Contact Allison Scola by email at AllisonScola@ExperienceSicily.com or call 646-281-4324 to register or for more information.
Antonino “Nino” Elia is a chef, educator, and food historian with more than 40 years of experience in the kitchen. Nino's roots stem from Sicily, from where as a child in 1972, he emigrated to the U.S. with his parents, two brothers, and sister. His first American job in a pizzeria in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ignited his passion for food and defined his life's work. As a young man he hustled side-by-side with his parents in their own pizzerias and restaurants, and he later he traveled the mid-Atlantic and Florida as a chef, when honed his craft. Nino has owned and operated seven successful restaurants throughout his career and helped launch over twenty establishments for colleagues.
In addition to creating in-home dinner parties and coaching struggling restaurants to success, Nino teaches cooking classes. His knowledge, sense of humor, and endearing personality attract many followers.
Always curious to learn more, he has spent the last two fall seasons in Sicily working with local chefs to learn traditional recipes and the latest trends in authentic Sicilian and Italian cooking.
Allison Scola has been traveling to Sicily regularly since 1996, when at 24 years old, she met her grandmother's sister and her children and grandchildren for the first time. Since the moment she stepped off the train at Palermo's Stazione Centrale, her life has not been the same: she fell in love with Sicily and Sicilians.
Combining more than 20 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, and performing arts with her deep knowledge of Sicily's culture, history, and hidden corners, Allison created Experience Sicily in 2013 with her Sicilian cousin and now business partner Evelina Buttitta. Together, with the mission to delight discerning travelers seeking authentic, locally-seasoned experiences set alongside the region's seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Allison and Evelina create unique, personalized itineraries and multi-sensory, small-group tours with the aim to delight their clients with optimal hospitality and service.
ExperienceSicily.com has more than 3000 posts about Sicily written by Allison and covering her travels throughout the region.
Scola Communications Solutions, LLC d/b/a Experience Sicily (“Experience Sicily”) acts only as an agent for the various independent suppliers that provide hotel accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, activities, or other services connected with this tour. Such services are subject to the terms and conditions of those suppliers. Experience Sicily, its respective employees, agents, representatives, and assigns accept no liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or any other incident which may be caused by the negligence, defect, default of any company or person performing these services. Experience Sicily does not accept responsibility for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to sickness, weather, labor strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws or other such causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws and regulations of the country in which they are provided.Experience Sicily is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in the tours/trips it arranges. Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy that will cover some of the expenses associated with the loss of luggage or personal effects.
Once you express interest in registering for this tour, a Welcome Letter will be sent to you that explains our cancellation policies and other important notes to consider.
Contact Allison Scola by email at AllisonScola@ExperienceSicily.com or call 646-281-4324 to register or for more information.