Emilia-Romagna · Private chefs · London
Emilian private chef in London
A chef from Emilia-Romagna cooking the food of Bologna, Modena and Parma in your kitchen, with egg pasta rolled by hand at the table.
The cooking
The land of egg pasta, Parmigiano and patience
Emilia-Romagna may have more famous foods per square mile than anywhere in Italy: Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, culatello, mortadella from Bologna, traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena and Reggio Emilia. It is also the home of egg pasta rolled by hand with a long wooden pin, the craft of the sfoglina.
The region has two halves. Emilia, from Piacenza to Bologna, is rich with butter, pork and filled pasta. Romagna, towards the Adriatic, eats piadina, cappelletti and fish from the coast. A chef from Emilia-Romagna cooks the food of their own town, and the differences between neighbours are taken seriously.
Signature dishes
What an Emilian chef cooks
Tagliatelle al ragù
Hand-cut egg ribbons with Bologna's slow ragù of beef and pork, milk, wine and a little tomato.
Tortellini in brodo
Tiny pasta filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano, served in capon broth.
Lasagne verdi
Spinach pasta sheets layered with ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano.
Cappellacci di zucca
Ferrara's pumpkin-filled pasta with butter and sage.
Gnocco fritto
Puffed fried dough eaten hot with prosciutto, mortadella and culatello.
Piadina romagnola
Flatbread from the griddle with squacquerone cheese and rocket.
Cotechino e lenticchie
Slow-cooked pork sausage with lentils, eaten for luck at New Year.
Zuppa inglese
Custard and chocolate layered with sponge soaked in alchermes liqueur.
Sample menu
An Emilian dinner party in four courses
An example only. Your chef writes the real menu with you, around your guests, allergies and the season.
Through the year
Seasonal notes
Winter is Emilia's season. Tortellini in brodo is the Christmas dish of Bologna, cotechino with lentils closes the year, and pumpkin fills pasta from autumn onwards. Summer is lighter, with piadina, fish from the Romagna coast and cherries from Vignola.
Your chef cooks with what is in season in London and imports what can't be replaced: real Parmigiano Reggiano, mortadella and traditional balsamic vinegar.
How Venti works
A dinner party with nothing to do
Tell us the occasion
Date, number of guests, allergies, budget. By message, any time of day.
Meet your chef
We match you with a chef born in Emilia-Romagna and send you their menu to shape together.
They cook, you host
The chef shops, cooks, serves and leaves your kitchen clean.
Venti is opening in London this winter. We are matching our first chefs for this winter, so join the waitlist to be first in line for an Emilian dinner.
Questions
Frequently asked
What does an Emilian dinner party at home include?
You agree a menu with a chef from Emilia-Romagna, usually four courses: antipasto, primo, secondo and dolce. The chef shops for the ingredients, cooks in your kitchen, serves your guests and leaves the kitchen clean. Wine and drinks are your choice.
Will the chef make fresh pasta in my kitchen?
Yes. Emilian egg pasta is rolled by hand on a wooden board, and your chef can do it in your kitchen while guests watch. A large table or worktop helps; tell us about your kitchen when you get in touch.
Can the chef cook around allergies and dietary needs?
Yes. The 14 major allergens are confirmed with you before the menu is final, and dishes are adapted or swapped where needed. Tell us early about any allergy, intolerance or dietary rule.
How does booking work, and how many guests can we have?
Venti is not open yet: we are matching our first chefs for this winter. Join the waitlist and tell us the date, number of guests, allergies and budget. From a dinner for two to a larger party, we confirm what works for your kitchen and the chef before anything is agreed.
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