Culinary adventures in Italy with your own chef host
Tempestuous Culinary
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about your host

Long time member of the Slow Food movement, Chef Michael Howell has led small group tours of Italy and travelled extensively there for more than 16 years.
From tip to toe, Chef Michael has explored the culinary fabric and wines of this magical country and now brings his experience to you. Knowing where to shop, eat, forage for wild mushrooms, discover hidden beaches and small  markets with
exquisite treasures, to finding artisanal cheese producers in the middle of stretching fresh mozzarella or chefs at fine local restaurants braising guanciale.  Off the beaten tourist track or in the middle of downtown Rome, you can be assured of a culinary adventure like no other.

Chef Howell's Facebook Page

Chef Michael Howell

is a Canadian chef who resides in Nova Scotia. A successful 25+ year career has seen Michael cooking in Chicago, New York, Boston, Detroit, Toronto, and The Bahamas.  From 2002 til 2012, Michael owned and operated Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville Nova Scotia, one of the most well respected restaurants in Canada. In 2011 Michael was named the Province of Nova Scotia's Local Food Hero and in 2012 was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for contributions to the food movement and community in Canada. Michael continues to this day as the Consulting Executive Chef at the Green Turtle Club in Abaco Bahamas. He is also the founder and Executive Director of Devour! The Food Film Fest, the largest film festival in the world devoted to everything culinary. www.devourfest.com

A member of Slow Food for many years, Michael's cuisine has always espoused the principles of fresh, local, healthy food and an appreciation for the many farmers, fishermen, cheesemakers and other artisanal food producers that bring great food to chefs to be transformed into a glorious dining experience.

A three week holiday in Tuscany, Umbria and Rome with his wife in 2003 spawned his love affair with Italy.  In 2004, Michael was invited as 1 of 1000 chefs from around the world invited to attended the Terre Madre International Slow Food Conference in Torino, Piedmont.  Since then he has travelled to Italy two to three times a year, exploring a new region, finding great new restaurants and winemakers, and discovering chefs like himself that are creating beautiful, carefully crafted food off the beaten path with the same respect for Slow Food principles that Chef Michael holds dear.

Travelling with Chef Michael means walking the same path that a chef does when he travels: with an eye, ear and nose to culinary experiences that help flesh out an appreciation for a culture. We don't eat and drink  all the time, but these trips are for food and wine lovers.

​Italy is more than just dinner of course, so we tailor each trip to suit your degree of passion and how you like to spend your days; filled with tastings, cycling 40 km before lunch, exploring art filled cities, geologic destinations or lazy aperitivi by the pool, it's up to you too!  
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