Discovering local cuisine is one of the delights of travel, and in this issue, we’re suggesting Four Seasons destinations where your clients can share some unforgettably delicious experiences. They can learn to make hot sauce in the Caribbean. In Europe, they can dine in a Cap-Ferrat villa painted by Jean Cocteau, or the Florence palazzo where Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. Our Four Seasons concierge teams will help you plan all the details!
Italy is among the world’s most popular destinations for gourmet travellers, and Four Seasons can take your clients’ dining experiences to new heights.
At our iconic Four Seasons hotels in Florence and Milan – just 100 minutes apart by train – your clients can stay in historic buildings that have been fashionably reimagined to fully capture the character of each city. And of course, they’ll also discover extraordinary Italian cuisine, both at our hotels and through one-of-a-kind experiences in the city.
Exclusively for guests of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, our Secret Dinner takes place in a nearby historical palazzo. The venue is kept secret, so as to preserve the privacy of this family-owned 15th-century building, which was once the residence of Leonardo da Vinci and is said to be where he painted his most famous work of art, La Gioconda, also known as the Mona Lisa. Guests can toast the evening ahead on the penthouse terrace, offering a 360-degree panorama of central Florence, including a stunning up-close perspective of the Duomo. The evening continues with a customizable four-course dinner created by Michelin-starred Four Seasons chef Vito Mollica. This unforgettable Florentine experience includes wines, floral decorations, and a dedicated personal waiter. Book two guests for EUR 4,500, including VAT and round-trip car transfers. The experience is also available for up to 12 people.
Of course, Four Seasons Hotel Firenze offers its own range of exceptional dining venues, beginning with Il Palagio, Chef Vito’s signature showpiece. Breakfast is served at La Magnolia, our lounge at the residential-style accommodation, La Villa. Plan for poolside trattoria fare for lunch at Al Fresco and classic cocktails in the Atrium Bar.
Then it’s time to travel to Milan, the city famous for high fashion and fine cuisine. The two combine in a unique High-Style Dinner Event, created as an exclusive partnership between Four Seasons Hotel Milano and the famed Italian menswear brand Caruso. Inspired by Caruso’s short film starring renowned Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini, the evening unfolds within the luxury brand’s flagship store on Via Gesù. The interior has been whimsically designed to resemble Parma’s Teatro Regio, featuring decorative pulleys, arches, columns, ropes and fresh-cut flowers. It feels as if guests are sitting at centre stage. The sumptuous four-course menu is fully customized for your clients by our resident Four Seasons chef Marco Veneruso. The evening becomes a celebration of art, romance and Italian style – giving true meaning to the phrase la dolce vita. Book two guests for EUR 950, plus 10% VAT, including Champagne, dinner, dedicated service, decorations and exclusive personal shopping in the Caruso boutique. This experience is also available for up to 20 people.
During the rest of their stay at Four Seasons Hotel Milano, guests can spend their days exploring the city, then meet at Il Foyer for glamorous cocktails among the international fashion elite, and dine at La Veranda, where Chef Marco prepares innovative local and Mediterranean cuisine.
For assistance in booking all of these delicious experiences, please contact the Firenze Concierge or the Milano Concierge.
Learn more about Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Learn more about Four Seasons Hotel Milano
Hot sauce is one of the signature flavours of the Caribbean and your clients can experience it in many different ways at Four Seasons Resort Nevis.
Everyone can prepare their own hot sauce in our Paw Paw Pepper Sauce Cooking Class. Paw Paw is the local name for papaya and it forms the base of this spicy-sweet hot sauce, which adds zest to any dish. We recommend it for dipping conch fritters! Guests join Four Seasons Executive Chef Samuel Faggetti and famed hot sauce maker Chef Llewellyn Clarke as they demonstrate how to create the sauce using fresh island ingredients, such as papaya, hot pepper, ginger, garlic, orange zest and cilantro. Guests can take home the recipe, along with their own bottle of pepper sauce. This interactive 60-minute class unfolds in our sunny Neve restaurant. The cost is USD 70 per person.
For another fun learning session, we can arrange a Mixology Class – highlighting the Spicy Island Turtle, which incorporates mango hot sauce and is served in a glass rimmed with Caribbean-style jerk spices and brown sugar. The class is conducted by our resort’s award-winning Master Mixologist Kendie Williams. A two-time winner of Angostura Mixmaster competition and 2014 “Hotel Bartender of the Year,” Kendie has also been named one of the “Most Interesting People in Rum” according to Caribbean Journal. The cost for the 60-minute class is USD 70 per person.
Kendie’s signature concoctions are featured in 101 Rums Bar, the only bar in the Caribbean dedicated to fine-aged rums. Your clients might also enjoy Rum Pairing Dinners every Sunday at 6:00 pm, and Rum Tasting Classes every Thursday at 5:30 pm with “Rum-melier” Mark Theron.
To book any of these delicious experiences, please contact the Nevis Concierge.
Celebrate two classics of French Riviera culture – great art and Michelin-starred dining – with a one-of-a-kind “Extraordinary Experience,” exclusively available through the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel.
For a taste of the “art de vivre,” your clients can enjoy a private dinner at one of the Côte d’Azur’s most iconic yet secret residences, La Villa Santo Sospir, where artist Jean Cocteau left behind a timeless testimonial to his talent.
Perched on the Mediterranean coastline, this unique residence was owned by socialite Francine Weisweiller. In the 1950s, the house served as a gathering place for fashionable celebrities, writers and artists, including Coco Chanel, Marlene Dietrich and Pablo Picasso. Chief among the guests was French artist Jean Cocteau, who stayed there over a period of 13 years and turned the home into a work of art. He adorned the floors and walls with whimsical mosaics, murals and frescos.
The villa is now closed to the public to protect its priceless treasures, but Four Seasons guests may enjoy the exclusive opportunity to immerse themselves in this landmark of beauty for a memorable dinner – whether a romantic “tête-à-tête” or a gathering with family and friends.
Beginning with a private car transfer from the Grand-Hôtel to the villa, the visit features a personal tour of the house and its artwork, guided by Weisweiller’s former caretaker, Eric Marteau. He’ll reveal details about Cocteau’s time in the residence and the legacy of lively parties at Santo Sospir.
At sunset, guests are invited to step out onto the Mediterranean-view terrace, while being served a Cocteau-inspired aperitif, including the artist’s favourite liqueur, Suze.
Then come inside to the intimate living room, where Jean Cocteau and Francine Weisweller once entertained their famous friends, for a dinner created by the Grand-Hôtel’s Michelin-starred Executive Chef Yoric Tièche. The four-course menu is elevated by fine wines personally selected by our Chef Sommelier.
The charge for this experience starts at EUR 4,200 for two, with EUR 286 per extra attendee and EUR 150 per child under 12, for up to six guests. The dinner is subject to availability and must be booked at least 20 days in advance.
As your clients continue their French Riviera stay, they may enjoy more of Chef Yoric’s cuisine in the Grand-Hôtel’s three restaurants, featuring vast terraces overlooking the gardens and sea. Start the day with breakfast at La Véranda. Lunch by the Mediterranean at the poolside Club Dauphin, then indulge in Michelin-starred creativity at Le Cap, our acclaimed gastronomic restaurant, enhanced by a stellar wine collection.
For assistance in booking any of these experiences, please contact the Cap-Ferrat Concierge.
