About Us

ITALIAN CULINARY PROGRAMS

Manuelina Culinary was founded by Manuelina Director, Melina Puntoriero. After working extensively throughout various culinary schools in Italy, and working in research and development with many different Chefs, Melina began to design programs that would respond to the need for short intensive professional programs that would suit culinary professionals as well as food lover’s in the area of Italian Cuisine. Our programs have been developed with chefs and culinary experts in Italy, who have a combined experience of more than 60 years. They are a culmination of knowledge from professionals who are the top in their field and are continually updated to accommodate a highly competitive and forever changing industry. Each program is rooted in culture, science and creativity, while concentrating on the basic principles of taste texture and flavour. Each program starts from the basics and quickly accelerates, and so in this way, regardless of previous culinary experience, all students end at the same point.

ITALIAN CULINARY TOURS

Our host is Chef Melina Puntoriero from Manuelina Culinary, an international culinary school that primarily operates in Italy but also around the world. Melina’s passion for cooking not only lies in the food itself, but the culture that surrounds each and every ingredient needed to construct a recipe. She has spent the last 6 years in Italy researching the foods of each region. Melina now has a team Chefs under her wing, who are  highly skilled, innovators in their respective sectors and sought after globally by both corporate and private sectors of hospitality for their contributions to cuisine.

While writing for programs, I fell in love with the idea of sharing my knowledge and life with the so many wonderful people that we meet. While teaching we realised that it wasn’t enough to teach people a recipe, but rather we needed to make people see where our ingredients came from and the people behind them. People then started coming, not just to learn how to cook, but to see the Italy that we live every day and so cultural visits became and integral part of our teaching…

While rooted in food and wine, and, drinking and eating are certainly our priority, our tours are not only that. Working in this industry has meant that we have been introduced to some marvellously creative an innovative people across the country and out of a need to share them with people, our luxury tours were born. designed to see Italy through her eyes, to uncover not only the beauty of so many places unseen by the usual tourist, but to show you why you cannot learn to be Italian, but why you must live Italy, spend time with its locals, experience its beauty, to understand the passion behind this amazing culture and how to truly appreciate this simple cuisine.