A Taste of Italy

A FREE Live Cooking Event

Join Il Chiostro for a celebration of food, wine, and Italy

at a FREE live Cooking Class & Wine Exploration! 

The fun starts Thursday, March 30th at 6:30 pm EST

The event is FREE but registration is required.

Join our three favorite chefs for an evening of food, fun, and friendship, Italian style, of course. Learn to make Riccarelli (an almond-based cookie) and Pasta Alla Amatriciana while taking a virtual trip to Rome and the Tuscan countryside during this fun and interactive online adventure. 

There will also be plenty of surprises, including a special guest who has inspired countless home cooks and shown us that making delicious and authentic Italian dishes from scratch is accessible to all experience levels. We’ll also take a virtual walk through a vineyard in Tuscany to learn more about the fantastic wines produced in the Chianti region.

You won’t want to miss it!



Meet Our Chefs

Chef Michael Vignapiano has been a Culinary and Pastry instructor for over thirty years with various institutions such as The New York Restaurant School/Art Institute of NYC, CUNY, SUNY, and Monroe College. Most importantly, Chef Vignapiano was part of the Il Chiostro family from 2000-2011 teaching the Tuscan cuisine program during the Autumn Arts Festival and he is thrilled to be returning in October.

Linda Mironti As the Executive Chef at Il Chiostro for the last 29 years she has had the opportunity to be in Italy and take advantage of the finest fresh seasonal ingredients. This, combined with a creative sense of adventure has made cooking an art form for her, second only to her love of singing. Linda is also the Co-Director of Il Chiostro and a graduate of The Art Institute of New York formerly The New York Restaurant School.

Andrea Anichini – A Man From Chianti has been working with Il Chiostro for over 25 years. Born and raised in the small village of Vagliagli, just north of Siena in Tuscany, Andrea has been working in the food and wine business in Italy for most of his life. Andrea teaches many of our cooking classes, has his own traveling pizza oven and knows just about everybody who produces food in that area of Tuscany.

See you on Thursday, March 30th at 6:30 pm EST

Remember the event is FREE but registration is required.

We are Linda Mironti & Michael Mele

Co-Directors of Il Chiostro

In the spring of 1995 we took a group of friends to Tuscany for a creative retreat. We immersed ourselves in beauty, food, wine and culture and quickly developed lasting friendships with the local community. Little did we know, that week was the beginning of what we now call the “Il Chiostro Experience”. We had no intention of starting a business but that experience was so profound that we wanted to share it again and again.

Over the past 28 years, we have hosted more than 2,800 guests (now friends) on unique and personal workshops in art, food, culture, and adventure to Italy, and we would love to share that experience with you.

Visit our website to learn more about Il Chiostro Workshops