My Experience

Starting in the fall of 2023, I have been working towards my Culinary Arts degree at Delaware Technical Community College. As part of the program, there are opportunities for students to travel and experience new cultures. This year's opportunity was a culinary-focused adventure in Italy.

While the program is open to all students, it included multiple experiences cooking and eating food with Italians. Following are the highlights from the trip of the scheduled activities, including learning about the history of Italy. I hope you enjoy this trip from my perspective.

Tangents I have included some tangents of spontaneous and personal adventures and anecdotes. These little blocks are little diversions that were part of my experience but not part of the group itinerary. While they are optional, they add color to the journey.

Anticipazione

Getting ready

The beginning of the trip had its bumps. Here is a collection of me and my classmates awaiting our bus. The trip was originally scheduled to start the day before. Due to a conflict with the airline, we had to adjust our plans. Being all together, I could feel the anticipation we all had preparing for our travel to Italy.

In the group, there were some, like me, who had never left the country and some who were experienced. It was comforting to know that we were in this together.

Italia

Arrival in Italy

After a 9-hour flight from Newark, NJ to Naples, Italy, and with very little sleep, I landed in the country running mostly on adrenaline. The original flight was broken into two stages with a stop in Ireland. I believe the single flight was better from the standpoint of excitement (and the 24-hour delay) to get into the action.

Our group huddled together to organize and made our way through the airport to our buses. The bus trip would take us to Sorrento and to our host school of Sant'Anna. We would be living in the dorms as we experienced Italy via our itinerary. I would like to give credit to our hosts as they prepared our itinerary and did an excellent job in making me feel welcomed.

When we landed and got "checked in" to our dorms, we immediately left to meet chef Giusy at her house for a class in mozzarella folding, pizza making, and how to eat dinner well. Even though we were all tired, the trip was worth it. I learned that rushing the making of the pizza dough with too much yeast can upset the stomach of the consumer. This event is also where our group had the opportunity to spend time together and learn some about our cohort. We all got along very well.

After a very long day, we all returned to our dorms and rested preparing for our next outing.

Viste

Amalfi Coast tour

We woke early to meet our tour guide at the flags of Piazza Tasso. We started our tour by bus from Sorrento to Positano. The bus trip was along the mountain line and wound around what felt like tight corners. I have a fear of heights that I needed to overcome to enjoy this trip. Positano is very vertical, and once we got into the city, we walked the beautiful paths down to the sea.

We then took a boat tour from Positano to Amalfi. Amalfi is more tourist-y and was much more populated. We got to explore a cathedral through the chapel and the crypt. Then we got to spend some time walking the streets of Amalfi. The group I was with decided to partake in more pizza.

Sushi It seems odd to have sushi in Italy (and highlight it), but I am due to a few things. One, this experience was exceptional. Yes, Sorrento is a tourist destination and this restaurant was of higher quality. I am not discounting the fact that it was a well-crafted dining experience. Two, having food that I know from a different culture broadened my expectations on how the rest of the world treats food. It seems like Italians take all food very seriously.

Caffè

Maresca Coffee tour

We woke early to get our coffee. It turned out to be third generation wood fire roasted coffee. We had the opportunity to hear about coffee roasting and taste a unique coffee at Maresca Coffee. It was exciting to hear how passionate they were about coffee and to learn the secret to a great cup of Maresca coffee.

Vino

Cantina del Visuvio wine tasting

After coffee, we decided to take a trip to get lunch at a winery. At the Cantina del Visuvio, we got to have a most wonderful lunch paired with various wines. The lunch included a bread, meat, and cheese plate; pasta with meatballs; and a dessert. With each paired with a wine made from grapes grown on Mount Vesuvius. At this Cantina, they take their wine and food pairings very seriously.

Swimming in the sea One of the unscheduled (and totally necessary) events was getting the chance to swim in the Mediterranean sea. We were specifically in the Gulf of Naples, and there was probably a more specific name to the area, but it was all part of the Mediterranean. It was beautiful water and much warmer than I thought it was going to be even at around 60°F.

Gelato

Bougainvillea gelato making class

Closing out our third day, we attended a gelato-making class. The chef was energetic, and her enthusiasm for creating simple and tasty gelato was refreshing.

We had the opportunity to learn how simple recipes and high-quality ingredients make a better product.

Bonding One of the pieces to the puzzle of having a good time in a new place is to make sure that you have friends to enjoy and help with the burden of navigating the unfamiliar. Over the trip my classmates and I became closer due to the experiences we shared. Our camaraderie helped me cope with the stress of all the "new" I was working through.

Imparare

Italian lesson with Dominico

We learned some common Italian from our instructor Dominico. We missed our first day when we were supposed to get our first lesson. This was very helpful for the rest of the trip, and some of my classmates and I challenged ourselves to have a full conversation in Italian, which was challenging after only one lesson.

Prestigio

Interview with Chef at Il Buco Michelin Star restaurant

We had the opportunity to meet and ask questions to the Executive Chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Sorrento. Il Buco translates to the basement and the restaurant interior met that description. It was a comfy basement, not a stinky wet one.

Chef Pepe was one of the most inspiring people of the trip, and his attitude and passion fanned the flame for my passion in cooking and serving.

Bellissimo

Cooking at Fattoria Teranova

One evening, we took a trip to a place called Fattoria Terranova. The kitchen staff were exceedingly helpful and walked us through the techniques for making bruschetta, eggplant Parmesan, potato gnocchi, and tiramisu.

The real power of Fattoria Terranova was the views and the cultivation. It was amazing to see how many homes and businesses grew their own food, even with the challenging mountain terrain.

Esplore

Getting lost in Sorrento

It was recommended to "get lost" in the city. In a good way!

Exploring Sorrento was a wild adventure that showed me what makes a city. I met campers at a camp site. I wandered around new beaches and pathways. And down new alleys to new shops and experiences.

Wildlife A fun thing to realize when traveling is that the wildlife can be completely different from one place to another. For instance, there were so many more lizards around in Italy. The "stray" cats and dogs seemed a bit more chill than here the United States. And when I stopped and listened, I could hear that the bird songs in the morning were different.

Pasticceria

Baking at Casa del Dolce

We met up with Chef Giusy again at her bake shop in Piano de Sorrento. This time we learned about baking bread and pastry treats. We were split into groups and we had a lactose allergy in our group. It was interesting to see how Giusy was able to change the recipes we made to accommodate on the fly. Her years of experience showed through for this class.

Nighttime Most of the time we were exploring or engaging in activities during the day. We did have the opportunity to explore the city at night. And the views were even more spectacular with the twinkling lights and nightlife.

Riverente

Path of the gods trail

On our free day, a small group of us ventured on a guided walk of the "Path of the Gods" trail. We were initially going to try to traverse it ourselves, but with the advice of Max, we decided to purchase a tour.

While the views were amazing and the hike was fun and challenging, my biggest challenge was how high we were in the mountains. We got to meet some helpful shepard dogs names, Ares and Venus. Thier names are an example of how Greek and Roman cultures are mixed in Italy.

I am very thankful that I had friends along with me. I do not know that I would have been able to make it. Before this I received some bad news from home, and this hike with friends helped me through it.

Mangiare

Dinner at Michelin Star restaurant Loreli

On our free day, a small group of us took a trip to Loreli, a Michelin-starred restaurant. The dining experience was exquisite, and I am glad to have been here with this group.

Bufalo

Buffalo mozzarella factory tour

We went on a tour at a Buffalo farm and mozzarella factory. The place was beautiful and the buffalo all seemed happy. It was interesting to learn how an organic farm like this works and how the buffalo learn how to milk themselves with the automated machines. We got to have a light lunch proved by the farm and a choice of coffee or gelato to finish.

Storia

Paestum guided tour

We had a guided tour of the archaeological dig at Paestum. The site is only half-uncovered as there are buildings on part of the site. This was cool to see what the land looked like when they found the ruins. The temples were very impressive.

Because of the temples that were intact, we could see the progression of engineering knowledge by the ancient Greeks. We also got to see the line between the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans as there was a mix of structures uncovered from each civilization.

Road Trip After our time in Sorrento, we traveled to Rome. It was a four-hour bus trip with a pit stop near the middle. I was starting to get home sick and this little break reminded me that road trips are common across cultures.

Cultura

Tour of Rome

We traveled from Sorrento to Rome and did a whirlwind tour of popular attractions. From the moment we stepped off the bus we started walking. We saw Vatican City, the Coliseum, the Roman forum, and other sites.

The Vatican was impressive and grand. I really felt the history and power of the Catholic Church.

The Coliseum was massive and ancient. It was cool to learn about the history of the building over time. I was also in awe of how old it was and to learn how it was restored by various leaders.

As we walked the streets of Rome, we would happen upon artifacts that carry history and remain in the present. In particular, the Trevi Fountain is a piece of Roman architecture that has been modernized but still holds the past in its context.

Cobblestone roads We were warned about the number of cobblestone streets and walking on them. When we got there I was impressed with the cobblestones. While I had experienced some in Philadelphia, they were everywhere. It was almost like Romans were playing Minecraft and only could build with cobblestone.

Arrivederci

Farewell to Italy

With both the feelings of homesickness and wanting to stay, we boarded the bus to return home. This time the flight was split, and we landed in Ireland for a quick beer and walk through United States customs. Thank you to Italy, our hosts, our instructors, and our school for this trip. While I may return to Italy in the future, this was a once in a lifetime trip.

Fine

Conclusion

This trip has broadened my world view and given me the desire to travel more. Learning about Italian culture made me appreciate that we can and should be a global society. It fanned the flame of my culinary passion, and I will return to continue learning from Italians. My highlights were around the people we met: chefs, guides, and experts. They all had a passion for their culture and craft, whatever it may have been.

The culture shock was minimized due to the hard work by our hosts at Sant'Anna and Del Tech faculty and staff. I am happy to have traveled with the group and will keep these memories for the rest of my life. Viva l'Italia.