September 11 - 17th : Food as a Bridge with Carmine Gorrasi
Join Carmine Gorassi for Food as a Bridge, an immersive retreat that celebrates the connections between food, nature, art, aesthetics, and community.
Living communally at Villa Paradiso, we will spend the week cooking, wine tasting, creating, and exploring both the rolling countryside and the vibrant city of Palermo. Days unfold at a gentle pace, moving between hands-on culinary experiences, meaningful conversations, moments of creativity, and excursions that reveal the beauty and character of Sicily.
These retreats are interactive, inspiring, and rooted in a soft, welcoming energy. Whether gathering around the table to prepare a meal, sharing a glass of local wine at sunset, or wandering through historic streets and landscapes, guests are invited to experience food not only as nourishment, but as a bridge—to place, to culture, and to one another.
Food as a Bridge is an opportunity to reconnect with the pleasures of slowing down, creating together, and experiencing Sicily through its flavors, traditions, and people.
Included Experiences
Daily meal preparation from Carminne
Daily art workshops from Kavita
Local market excursions, visits to fishing villages
Wine and olive oil tastings
Farm and garden experiences
Exploration in Palermo with local friends
Materials for all art classes
Day 1 — Arrival & Welcome to Villa Paradiso
Guest arrivals and check-in
Welcome refreshments featuring local Sicilian specialties
Time to settle in
Opening aperitivo and introductions
Welcome Dinner on the terrace from Carmine and Kavita
Day 2 — Colors of the Landscape
Morning Swim + sketch.
Plein-air painting workshop: capturing the sea
Seasonal lunch prepared by Carminne
Learn local ingredients and food traditions
Garden harvest experience
Wine tasting + Aperitivo
Communal Cooking Together Dinner
Day 3 — Market & Culinary Traditions
Visit to a local farmers' market
Meet artisan producers
Ingredient selection for afternoon cooking
Casual market-inspired meal
Seaside / Free Time
Long communal dinner
Day 4 — Day Trip to Palermo
Brunch on the Terrace
Train to Palermo Centro. Optional guided tours with a local friend
Independent time to explore and enjoy the city
Pizza Making Dinner in Casteldaccia
Day 5 - Wine Wine Wine
Visit a local olive grove and vineyard
Learn about sustainable agriculture and wine making
Olive oil tasting + Wine Tasting
Vineyard picnic + Wine Tasting
Mixed-media art workshop using natural pigments and textures
Day 6 - Sea Sea Sea
Morning Swim + Breakfast picnic
Boat trip + Lunch at sea + Snorkeling
Enjoy the final sunset at Aspra
Final Dinner + Party at Villa
Day 7 — Departure
Farewell breakfast + swim
Slow departure