Villa Santa Maria
History records show that the culinary tradition of Villa Santa Maria started in 1560, when the local Lord Ferrante Caracciolo organized in his castle the first ever Culinary School. He trained the youths of the area in all the secrets of good cooking, which he himself had acquired in his travels to Florence. From then on, the Abruzzese cooks became famous in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and all over Italy and the World. In the 1700s, Cardinal Mazarin from Pescina (AQ), successor to Richelieu as prime minister and counsellor to the Kings of France, preferred the cooks from Villa Santa Maria over what he found at the Versailles court. In the 1800s, cooks from this "village" with less than 2000 inhabitants were at the service of royal families throughout Europe, and even at the palace of the Emperor of Japan.
In the 1900s, we find them at the White House for President Wilson (Nicola Marchitelli in 1916) and for Pres Eisenhower (Luigi Turco in 1953-61), at the Royal Kitchens of Sweden, Jugoslavia, at Embassies all over the world, and of course at the best restaurants and hotels in Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, New York, Boston and Washington.

In recognition of such achievements in the culinary arts, the Catholic Church declared St. Francesco Caracciolo (1563-1608) of Villa Santa Maria, Patron Saint and Protector of Italian Cooks.

Today Villa Santa Maria, Patria dei Cuochi (The homeland of cooks), maintains the tradition through its Culinary School, the Istituto Professionale Alberghiero di Stato, Marchitelli - home to more than 400 students from all over the world. The town periodically hosts the Annual National Convention of the Federazione Italiana Cuochi (Italian Federation of Cooks), the Annual Gastronomic Convention, and every year, around the second weekend of October organizes a Cooks' Festival (La Festa dei Cuochi). This culinary festival is an occasion not to miss if you find yourself in Abruzzo at that time- for it is an opportunity to taste the best that the Abruzzese cuisine has to offer.

For more information on Villa Santa Maria, its culinary events, and some recipes, visit the following websites:

History of Villa Santa Maria
Villa Santa Maria Patria dei Cuochi (recipes are IN CUCINA page)
Associazione Amici di Villa Santa Maria e della Valle del Sangro.

The material for this summary was extracted, translated, and abridged from:
Villa Santa Maria - Storie e memorie dei grandi maestri della ristorazione, by Nicola Tantimonaco, Editrice Carabba, 1999
...and from various issues of La Penna Notiziario, published by Associazione Amici di Villa Santa Maria e della Valle del Sangro.

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