Cook the Farm Sicily

Feb. 11 — March 26, 2027

6 weeks

15 max.

DURATION

COHORT

DATES

Apply — Cook the Farm Sicily 2027

Founded in 2016, Cook the Farm brings together a global community to explore the stories, systems, and flavors that define Sicily’s rich food landscape. Through hands-on kitchen lessons, fieldwork, tastings, and conversations with farmers, artisans, and experts, participants engage with food as culture, community, and care. While the heart of the program remains steady, each year brings new voices, producers, and opportunities, ensuring that no two sessions are the same.

With off-site travel and optional weekend activities woven in, Cook the Farm offers space not just to learn, but to reflect, to ask where you are in your own food journey, and where you want to go next. This place-based cooking program will teach you the tools and encourage your curiosity in your own local food systems at home.

During Cook the Farm, you’ll call Valledolmo home—a small hill town just eight kilometers from Case Vecchie (a short 20-minute bus ride). With fewer than 4,000 residents, Valledolmo offers an authentic glimpse into the rhythms of rural Sicily. Here, life unfolds slowly: laundry dances on the lines, stoops are swept daily, and benches brim with expansive conversations. This is a town rooted in agriculture, where traditions remain tied to the land and the seasons.

You’ll find a few pizzerias, coffee bars, and local shops to explore, but the true heart of Valledolmo is its community and pace. Located about two hours from Palermo and Catania, with the nearest train station (Roccapalumba-Alia) 40 minutes away, it’s a world away from the rush of urban life.

Cook the Farm Sicily

Dates: February 11 — March 26, 2027
Cohort: 15 people, maximum
Single Occupancy: $14,200

Apply — CTF Sicily 2027

Early Deadline: June 15, 2026 — Decision by July 1
Regular Deadline: September 15, 2026 — Decision by October 1

  • Arrive on Thursday and get settled into your new hometown of Valledolmo. Join us at Case Vecchie to get a lay of the land. We will get to know each other and go over course aims and objectives. Saturday you will have a group visit around Valledolmo and a group lunch.

  • Starting from the idea of taste, we’ll explore what taste means scientifically and culturally. We focus on language as a tool for narrating our personal food experiences. We examine the concept of terroir, what is “natural,” and communicating the tasting experience. Familiarize yourself with the Tasca D’Almerita wines made on site.

    Explore
    how to taste | the language of food | icons of Sicilian cooking | winemaking | vine pruning | the pairing of wine and food

    Visit
    citrus tasting | wine tasting | visit to Tasca d’Almerita winery and vineyards

    Guest presenters
    f​lavor specialist Nikki Welch | master pruner Livio Tognon

  • Dive into the Sicilian food landscape with a taste for Sicily’s staple crops: wheat and olive oil. Get familiar with wheat varieties, processing practices, and uses.  Learn about olive oil making, tasting, and history.

    Explore
    wheat (origin, diversity, and uses) | from grain to flour to pasta | pasta making (northern and southern techniques) | olive varieties | olive oil labelling | baking with olive oil

    Visit
    local frantoio a.k.a. olive oil press (not in production)

    Guest presenters
    professional pasta-making master Rina Poletti | Olive Oil expert, taster, and grower Sarah Wolferstan | in-house pastry chef Enza di Gangi

  • Using Sicily as a case study for biodiversity, we will explore how the landscape and farmers are reacting to a changing climate. Then head off to see Sicily’s western coast!

    Explore
    biodiversity vs. agro-biodiversity | pollinators | black bee of Sicily | honey tasting | climate resistant farming | Slow Food ideology

    Visit
    Maria Grammatico’s pastry shop in Erice | flour mill in Castelvetrano | Marsala wine production | Salt flats of Trapani

    Guest Presenters
    Sicilian beekeeper and researcher Carlo Amodeo | local Valledolmo farmer | owner of Molini del Ponte flour mill Filippo Drago | Organic winemaker Natalia Simeti

  • A week dedicated to cheesemaking, shepherding, and butchering. From pasture to pecorino cheese, we will talk about the importance of  animals in agriculture and land use. A chance to think about how our food consumption shapes our identity and question the ethics of meat-eating.

    Explore
    cheesemaking basics | heritage breeds | the art of butchering | a Sicilian BBQ| a day in the life of a shepherd

    Visit
    a local cheesemaker | a shepherd’s farm

    Guest presenters
    local butcher Salvatore | goat cheese maker and breeder Giacomo Gati

  • Fall into Sicilian culture with hands-on experiences to witness how traditions are living and ever-evolving rituals. Following the seasonal rhythms, we will spend the week foraging, preserving, and witnessing the celebration of San Giuseppe/ St. Joseph’s Day in Valledolmo. Final group trip to our island’s infamous volcano Mt. Etna!

    Explore
    traditional Sicilian cooking | foraging for wild greens | canning and preserving | volcanic wines | local tradition of St. Joseph’s Day

    Visit
    low intervention winery | citrus orchard | granita maker | Etna vineyards |

    Guest presenters
    | local forager Carmelo | kitchen staff at ATL | Benjamin Spencer of Etna Wine School | winemaker Sonia Gambino | pastry chef Giovanna Musumeci

  • Reflect on your time together and how we  translate and carry our gained experience to our home communities. A time to celebrate the CTF 2024 community.

    Explore
    cooking in community | final reflections

    Guest presenters
    food journalist Rachel Roddy | pastry chef Enza di Gangi

Projected schedule. Activities and presenters are subject to change without notice and dates of events may be shuffled to suit guest presenter and/or producer needs. The program is an idea of themes, activities, and topics that may be covered.

WHAT TO EXPECT & WHERE YOU WILL STAY

Life in Valledolmo: This is a town rooted in agriculture, where traditions remain tied to the land and the seasons. You’ll find a few pizzerias, coffee bars, and local shops to explore, but the true heart of Valledolmo is its community and pace. Located about two hours from Palermo and Catania, with the nearest train station (Roccapalumba-Alia) 40 minutes away, it’s a world away from the rush of urban life.

Language: Most lectures and all course material is in English. Translation will be provided for Italian lecturers and/or experiences.

How to get there: Fly into Palermo (PMO) or Catania (CTA) — both are about two hours from Valledolmo by car. The nearest train station is Roccapalumba-Alia, about 40 minutes away. CTF provides a group transfer from Palermo airport or train station at set times on arrival and departure day, so coordinate your flights accordingly. Independent travel on weekends is not included and is your own responsibility.

Homestay with a local family: For a deeper cultural experience, stay with a local family. You’ll have a private room and bath, share common areas, and join in daily life during meals, gatherings, and outings. It’s a great way to practice Italian and enjoy true Sicilian hospitality.

The Convent: Located on Valledolmo’s main road, the convent offers simple single rooms with private baths, linens and towels provided. Eight students in the convent share a kitchen and have a provided weekly laundry and cleaning service. Two nuns live on-site in separate quarters, but you have your own keys and full independence in a respectful shared space.

Independent apartment: For those who prefer more privacy, a small independent apartment is also an option. It features two bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom, as well as a shared kitchen and living area. This option offers two students comfort and independence while still being connected to the community.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • Accommodation
    Six weeks, including six nights accommodation during field trips around Sicily. Accommodation for overnight trips is in shared double rooms. Single rooms available for a supplemental price.

  • Shuttle Transfer
    Transportation to and from daily lessons and for school outings. Initial pick up and final drop off at select times from Palermo airport or train station.

  • Meals
    All lunches during lesson days (Monday to Friday).

  • Activities
    All classes, outings, and housing over the 6-week period.

  • Course materials
    Access to digital content such as recipes, presentations and readings as well as printed readings and handouts.

NOT INCLUDED

  • Flight
    Airfare to and from Sicily is not included.

  • Additional meals
    Breakfast, dinner and weekend meals.

  • Insurance
    Travel insurance must be arranged independently by participants.

  • Extra transportations
    Individual travel and transport on weekends.

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