Macallè Sicilian Bistrot

Maurizio could not have been better: one part food culture historian, one part proud Ortigian guide, 100% excellent teacher and chef. The trip through the open market, where Maurizio was treated like a rock star by the vendors, was enjoyable as well as educational. The cheese tasting was divine. But the cooking lesson far exceeded my expectations. I learned some new techniques and my husband, who does not cook, picked up a few tricks. With Maurizio’s guidance, we made arancini, eggplant Parmagiana, and a delicious salad. An experience not to be missed.

I cannot more highly recommend Maurizio's cooking class and market tour! Maurizio is wonderful and extremely knowledgeable, but still very approachable. He taught us about the food in Sicily including the history and items in the market. Following the market tour, we had an amazing appetizer! We cooked our ingredients in his restaurant which is just a short walk from the market which was an unforgettable experience! This made for a perfect day :)

We met Maurizio at the Apollo Temple and walked through the food market. He shared his philosophy on cooking and we bought some fresh and seasonal food to prepare. Then went back to his beautiful restaurant and cooked lunch. It was so good we are having dinner at his restaurant tonight. Thank you Maurizio!

This was a lot of fun. Maurizio was a great host, the market tour was very informative, and we made ourselves a fantastic lunch under his patient guidance. Highly recommended.