, beaches, shops and restaurants.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

We will check into the four-star Mediterraneo Hotel and Spa for a welcome meeting followed by dinner. The hotel dates to the 18th century and has been completely restored. Each room is unique, surrounded by lush gardens with a spa, and an indoor swimming pool. It’s a short walk to the promenade of restaurants and shops, and to the sea and beaches.

There will be writing sessions and opportunities to share our work every day. But we’ll also get to stretch our legs with daily excursions to some of the region’s most beautiful places (with a focus on food).

In Camogli, with its tall, colorful fishermen’s’ houses along the pebble beach, we’ll visit a local bakery to see how Liguria’s famous focaccia is made; then on to lunch at a local restaurant overlooking the sea.
We’ll explore Genoa and its historic center and ancient food shops and markets, followed by lunch at a restaurant famous for its fresh pesto and local specialties.
We’ll spend a morning in picturesque Chiavari, with its porticos and alleyways and open-air food market. While we’re there, we’ll visit an historic pastry shop and taste local cookies before having lunch at a traditional trattoria, famous for its farinata, a savory chickpea flour pancake.
And we’ll have a hands-on cooking class with Chef Valentina, at her home overlooking the hills and the Mediterranean Sea. Chef Valentina, who is also a sommelier and food writer, will teach us how to make Ligurian street food, which we’ll enjoy as part of our farewell dinner, with a backdrop of stunning views.

Fee: €2800 double occupancy (€150 supplement for single occupancy), which includes all workshop classes, most meals, 5 nights at the hotel, daily transportation and excursions, a hands-on cooking class, and more. €2700 for the tour minus the workshop.

Does not include airfare to Italy or transfers to and from the airport.

Also, please note that this is not an ideal trip for people with mobility limitations. A few of the towns and villages we will be visiting are quite steep, and a fair amount of walking is involved.

If this sounds like your kind of experience, email Domenica to learn more and register.