About us
Valentina Harris
Valentina Harris, the celebrated cookery author and Italian food expert, founded Villa Valentina cookery holidays and along with her trusted team and other celebrity chefs has been hosting groups of foodies ever since at locations in Italy, France and South Africa as well as at various sites across the length and breadth of the UK.
Although originally trained in Classical French Cuisine, Valentina makes no secret of her preference and passion for all things Italian, although her return to French Charente in 2003 certainly re-awakened her interest in French cuisine. Remaining as one of the most loved areas of Italy for visitors from all over the world, Tuscany is Valentina’s home region—as a descendent from the important Renaissance Sforza family—and as such the venues in La Marrema and Pisa immediately take her back to her childhood years and all those comforting food memories. Sicily is the one which in gastronomic terms has always interested her the most, so the discovery of Fattoria Mosè was a wish-fulfilled and the most recent addition of Sardinia with its myriad of culinary secrets has now broadened the Italian culinary adventure even further.
Over 20 books on Italian cookery have now been written by Valentina establishing her as a prolific writer on Italian food and cuisine and resulting in regular features on television and radio and contributions to many leading national newspapers and magazines. Her books include: Perfect Pasta, Regional Italian Cookery, Edible Italy: A Travellers Guide, Southern Italian Cooking, Recipes from an Italian Farmhouse, Valentina’s Regional Italian Cookery, Valentina’s Italian Family Feasts, The Cooking of Tuscany, Valentina’s Complete Italian Cookery Course, Instant Italian, Southern Italian Cooking, Simply Italian, Valentina Harris Cooks Italian, What Pasta? Which Sauce? Risotto! Risotto! Italia! Italia! Valentina’s 4 Season Cook Book and new books commissioned are: 100 Great Risottos, Al Fresco Cooking, Recipes from Villa Valentina. Her latest best selling books are Recipes From An Italian Terrace and Classic Italian Cookery. Valentina is currently writing her much awaited autobiography.
As a consultant to many supermarkets as well as food manufacturers, Valentina’s skills are also sought by food appliance companies, hotel and restaurant groups for marketing, promotions, product, recipe and menu development, through to lecturing, teaching and training. Valentina also lends her skills and experience to the restaurant industry and has been working in this aspect of the food world on many different levels for several prominent London restaurants.
With a career spanning over 20 years, Valentina’s numerous television appearances, journalism, cookery demonstrations, lectures and books have made her a much loved cookery personality both in the United Kingdom and further field. As a raconteur, Valentina has an ability to put across her deep knowledge of Italian food culture and history in a most entertaining and accessible way and is consequently never happier than when hosting what she calls her “culinary adventures” at the table or in the kitchens of Villa Valentina.
Joce Berg
Joce and Valentina have worked together from the onset of Villa Valentina. She will be delighted to meet you from the various airports, accompany you on all the trips and generally look after you throughout your stay. Whilst continuing to avoid the kitchen during lessons, Joce is always present at meal times and thoroughly enjoys sampling your culinary efforts, and ensuring that you are provided with an ample sufficiency of wine.
