About me

.

Francesca Settimi in The Blue Elephant restaurant and cooking school in Bangkok

I started cooking as a child; I was fortunate enough to have four grandparents from four different regions in Italy (Lombardia, Emilia Romagna, Umbria and Lazio), each one of them left me with different recipes and different cooking methods.

Like most Italians, I have food streaming in my veins. “Good Food, Good Mood, Good Health”; that’s the spirit! As I reiterate to my students; The wisdom is in choosing the best and most relevant ingredients.

Ever since then, my goal has always been to teach and share all the fundamentals of Italian cuisine, through a hand-on and interactive approach.

In the years to come, I became an architect specialising in building renovations; while keeping my passion for cooking. I participated in several cooking and trainings seminars in various countries.

The Three official Diplomas of which I am most proud are Le Cordon Bleu Diploma in Pastry (Paris 2013/2016), the Vegetarian Cuisine Diploma given by the Michelin-starred chef Pietro Leemann and a Professional Chef Course in Thai cuisine given by The Blue Elephant Cooking School in Bangkok in 2017.

In 2013, I opened my cooking school in my home which was built by my late grandfather, located on a serene landscape on the hills overlooking Lake Maggiore.

In the new kitchen and concept formation, which was built jointly with The Chef’s Cut, I propose “Farm to Table” cooking, using only the freshest and most pure local ingredients, where, I will take you on a culinary journey from my vegetables garden all the way to your plate.

In this exquisite journey, each participant will have the opportunity to learn about where each ingredient comes from, how it is harvested, and the best ways to use it in the kitchen.

it will be a fun way to learn Italian cuisine through a “hands-on” experience starting from scratch to full immersion!

Paris Cordon Bleu Diploma
Paris Cordon Bleu Comis Diploma
Blue Elephant Cooking school & Restaurant Certificate
Barista Skills Foundation
Pietro Leemann Academy
Pietro Leemann Academy
Rice Sommelier
Sensory Descriptive Analysis Qualified Judge