ICIF - Italian Culinary Institute

ICIF, a prestigious Italian cooking and enology school, has its headquarters in the Castle of Costigliole d'Asti, a town located among the most beautiful hills of Monferrato, at the gates of the Langhe, in a land with a strong agricultural vocation, famous for the production of Barbera and Moscato wines. The town is dominated by the imposing forms of the Castle, one of the grandest and best preserved in the province of Asti, of medieval origin, it was restructured over the centuries, and passed from hand to hand of various owners until it arrived in 1854, married by Francesco Verasis, Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, whose legend is still part of the Castle walls today. In fact, it is said that, considering her resourcefulness and her charm, in 1855 her cousin Cavour sent her on a mission to the French court of Napoleon III to plead the Franco-Piedmontese alliance with the emperor. The countess' great social and seductive presence gave the expected results: she was luxuriously hosted in Compiègne, very worldly, very expensive, the countess was for a year the almost official lover of the emperor. On the west side of the Castle, owned by the municipality, there is a large portal which can be accessed via a double flight of stairs: this is the entrance to our Institute, the Professional School of Italian Cuisine where, from 1997 to today, among those same walls, young cooks from all over the world take turns learning the secrets of Italian food and wine. The classrooms and laboratories for training activities in the Castle: Tasting room and Enoteca Inside the School, in the historic cellars of the Castle, the Enoteca has been set up, where the best Italian producers exhibit their products. The ICIF National Enoteca is among the most advanced structures in Italy for deepening the knowledge of Italian wines. Inside the Enoteca there is a very modern tasting room with a futuristic design, which we have equipped with 20 multifunctional tasting stations which can be used not only for wines, but also for the sensory analysis of other products, such as oil, vinegars, coffee, etc. Elaiotheque Inside the Scuola, in the historic cellars of the Castle, the Elaiotheque has been set up, where a selection of Italian extra virgin olive oils is displayed. The ICIF National Elaioteca brings together experts and enthusiasts of the mythical product, it is the first and for now the only initiative in the olive sector that offers an objective review of certified quality Italian extra virgin olive oils whose profile and whose gastronomic applications have been ascertained by an international panel of tasters recognized by the International Olive Council. We have selected exclusively products of Italian origin guaranteed by IGP, DOP, organic farming and product quality certifications. The ICIF National Elaioteca represents an important and unique tool for the valorisation of the best Italian extra virgin olive oils and for their in-depth knowledge aimed at the best culinary applications. Restaurant It is a refined and exclusive environment, adjacent to the main kitchen, it is used for training relating to room service, for events, official lunches and for the final essays of some training courses in which the students prepare a complete menu for guests and authorities at demonstration of their learning. Chocolate laboratory A new didactic space, set up with all the equipment to learn the art of combining and treating the different varieties of cocoa and ingredients to create the delicious flavor of a quality chocolate, guided by the Master Chocolatiers to discover their secrets. Grotto of cheeses An exhibition space from other times recreated as the "crutin" of our elders, to enhance the great variety and quality of Italian cheeses and not forget the importance of the history and tradition of a millenary culture now exported and appreciated all over the world. Salami grotto An exhibition space to enhance the types and varieties of Italian cured meats, an added value to the use and training, production methods and nutritional hints for a measured consumption of the same in compliance with a balanced Mediterranean diet without eliminating the pleasure of an appetizer mix of Italian cold cuts. Boutique of food and wine excellences of the regions of Italy A space dedicated to the display and enhancement of regional products of excellence in Italy, selected by ICIF in view of the continuous collaboration and mutual esteem and trust that Italian food and wine product companies place in the Institute.