Il Buco Announces Food And Wine Ski Trip To Courchevel, France

Attention food, wine, and skiing aficionados! The il Buco team today announced a luxury, culinary vacation to Courchevel in the French Alps - a food and wine adventure in one of the world's most acclaimed ski destinations, offered in one week bookings from January through March 2013. The restaurants' owner Donna Lennard and her husband Luca Boniciolli will lead guests on a world-class, one-of-a-kind ski trip, paired with il Buco's acclaimed cuisine and outstanding wines. Guests are invited to stay in one of the resort's luxurious ski chalets where rustic Italian fare will be prepared by il Buco's renowned Chef Joel Hough or il Buco Alimentari & Vineria's Chef Justin Smillie. One of il Buco's Wine Directors - Paul Lang or Roberto Paris - will select wine pairings and lead tastings. Boniciolli, a world-class skier will lead ski excursions through the Trois Valle of Courchevel.

Guests can form their own group of 8 to 12 people at a date of their choosing or join a group of other il Buco aficionados to fill a chalet. Three different levels of chalet are available ranging from 50,000 - 150,000 euros/week, depending on the class of chalet and the dates. This price includes room and board for the week for the entire group. The trip will be highly personalized and tailored to guest preferences. A typical day might include a late morning ski with Luca and lunch in a Michelin-starred restaurant tucked into the slopes. Or guests might opt for a day without skiing, waking up to breakfast from il Buco's chef, indulging in morning yoga, and shopping in the bustling village of Courchevel. Guests might spend a day with Luca exploring one of the many surrounding valleys that begin just outside their door or take a helicopter to Chamonix to ski the Valle Blanche.

In the evenings, guests can choose to indulge in a wine tasting with il Buco's Wine Director or enjoy an aperitif in one of the many chic apres-ski destinations in Courchevel. Afterwards, they might come home to a massage and sauna before an early cocktail hour, while il Buco's chef prepares a grand meal of the freshest, local ingredients paired with outstanding wines. After a cozy dinner around the fireplace, guests could choose to go into town to visit one of Courchevel's famous nightspots - or call it a night!

Chefs Joel and Justin's cooking pairs perfectly with chalet life in the Alps. Known for their wood-fired, rustic Italian cuisine, the chefs will work with guests to adapt each meal to their tastes, and dishes will be simply prepared using the freshest ingredients, to recreate the warmth and easy elegance beloved at il Buco in New York. In-house cooking lessons and private wine tastings will also be available to guests in the comfort of their chalet.

The Back Story

Three years ago, il Buco's owner, Donna Lennard, was introduced to her husband Luca Boniciolli through their mutual clients, neighbors who had been been skiing in the Alps with Luca for several years. The pair met in Chamonix and skied the Mont Blanc glacier from Courmeyeur, where they fell in love over high peaks and Italian cuisine. Through this il Buco trip to Courchevel, they will combine their passions in a culinary ski adventure to a place they love.

Luca grew up skiing in the foothills of the Dolomites in the Italian Alps and graduated from the Italian National Ski School. He is part of the Italian National Ski School Commission for Ski Technique & Teaching Method Development and has a passion for adventure, whether mountain climbing or hang-gliding, piloting aircraft, or sailing the Mediterranean. He has traveled and led excursions throughout the world, including the Himalayas, Karakorum (China), the Andes, the Atlas (North Africa), and New Zealand.

The Location

Courchevel 18