The son of Sicilian parents, Robert has always had a love for his cultural upbringing, the love of family and friends, and enjoys sharing that love with food. His goal is to follow his passion for Italian food, culture, and heritage.

Everything he does with Italian Culinary Tours is meant to give people a deep cultural experience; to get a sense of what it’s like to live like an Italian in all its richness.

Robert accompanies all of his guests on each of our tours, providing cooking classes and travel guidance.

Ramona, a graduate of Fizica at Universitatea de Nord BM, has been a resident in Florence for over 9 years and has extensive experience in the travel industry.

Whether you want to book pre and/or post ICT tour activities, need a few days of accommodations coordinated, or you would like us to plan a completely custom trip, Ramona is ready to help you make sure every detail is planned perfectly.

Visit our Custom Tours page to work with Ramona on creating your experience.

“Socievole” or sociable is how the town of Montelepre describes Ottavia. She greets each day with a nod to her Italian heritage and a smile! She speaks Italian, plus four other languages, and loves meeting people. Her passion is collaboration and learning and she was the first person in her family to graduate college - a double major from the University of Southern California in Cinema/TV and Humanities/Theatre.

Travel, big picture logistics, and creative endeavors fuel her. Coming from a big musical family she brings a bit of harmony with her everywhere she goes. She is the lead singer of Gerle Haggard Band, is a solo blues and jazz artist, produces & hosts the podcast Peace, Love & Soup, and is the co-founder of Mirador Magazine, a print and online publication for the enjoyment of folks who are neurodivergent or have learning disabilities and their families. Share your dreams with her, because she wants to make them come true!

Antonella is a local favorite opera singer with her group, Anto di Capello. Her band includes pianist Maestro Adolfo Cappello, bass player Amedeo Ronga, and drummer Stefano Rapicavoli. They travel throughout Tuscany, singing in churches, for private groups, and at venues.

Antonella’s group does a private performance for our guests on the Tuscany Dream Tour right at the villa.

Watch a preview of their group singing on the Italian Culinary Tours Tuscany tour.

Her passion for cooking started when she was a child with her grandmother Carla, who taught her that food is a form of love.

She started research in healthy and conscious eating in Venice 11 years ago where she started her cooking career. She started working in star hotels and famous restaurants in Venice, then moved to Tuscany where she opened her Home Restaurant in the Chianti countryside, called Wild Nature Chef. There she has a garden which provides all the food and vegetables for her clients.

Click here to see more details on Chef Alessia’s Wild Nature Chef private booking experience.

When September comes, we always visit my dear friend Candida Bing for a tour of her garden and to enjoy a fascinating dinner with this talented and creative person where she runs her enchanting bed and breakfast.

Inside her home are displayed the many hats from when her family ran a hat business in Florence, which produced women’s hats for department stores and shops in Europe, America, Australia, and Japan, and for the Queen of England.

My joy of cooking began, at a young age, during summer visits in my grandmother's sunny kitchen. She was not only a great cook but an amazingly talented baker and I was always in awe of her delicious pies, cakes, cookies, tarts and fresh bread and rolls. She inspired my then future culinary dreams and I have subsequently spent over 20 years in fine restaurant and catering kitchens. I continue my hospitality career dividing time between Tuscany and Sicily with Robert and a private luxury train company in Colorado.

Born and raised in the Chianti area, in San Casciano, Paola inherited from her family the love and respect for this land and the fruits it offers. She has published various books, cultivating a passion for natural and sustainable cooking. After the success of W LA PAPPA!, a recipe book for families, she began to hold courses in natural cooking, aimed at parents and soon later she began collaborating with various agencies offering cooking courses to people who visit Chianti. Through her work Paola expresses her love for the place where she lives. Food is above all sharing and culture: cooking together and then enjoying the result, in a comfortable and welcoming environment, is the best way to deepen the knowledge of a place and its inhabitants.

Claudia Zeni is from Northern Italy. After graduating in Tourism and Hospitality in Verona, Claudia became an experienced customer-oriented travel professional with more than 25 years of experience in tourism, and a certified tour organizer and tour guide for Italy and some European countries, with a passion for special interest tours such as cultural, music, sport and culinary tours, with a deep attention to nature and local traditions.

In addition to her knowledge of English, she speaks her native language, Italian, and Spanish fluently, together with a good knowledge of German and a basic understanding of French.

She loves to ensure everyone a special and unique experience while on holiday, creating a great atmosphere among the guests, assisting them and sharing with them all the hidden treasures she knows and the passion and knowledge she has for Italy.

She can’t wait to welcoming you here, showing you all the beauties of her country and helping you make the most of your stay as special guests!

Currently living in Michigan, Alle manages our website, photography, print and social media channels. You may see her on your tour taking photos!

I was inspired by Robert Michael Gaglio's dream 8 years ago. My first experience in the kitchen was in the 5th grade...my mother and father worked long varied hours, so they needed a family cook! At my tender young age, I was more than enthusiastic to take a cooking class at a local appliance store. My passion for food and the kitchen grew from there.

I have been in the restaurant, banquet, and catering business since my college years. I have been a personal cook for local Sarasota families as I was starting to work with Robert.

As Stateside Operations for Italian Culinary Tours, I welcome the chance to help make your Italian Culinary (boutique style) Tour a huge success and memorable experience.

Cetty holds a degree in architecture from the University of Palermo. After her graduation, she moved to the United States where she attended a course in interior design at the New York School of Visual Arts. After many years in Boston and New York, where she worked for several architectural firms, Cetty has returned to Sicily, her native land, and now leads cultural tours in Palermo and beyond. Her walks are infused with her interests in architecture and the history of arts.

Click here to visit her website.

My name is Francesca Capobianco. Being a tour guide is part of my inner self. I have a special interest for the history of the XXth century and I am curious about the origins of local food. I wrote a book about the history of the traditional wine bars in Verona, the so-called "osterie" where you can still find somehow the essence of the city.

Ciao! I’m Giovanna, a native Venetian. A kind of panda, one may think. The thing is people leave thinking life is tough here. True, but everything is tough if you don’t enjoy it. I spent my 20s in between Italy, London and France. I studied design at Kingston College, history and mass communication in Venice, had a French boyfriend and eventually a really cool job for the channel 4 London TV station. All amazing, would recommend it to anyone, but to me it was a way to learn that no place is like home. I realized that happiness is made of light, air, food and people. I missed art and history and a place where every brick tells a story. So here we go, happy to share my enthusiasm with you.

Click here to visit her website.