Next we sat down to eat the food we had just prepared. Oh, boy! Delish!
Wine-pairing, of course. And we would see this fab fellow later.
A little espresso to pick us up.
We reluctantly relinquished our chef jackets in exchange for a certificate of completion in Mediterranean Cuisine for Pasta and Fish. It was presented very elegantly on "papyrus" paper and suitable for framing.
We also received an eight page explanation of the Mediterranean diet, a two page write-up on food hygiene and safety, and a copy of all the recipes we prepared today. As a gift bonus we each took home a small jar of their dried oregano. Quite a package! An aside: We kept one jar and gave the other to Kendall, our chef nephew in Lansing.
Proud graduates.
We were then invited to lounge in the lovely courtyard / veranda while we waited for the next event. Cool dude Giuseppe enjoyed the open air there while we had "slaved" in the kitchen.
Family member Livia gave us a tour. She said there are over 5,500 handmade Italian ceramic tiles here. We had admired several versions already. More to come inside the restaurant, kitchen, even bathrooms.
All kinds of fabulous art everywhere. Don't let this photo deceive you. This planter is HUGH. See the piece behind G in above photo.
There was a tiled outdoor bar-be-que and fireplace.
A swim pool and green grass area. Too bad we did not have swim suits.
Private seating areas here and there.
Herb garden.
Herbs for our lessons l had just been picked from there.
After a breather, Head Chef Ernesto invited us through the restaurant kitchen and into the formal dining area. The sign says "artists' entry" -- food artists, in this case.
We saw this at a prep station!! Of course, this was not an entree or anything, but stunning display.
The kitchen and prep areas were beautifully decorated with more bright tiles. Everyone looked happy to be here.
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If you have visited any of these places, we would love to hear your comments. Or send us recommendations of places we should not miss.