Gastronomy for Your Gut: Italian Hospitality Collection Launches the Equilibrium Cooking School in Three Tuscan Spa Properties

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Italian Hospitality Collection is delighted to announce the launch of the Equilibrium Cooking School across its three Tuscan spa hotels, Grotta Giusti, Bagni di Pisa and Fonteverde.

On select dates in 2018, guests across the three hotels will be able to sign up for the School entirely free of charge, with the option to join five two-hour sessions from Monday to Friday.

The gut-health boosting cooking classes are the latest offering from Italian Hospitality Collection, best known for pioneering the award-winning Equilibrium wellness programme, a spa, exercise and dietary retreat targeting internal inflammation, the number one cause of life-limiting illnesses.

Through participation in the Equilibrium Cooking School, which will see participants learn to make a variety of microbiotic, anti-inflammatory recipes, guests will now be able to uncover the Equilibrium philosophy in the tastiest way possible.

The School, which will be led by the head chef and leading dietician at each property, will cover a different aspect of nutrition every day, ranging from lessons in probiotics to high-protein, anti-oxidant foods and nutraceuticals.

Seasonal, local produce, specially selected for its health-boosting properties, and superfoods such as turmeric, kombu seaweed and black sesame, will form the basis for each recipe, as guests learn preparation techniques and cooking methods that will be easy to replicate in their own kitchens. At the end of the week, participants will compete in a Masterchef-style invention test, choosing from a selection of nutritious ingredients before cooking off against each other to create the best-tasting dish.

The chef will teach students to create a variety of healthy and delicious recipes such as 'Miglio con broccoli e crema di porro' (quinoa with broccoli in a creamy leek sauce), after which students will recreate and taste the dishes as a dietician talks through the myriad nutritional benefits of each ingredient.

A book of recipes will be gifted to each guest upon completion of the course, which will allow them to continue their heathy new lifestyle long after returning home.

The Equilibrium Cooking School is free of charge for all guests of Grotta Giusti, Bagni di Pisa and Fonteverde, and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, up to a maximum of 15 participants. Please see below for an example programme:

~ The Equilibrium Cooking School at Fonteverde* ~ Monday: An introduction to boosting the immune system through diet Cereals: their nutritional value, how to prepare and conserve them Tuesday: Improving your intestinal health with probiotics Cooking with miso, legumes and oilseeds Wednesday: Healthy proteins: what are they and how to introduce them into a balanced diet Thursday: The Invention Test! Participants will be split into groups to prepare a recipe using the foods supplied, based on the previous three days' learnings Friday: Incorporating nutraceuticals in the kitchen Making the most of plant-based ingredients

All three spas are set in beautiful and historic Tuscan villas which were former homes of notable figures including the Medici family, the Grand Duke of Tuscany and poet Giuseppe Giusti. All three are located above natural thermal springs whose healing properties have been known since ancient times and whose waters have induced Gustav of Sweden, George IV of England and Mary Shelley, amongst others, to visit over the centuries.

Nightly rates at Grotta Giusti start from €144 (£128**) per person per night in a Comfort room on a B&B basis. The Equilibrium Cooking School at Grotta Giusti will be held on 19^th - 23^rd March, 18^th - 22^nd June, 17^th - 21^st September and 19^th - 23^rd November 2018. For further information or to book please email booking@grottagiustiapa.com or call +39 0572 90771.

Nightly rates at Bagni di Pisa start from €150 (£133**) per person per night in a Comfort room on a B&B basis. The Equilibrium Cooking School at Bagni di Pisa will be held on 5^th - 9^th March, 4^th - 8^th June, 24^th - 28^th September and 12^th - 16^th November 2018. For further information or to book please email booking@bagnidipisa.com or call +39 050 88501.

Nightly rates at Fonteverde start from €219 (£194**) per person per night in a Privilege room on a B&B basis. The Equilibrium Cooking School at Fonteverde will be held on 12^th - 16^th March, 11^th - 15^th June, 10^th - 14^th September and 26^th - 30^th November 2018. To book visit All rates include access to the Equilibrium Cooking School, wi-fi, access to spa and fitness facilities. *Please note that the programme will vary slightly at each of the three properties. Example programmes for Grotta Giusti and Bagni di Pisa available on request. **Price in pound sterling accurate according to today's exchange rate. www.fonteverdespa.com.