Gary Macchioni, a third-generation Italian like me, organizes and teaches classes on Italian food, language and culture. He led me through his experience of a "typical Italian Christmas meal.  Of course, having family and friends surrounding you, especially over the holidays, is one thing that will never change. "It's all about the family," Gary says. "It's amazing how many Italians you can fit in two rooms."

Although it's hard to accept that the old-world ways of my grandmother are mostly gone, Gary proved a wealth of ideas to keep the essence of those days alive. Food made with passion, some time to relax and a lot of family are exactly what my grand mother would have wanted.

Noreen Livoti, Associate Editor

Central PA Magazine

"My mother was a wonderful cook who could make anything. I can still see her ricing potatoes for the gnocchi. This class brings back such good memories"

Nilda Bonfanti

Hershey, PA

"Move over TV chefs. You have competition in Hershey"

Harrisburg Patriot News

Prima Festa Partners with Lowee's Group Tours
Prima Festa has joined forces with Lowee's Group Tours of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to offer a unique group activity to tour operators. The Prima Festa tour is a FUN, hands-on culinary experience that will have guests talking for years.  "Family members" discover the passion of cooking in the old-world Italian tradition. They listen to Italian music, learn a few choice Italian words and how to make pasta and other classic Old World dishes from Gary Macchioni. "He makes it fun". 

"The ballroom was transformed into an old-world kitchen as Gary Macchioni led a Hands-on, Home made Pasta-Making class. No electric appliances or mixing spoons were used, just raw ingredients and tabletop hand-crank pasta making machines"

Lebanon Daily News

"The class mixed instruction and informality as easily as Macchioni blended the dough ingredients. Macchioni, the Jay Leno of  Italian cooking called ravioli Old World soul food"

Harrisburg Patriot News

"This is fun. I'm glad we're doing something instead of just hearing a lecture about it"

Arielle King