IMPORTANT:
*** I AM A CERTIFIED FOOD AND WINE PROFESSIONAL AND SFOGLINA (PROFESSIONAL PASTA MAKER) AND AM ABLE TO HOST GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCES. THIS IS MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. I AM NOT A HISTORICAL/CULTURAL/GUIDE. ***

Ciao! My name is Helena and I am a certified food and wine professional and event manager. I am originally from London but have been living in Bologna for 23 years! I consider myself as much of a local as a local and am obsessed with Italian food and wine and making handmade pasta with a rolling pin. I grew up in London with Italian next door neighbours from Piacenza and always had the aromas of Emilia Romagna's wonderful dishes wafting across the garden fence.

Ever since I was a child I always wanted to learn Italian and live in this wonderful country which probably has the world's most diverse culinary traditions and cuisine. I live in the Bologna Hills with an organic butcher a stone's throw away, aromatic truffles up a hill, a wonderful Parmigiano dairy up another hill and surrounded by our local Pignoletto vineyards. My aim is to share Italian, or more specifically, Emilia Romagna culinary authenticity, recount the agricultural history and culinary traditions of the region, and teach guests about how both the peasant and aristocratic dishes and recipes have evolved over time. As I am a professional Sommelier, Parmigiano, Cheese and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar taster and Taste Judge, as well as having certifications in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coffee, Gelato and Chocolate tasting, I also enjoy sharing tasting techniques - providing guests with a profound insight into how to truly taste and select the best ingredients and products both here in Italy and when they go home.

For my food and wine tours, I love working with my small and excellent suppliers and vendors, who are only too willing to share what they produce with my guests from all over the world. Wherever possible, I select artisan producers who prefer organic or sustainable breeding or production methods. I am hugely environmentally aware, and do my best to use as little plastic as possible during tastings, opting for recycled materials or sustainable wood. This is not always possible - but I try to encourage my producers to do so as well.

I am also on a personal mission to promote the wonderful wines of this region which are still relatively unknown.

I thrive on sharing the unknown spots and what I know with guests, so my tours are fun and engaging, but given my food and wine certifications and background, also highly educational.

Last but most certainly not least, having nearly 20 years' experience in brand and event management for some of the world's best-known brands, I am also able to organise both smaller or larger events for you, your family and friends, company or club.

- Sommelier Diploma - FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers)
- Ambassador of the Wines of Emilia Romagna (awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Wine Association)
- National Cheese Tasting Diploma - ONAF (National Organisation of Cheese Tasters)
- Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Diploma - Consorteria ABTM
- Professional Sfoglina Diploma (handmade pasta maker)
- Taste Judge and Sensory Analyst - International Association of Sensory Analysis
- Certifications in: Gelato Tasting, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting, Chocolate Tasting, Coffee Tasting - Italian Association of Tasters
- B.A. Honours in Modern Languages - King's College University of London
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Public Relations - Birkbeck College, University of London

- I am not a licensed guide and cannot carry out cultural, artistic or the historical monument tours or experiences.
- I am not a licensed chauffeur or taxi driver. I can accompany you in your vehicle or I can arrange for a separate car and driver.

Walk through the Quadrilatero area, the location of our most historic delis and bakeries. We will talk about the history of the medieval food guilds and start of with some 'sweet' tastings. 
After we will walk  onto the closed market 'Mercato delle Erbe', where I will talk about the gastronomic history of the region, the culinary trends and the role of the various foods in the context of both Italian, regional and local food. We will meander around the market and we will carry out some cheese, charcuterie and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar tastings and finish with a light lunch in the market.  During lunch I will also provide a brief intro to the wines of the region.

Bologna Market Tour for the Discerning Epicurean - Robert McDuffie

We begin in an award-winning cafè where we will talk about Italian coffee culture. Over a cup of artisan roasted coffee and a map of the 44 and counting PDO and PGI products you will learn about the agricultural and gastronomic history and traditions of the foods and dishes of Emilia Romagna. We will wander around Bologna's historic fruit & vegetable markets and artisan food vendors where you will discover, select and purchase a range of the classic & more unusual food products found in Emilia Romagna and learn why they were conceived. We will carry out tastings of the region's most iconic products, from Piadina to Pizza as well as a large selection of charcuterie and learn basic cheese tasting techniques while comparing ages of Parmigiano and Grana Padano.

Our next stop is to lunch with our purchases at the Osteria del Sole, a 15th-century watering hole where guests brought their own food and purchased the wine to drink in-house. We finish with either an award-winning gelato or classic Bolognese dessert.

Bologna Market Tour for the Discerning Epicurean

Introduction over coffee and breakfast in a dedicated space in your hotel if you are staying in the city centre. The introduction plus questions usually lasts about 45 minutes.
We will then walk through the medieval Quadrilatero area dedicated to the city's delis, oldest bakeries and historic streets where we will carry out some tastings.
After we will walk through the main square onto the closed market where we will carry out some cheese tastings and finish with a typical lunch in the market. I will talk about the gastronomic history of the region, the culinary trends and the role of the various foods in the context of both Italian, regional and local food. During lunch I will also provide a brief intro to the wines of the region.

Tour guide in Bologna Helena K.

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