Olive Garden’s Culinary Tour of Italy Sweepstakes

Olive Garden's Culinary Tour of Italy Sweepstakes

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 15, 2011) – Its flavorful food and wine, vibrant culture, and picturesque landscapes make Italy one of the world’s most desirable travel destinations. Now, through its “Culinary Tour of Italy” sweepstakes, Olive Garden is offering Italian food lovers an opportunity to win an experience of a lifetime: an eight-day immersion into Italian cuisine and culture, including a visit to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany. The Culinary Institute of Tuscany provides inspiration for many fresh, authentic Italian dishes you can find at Olive Garden, and is the training ground for more than 150 of Olive Garden’s chefs and team members each year. Four grand prizes of the eight-day tour will be awarded. Additionally, Olive Garden will give away $20 restaurant gift cards daily to first prize winners to enjoy a genuine Italian dining experience at their local Olive Garden.

“Throughout the year, Olive Garden team members travel to the Culinary Institute of Tuscany to learn extensively about Italian food, wine and way of life – and they always return home with rich stories, meaningful discoveries and new inspirations,” says Marie Grimm, director of culinary development, Olive Garden. “We created the ‘Tour of Italy’ sweepstakes to extend what we hope is a similarly rewarding experience to our guests.”

During the trip, four grand-prize winners and their guests will get an insider’s look at Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany, the Ristorante Riserva di Fizzano-Olive Garden and the Rocca delle Macie winery, and will also experience other cultural excursions in Rome and Florence.

Specifically, winners will:

• Learn the essentials of authentic Italian cooking from Olive Garden’s master chef, Paolo Lafata, through interactive, hands-on preparations
• Experience the local culture and cuisines of various Italian regions, including Rome, Florence and San Gimignano
• Explore the Rocca delle Macie Winery, learn about its winemaking process and perfect food and wine pairings

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