Programs and Courses

ICIF educational activities are set out in different types of courses in Italian cooking and wines: Masters, with a length of 180 days (divided into two parts, two months of theoretical-practical lessons on the school premises and a four-month apprenticeship - optional, not included in the subcription costs - at selected restaurants), Short Courses with a length of 3 months (21 days of theoretical-practical lessons and a 70-day long apprenticeship - optional, not included in the subcription costs), Refresher or Theme Courses with different lengths, Tourist/culinary courses for amateurs, lovers of Italian enogastronomic culture.

The faculty is formed by highly qualified professionals, teachers from hospitality schools, journalists and experts, world renowned chefs and sommeliers. Moreover, for lessons to be held in Italy and abroad, ICIF avails itself of the chefs joining the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe association.

For a better knowledge of the various products lessons are rounded off by guided visits to particularly interesting production areas and important agricultural and food companies.

The courses held by ICIF, addressed to both Italians and foreigners, are divided according to the students’ language and all classes are given in Italian and a mother-tongue translator works side-by-side with the Italian instructor.

• Calendar
• Fees

Master Course

The Master course, lasting 180 days, is set out in two parts: the first, with a 60-day length, of theoretical-practical lessons at ICIF headquarters, completed with educational trips ; the second, consisting in a 120-day professional externship - optional, not included in the subcription costs - at restaurants selected by the school. The Master teaches regional traditional cuisine and its modern-creative evolution, the basic techniques, the proper decorations, the art of presentation and other fundamental notions on agricultural-food products, spices, aromatic herbs, raw materials, to a more in-depth knowledge of wines and oils. Attending an ICIF Master course means for the students to live a 180-day full-immersion in the Italian reality and get to know its costumes and traditions, beside mastering the secrets of its cuisine. During their stay at the School all students, divided into groups  are, in turns, in charge of preparing the ingredients necessary to the recipes and are involved in the practical tasks carried out in both the kitchen and the dining room-.
 Minimum attendance 12 - Maximum 24
Applications for the Master course are accepted from:

• Holders of diplomas from higher education hospitality institutes or centres
• Cooking professionals
• Operators in the sector with at least three years of documented experience in hospitality and tourist businesses in the world

program (Pdf)

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Short Course

The Short Course has a duration of 90 days: 3 weeks of theoretical-practical lessons at the school headquarters completed by educational trips and a 9-week externship - optional, not included in the subcription costs - at selected restaurants. 
The Short Course is meant for professionals or for students wishing to achieve a faster training in traditional and modern-creative cuisine.
Minimum attendance 12 – maximum 24
Applications for the Short Course are accepted from:

• Holders of diplomas from hospitality high schools
• Cooking professionals
• Operators in the sector with at least one-year documented experience in hospitality and tourist businesses in the world

program (Pdf)

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Professional Sommelier Course with
A.I.S.- ITALIAN ASSOCIATION of SOMMELIERS qualification

The Professional Sommelier Course with A.I.S qualification has a duration of 90 days: 3 weeks of theoretical-practical lessons in the wine cellar of the Castle of Costigliole d' Asti and a 9-weeks externship ( optional, not included in the enrolment charge)- in starred restaurants, wine cellars or wine bars that collaborate with the ICIF School, or in restaurants with professional sommelier staff.
The aim of the Course is to train professional sommeliers, to provide them with a complete overview of Italian Oenology and to assist them in assimilating the wine-and-food taste and culture of our Country, thus enabling them to propose it once back in their homeland.
The Course, held by professional and qualified AIS teachers, is intended for homogenous groups of foreign students selected by language, who are interested in the subject but have limited available time. Participants will have the opportunity to learn, through a “full immersion” training course of 120 hours, the most important notions relating to the culture of Italian oenology, thereby increasing their knowledge through direct contact with the territory and the “Italian Vineyard”.

program (Pdf)

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Externship

The professional externship - optional, not included in the subcription costs - takes place at the end of the school phase of the Master of the Short Courses, of the A Themed Course and of the Professional Sommelier Course with A.I.S., at restaurants joining the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe Association (www.jre.it), with which ICIF has signed an agreement.
The restaurants for the externship training are selected by ICIF experienced staff. Here the students can put into practice and round off in the best way all what they learnt during their first theoretical part, going deeper into the sector of their interest.
Groups are divided and each student is sent to a different restaurant.
Board and accomodation are supplied by the restaurateurs hosting the students, who provide them with different kinds of lodging, according to the accommodation at their disposal.

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Themed courses A-B

The Italian Cooking Themed Course, with a duration of 3 weeks for the A Course and of 1 week for the B Course, are brief Courses which focuses on the study of single topics of Italian Regional Cooking  (ex. oil, pasta, pizza, pasta, bread etc.) which are specifically created to provide a comprehensive training, starting from the basic ingredients to a full menu and the art of serving it at table (A Course), or there is the choice of studying a specific topic in greater detail (B1 and B2 Course). These Courses are directed at all former ICIF students who would like to attend more specific Course focuses on singular topics, or for professionals from the food sector searching for a refresher Course on singular topics of Italian Regional Cooking for a constant professional growth.

A Themed Course

program (Pdf)

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B Themed Course

program (Pdf)

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Educational tour

ICIF organizes cultural/culinary tours for Italian and foreign non-professionals who are lovers of Italian food and wine and who want to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the cuisine, the high quality products and the cultural beauty of the Italian Regions, or for professionals from the sector who would like to discover more about the food and wine of a specific Italian region or locality. These tours have a duration of a minimum of three days to a maximum of six. In addition to the following two types of Educational tours, it is possible to organize cultural/culinary tours on specific topics requested by the group, which has to comprise of at least 10 participants.

Educational tour A
The wine and food of the Langa and the Monferrato

This tour which has a duration of one week, is aimed at lovers of the Italian food and wine culture and it has been especially created to offer a culinary and cultural panorama of the Langa and Monferrato areas, two of the most important areas for the production of excellent quality Piedmontese wines. Cellars which produce the highest quality wines have been chosen as venues for the tour, selecting areas of different wine production to enable the participants to have a comprehensive picture regarding the various methods used for each variety. Furthermore, all of the restaurants chosen to provide lunch or dinner will propose menus prepared with traditional recipes from the areas Langa and Monferrato, as will those prepared by ICIF for the dinners which will be held in the restaurant of the ICIF school within the castle of Costigliole d’Asti

Minimum attendance 15

complete programme in Pdf

Educational tour B
Cultural Tour of the Food and Wine of Italy

This tour which has a duration of one week, is aimed at lovers of Italian food and wine culture. The programme of this tour has been created specifically to include visits to some of the most prestigious producers of excellent quality food and wine. Practical lessons on regional cuisine will be held with a focus on typical products such as extra virgin olive oil, fresh pasta, traditional sauces and risotto recipes. There will also be lessons on Italian wines with an overview of the different varieties and denominations, concluding with the technique of wine tasting for the purpose of wine and food pairing. This tour combines the delights of the palate with intellectual enjoyment for a week of “delicious lessons” in company of professional ICIF teachers.

Minimum attendance 10

complete programme in Pdf

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