Cooking in Tuscany

Gianluca was born in Italy and began his culinary career at a very young age. By the time he turned 21, he was working in the only Italian restaurant in Orléans, France. Gianluca worked as a gastronomic consultant in Japan before returning to Italy to open his own restaurant in Lucca. Since 1998 Pardini has dedicated himself to teaching the art of Italian cooking at his "International Academy of Italian Cuisine." In 2004, the Italian Cooking Federation awarded Gianluca "Master of Cooking and Executive Chef."

Belinda Marcucci got a diploma as “Tourist Operator and Tour Leader” and she’s been working in the travel industry all her life. Since she worked as travel agent and group organizer for a long time. She has had opportunities to travel both for business and leisure, getting in touch with different cultures and improving her problem-solving skills. Belinda is a licensed tour leader and guide of Lucca, her hometown, and its province. She provides customized expert-led explorations in Italian, English, and Spanish.

Cristina Viti earned a degree in Modern Literature and Foreign Languages from the University of Pisa. She has been a group leader for Road Scholar programs since 2010. Previously, she served as an event organizer, a travel agent, a professional conference organizer, a press agent, an enograstronomic (wine and food) program manager, and a teacher of marketing. Cristina’s passions include art and history, reading and theater, traveling, meeting people, and cooking.

Elena Benvenuti was born and raised in Lucca, Puccini’s hometown. She is a graduate of the Tourism School of Lucca and has a passion for music and a deep pride in and knowledge of Lucca’s history and culture. With more than 25 years of experience, she is recognized as a leading expert at organizing personalized and customized explorations of the city and province of Lucca. Her knowledge of Tuscan gastronomy, wine, olive oil, cooking techniques, history, and culture combine to make every visit memorable.

Alessandra Sarappa was born and raised in Rome. She studied English at Rice University in Texas before spending seven years in the UK. She was part of the cabin crew at British Airways for 25 years, and worked with English customers in Sorrento as a customer resort helper for Jet2Holidays for one summer. She then became a group leader for companies including AG Boutique in Rome, Laser Jet in Riccione, and the Aloschi Bros cruise agency. Her interests range from art to nature and gastronomy.