EVENTS IN THE US: WINTER 2026

We were so pleased to welcome our Italian colleague, Laura Capalbo, to the US for a series of events in January 2026!

Our 10-day tour through the Northeast celebrated our internship and apprenticeships, and the incredibly talented alumni of these programs. With Laura—who began her relationship with Spannocchia as our first Culinary Apprentice in 2019—we spent time in Philadelphia, New York City, and Maine for events with alumni, past program participants, agriturismo guests, and even many people who were brand new to our organization. Throughout the events, we shared information about Spannocchia's internship and apprenticeships, and highlighted our Internship Scholarship Fund as an important tool for greater inclusivity and access among internship candidates. We also made sure to explore the local food culture during our (limited) free time in each city!
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PHILADELPHIA: We kicked off in Philly with a casual evening at Pray Tell—an amazing winery that makes natural wine in the city with PA-grown grapes. For this event, Laura cooked with two recent Culinary Apprentices (Alessandra Bonafide, Summer 2025; and Santina Renzi, Summer 2023), and together they prepared a beautiful spread with veggies, grains, and meats from local farms. Guests enjoyed Pray Tell wines, and also had the opportunity to do a tasting of Spannocchia olive oil.
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NEW YORK CITY: Laura teamed up with Sarah Entwistle of Supper by Sarah, also a former Culinary Apprentice, to create a memorable multi-course dinner for 12 guests in Sarah's Manhattan apartment. Even in the dead of winter, the day before one of the biggest snowstorms in recent memory, you can get beautiful local ingredients from farmers markets like the Union Square Greenmarket (and they did!). We were also lucky to be gifted gotino (aka guanciale, or pork jowl) from La Salumina, owned by former Butcher Apprentice Eleanor Friedman. Every course was finished with Spannocchia olive oil and paired with our natural wine.

Unfortunately, the aforementioned snowstorm ruined the plans for our bigger, more casual gathering the next day in Brooklyn. We were so disappointed to miss spending time with everyone, and enjoying delicious snacks by Fall 2025 Butcher Apprentice Addison Jackson. Thank you to everyone who had intended to join us—we hope to see you another time soon!

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MAINE: After a couple of snowed-in days, we resumed our activities in Maine the best way possible, with a cozy evening at one of our favorite Portland spots, Friends & Family, owned by 2004 farm intern Cecily Upton. In addition to their beautiful food and thoughtful natural wine selection, we shared some tastes of Spannocchia with our guests (olive oil! wine!).

The tour culminated with our largest US event yet, a special evening in partnership with the venerable Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment in Freeport. Over 80 people gathered for a reception and seated dinner, with remarks from WNC's Executive Director Dave Herring and Friends of Spannocchia's Executive Director Sarah Allenby. Laura designed and executed the menu with WNC's Chef Malcolm Kelly, featuring Tuscan flavors while using local ingredients. What a luxury to use milk, pork, and winter veggies from their farm, along with ingredients and beverages from other Maine farms and small businesses! It was a wonderful event that brought two organizations and our supporters together in celebration of our shared values around regenerative agriculture, food and culture, education, and community building. We're so grateful to the entire WNC team for this meaningful collaboration!

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Overall, our 2026 US Tour was a fantastic opportunity to establish and deepen relationships with people and organizations in Philadelphia, New York City, and Maine. We look forward to the next time we are able to gather in the US—hopefully we will see you there!