The Ohio River, Cinccinnati
After months of planning ,the day finally arrived for our departure to America . First stop Cincinnati , Ohio . I had met Karen and her husband Paul last year , the proud owners of a beautiful house in Umbria called Rocco di Benano . Luckily for me they were looking for someone to provide cooking classes and catering for their guests. The summer had gone amazingly well and Karen suggested i come over to Cincinnati , her home town this winter and do a similar thing. What a great opportunity for me and Nick ,so obviously i jumped at the chance.
On our arrival at Dayton airport ,Karen was already waiting and a mad round of shopping began immediately.
Me with Karen and Paul
On our first full day we were joined for lunch by Kathy , a fanastic and beautiful lady who had stayed at Rocco di Benano and came to our house for a cooking class with her husband George and friends. I was so pleased to see her again.
After all the shopping it was time to get down to work and our first event, a private dinner for a party . I was delighted that my first outing was to be with a truly wonderful couple i had met last summer also from Rocco di Benano. Honey and Neil our probably the jolliest people you will ever meet and with the biggest harts . Just 2 minutes with Honey and Neil will put a smile on your face. It was a lovely evening which i really enjoyed.
Me with Neil and Honi
Me with my assistant and new friend Dee
Durring the next few days Nick was sent on many shopping trips ,but always with camera in hand to try and capture some of our trip.
Findlay Market
After such a great start to our adventure , i was eager for my next challenge to begin ,two days of cooking classes, followed by dinner for up to 22 people . No easy task , but absolutely wonderful. Everybody was so enthusiastic and friendly that i had a really great time. How welcoming everyone was.
Me with my assistant and new friend Robert
Our stay was nearly over and with just two private dinners to go ,i was starting to feel sad about having to leave Cincinnati. The first party was with a lovely lady called Ella who had an amazing kitchen and who I hope we can meet again soon. The second was with a really jolly and friendly couple Don and Michelle who are coming to Rocco di Benano this summer.
Me with Ella
Don and Michelle
Now it really was time to be going and i want to say a big thank you to Karen and Paul for making all this possible . A really big hug to my assistant chefs Robert and Dee , but most of all thank you to everybody in Cincinnati for being so welcoming and making my American dream come true.
Next stop North Carolina ……
What a fun and exciting experience. Although I’ve enjoyed cooking all my life I learned so much in just a few hours with Simona. The class whet my appetite to try new recipes and rekindled my enthusiasm to have fun cooking. It was magical to see the collective efforts of twelve people turn piles of flour and a few eggs into beautiful pasta with Simona’s instruction. I’m quite certain we’ll meet again, next time in your home. Thank you.