One of my favorite things about meeting other Italy expats is learning about their lives-both before they moved to the bel paese and now that they are here-and understanding what it is about Italy that made them stay.

Today, I’m thrilled to share with you an interview I recently did with long-term Italy expat, Judy Witts, who visited Tuscany in 1984, decided to stay, got married to a local and has established herself as one of the most popular cooking divas in Italy.

Thank you so much, Judy, for taking time out of your insanely busy schedule to chat with me. I hope the rest of you enjoy the interview.

1. At 26 years, you are one of the longest-running expats in Italy I know. How did you end up in Italy and specifically, in Tuscany?

I bought a one way ticket in 1984- for a month in France ( I was a French pastry chef in a 5 star hotel in San Francisco) and then a month in Italy, to check it out and study Italian. I was told the Tuscans spoke Italian and not dialect- and picked Florence over Siena as it was not a hill-town. Once I arrived in Florence, it was love at first sight.

2. Back in the US you were a pastry chef. How did that experience shape your Tuscan Kitchen?

Being a pastry chef, regular cooking was easy- I think one of the things I do best is to simplify recipes for the home kitchen. I learned how to do everything the classic way for restaurant cooking, but teaching home chefs with little experience needs recipes you can do easily after a hard day at work. Having fabulous ingredients, you need to do very little to make a meal great! Keeping it simple is my mantra.

3. In addition to the Divina Cucina cooking school, you also teach classes in the US and offer Monday in the Market market tours. What other services do you plan to offer in 2010?

I have begun teaching classes out in Certaldo, where I live. Not at my home, which is small, but at a lovely Villa with apartment rentals near my house. I also do custom week-long programs both in Tuscany and in Sicily.

Sicily programs will be offered in June and September and November next year. I have fallen in love with Sicily and can’t wait to share it with my students.

My Monday at the market in Florence is a great intro for people to what to expect in Tuscany for food and wine and a great chance to get info on trip planning from me while we have lunch. Cooking classes will be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday out in Certaldo.

4. You make it all look easy! How do you juggle all of your services and be honest now, what is the most stressful part of the job?

Variety keeps it interesting, I also run a Master Chocolatiers program in October yearly for students from a friends school and collaborate with cooking schools and chefs that want to bring their students to Italy. I act as their Italian connection and plan the tours and accompany them to artisans all over, off the beaten track.

Since it is seasonal work, I have a lot of time for planning. Than God for Internet. I spend a lot on time online, with my blogs, Facebook and Twitter as well as staying in touch with clients planning trips. It takes six months to a year often to get groups together for a week-long program, lots of little details.

5. Besides the scrumptious food, what part of your job is most rewarding?

I adore getting emails back from successful students, repeating recipes at home! Also return students, some I had when they were here in college and I taught student dinner classes, now return with their families.

***

Thank you for the interview, Judy-I, for one, can’t wait to get up to Tuscany and take a class. In bocca al lupo for another great year!

*Photos by Judy Witts

Other Italy expat business owner interviews include:

Judith Greenwood

Marla of Bella Baita B&B

Diane of Baur B&B

Megan of Bella Vita Italia

** Today is the last day to enter Blogging from the Boot: The Best of 2009 contest for Italy-based bloggers! **

Calabria in 2006 was a lonely place to be an expat. My husband worked nights, I didn’t know the language and I was scared out of my wits to sit behind the wheel of a car.

Then one day I stumbled upon Expats in Italy, a website and forum dedicated to expats in, well, Italy.

I soon “met” Judith Greenwood, personal chef and cooking instructor and even though she is 740 kilometers north of me … I didn’t feel so alone.

I recently caught up with Judith via email and she agreed to be part of my Expats-in-Italy Business series.

So today, I present to you, Judith Greenwood-personal chef and cooking instructor extraordinaire.

photo credit: Radio Nederland Wereldomroep

1. Judith, you are one of the first expats I virtually met when I arrived here in 2006, yet I’ve never asked … how did you end up here?

“The minute  stepped foot off the train from Brussels in 1973, I knew a mistake had been made and I was supposed to be Italian. This was in Stazione Centrale at Milano, so there was no romantic imagery to make that happen. I had to take it seriously. It took me 27 years to get here.

When I was finally able to see my way to get here, I took a series of trips looking for the right place and the right house. It took 5 years, but when I saw my little terra cotta city dozing under the sun from the elevated highway, I thought, “This must be it.”  And it has been.”

2. You recently celebrated your 9th anniversary in the bel paese and your 7th anniversary as a cooking instructor. How did you start that?

“I started a cooking school with an Italian partner, but we ended up having philisophical differences, so now we are just friends and I teach at people’s rented villas or homes. I am planning a move and then I will design a big comfy teaching kitchen.”

3. What is your favorite dish to teach students to prepare?

“I don’t have a favorite, but I do wish I could teach some of the dishes that take a day or more!  Most people want to learn to make pasta as part of their class, and that’s really easy for me, but in truth they go home and almost never do it. So most people are benefitted more by learning lots of sauces, condimenti, that they can do at home. That way, within a five course meal, they can master three pasta dishes with variations for each on the recipes.”

4. You are also a personal chef. What process do you use in choosing a menu for your clients?

“If my clients know Italian food, they work with me to make menus from seasonal items. If they don’t or they want to be surprised I just ask about hates or allergies and go. I always try to plan a balanced menu with lots of changes in color, light following heavy, a wide variety of flavors. Most of all I insist on the absolute best of seasonal ingredients and have found out where to buy them.”

5. If you had one piece of advice to offer someone who was interested in Italian cuisine, what would it be?

“My constant advice to everyone is buy the best ingredients and then respect them. No amount of folderol will ever make up for poor quality.”

***

Thank you so much, Judith, for agreeing to the interview.

To all of you Umbria-bound travelers out there-give Judith a ring or visit her blog, Think on It! And if you are heading to Umbria before you come to Calabria, feel free to bring something for me. I won’t mind. I promise.

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Thank you to everyone who entered the ItalianPod101 and My Melange Photo giveaways last week.  If you didn’t win the giveaway-names coming up, I promise-you can still save up to 25% on your ItalianPod101 subscription as part of their Christmas Countdown special and you can visit Robin at My Melange regarding her weekly photo specials!

Without further hesitation … congratulations to:

Marla of Bella Baita B&B for winning a one-month premium subscription to ItalianPod101

and

GB of The Italian Notebook for winning his choice of an 8X10 photo from the My Melange gallery.

There is still time to win a custom Calabria itinerary and free weekend at our bed and breakfast in Catanzaro, but act fast, ’cause time’s a tickin’!

I have exciting news coming up in the next few weeks regarding My Bella Vita, Il Cedro and some new products and services that are tailor-made to southern Italy travelers. I’m excited-and I can’t wait to share. Another thing I couldn’t wait to tell you about is the overwhelming support I’ve had from friends in the blogosphere who are in the travel industry. They’ve sent me emails, brainstormed with me on Skype and offered their two centissimi that was worth much more than I could have paid them in sterling, euros or even that pitifully low dollar. And even with all of the encouragement they’ve been giving me, they are still busy as elves at Christmastime.

Photo: Haven in Paris

Megan of Bella Vita Italia recently crossed the border with her blog and wrote about a luxury apartment rental agency, Haven in Paris, that was opened by an American in 1993. Megan is also staying busy planning weddings and events in Italy and she and her husband just celebrated their wedding anniversary. Auguri!

In other Italy travel consulting news, Madeline of Italy: Beyond the Obvious recently published an article on ItalianKids.com. In her article, Madeline describes the best restaurants in Torino for tiny tots and divides them into categories based on outdoor scenery, local food, atmosphere and more. It was a great article. But, heck. Don’t take my word for it. Go read it yourself!

Speaking of reading-and cool things to do in Italy-Melanie of Italofile recently wrote a post about the top five things to do in Le Marche. She has also been busy building a social networking site for Italofiles at Italofile.Ning.com. Check it out-and tell her Cherrye sent you.

photo credit: 1la

Paula Russell from Paula’s Tour Talk and Time of Your Life Tours released the dates for their Spring and Fall 2010 Tuscan Treasures Tour. If you are interested in Tuscany-and come on, who isn’t?-then check out their website or Paula’s Tour Talk blog for more details. And I’m not the only one with changes a’coming. Paula recently announced some impending changes at her place, too.

Here is hoping the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 bring great changes to all of my Italy travel and tourism buddies. In bocca al lupo!

Next week is my second wedding anniversary-which means we get to start celebrating this weekend. Since I’m in such a loving mood, I invite you to have a great weekend, too. Enjoy!

For the last three months I’ve featured expat-owned businesses in Italy and today I’m offering up a double feature.

Baur B&B is owned by not one, but two expats in Italy-Diana and Michael-who moved from the US to Acqui Terme, Piedmont in 2003 to open their full-service bed and breakfast.

It is an incredible story and one I am happy to share with you today at My Bella Vita. Without further ado, I present to you my recent interview with Diana of Baur Bed and Breakfast.

1. You say on your site you and your husband “gave it all up to follow a dream.” What inspired you to do that?

Several things came together at the same time.  We had done several corporate moves, either for his job or mine, the last being the largest — we moved from Philadelphia to Hamburg, Germany for Micha to become the Geschaeftsfuehrer (fancy German word for president) of Staples, The Office Superstore’s German division.  I gave up my career in hotel and restaurant design and dove into the King of all Expat Professions – I taught English for seven years. I ended up as an Executive Language Consultant helping top business people prepare for job interviews and presentations in the UK and the States.  But at the same time I did a pottery apprenticeship, since it was the first time I actually had time to develop my creativity.

Neither of us was crazy about all of the stress or travel involved, although living that life in Germany was a fantastic opportunity.  We always said,  if it gets to be too much, we would do something else.  The point came when the company wanted to centralize and move us to Brussels – new culture, new language, not where we wanted to be.  It was enough.  We had been long thinking about getting a vacation home in Italy and switched that gear over to finding a permanent home. We wanted the next big move to be our choice, not the company’s.  When thinking of how we might want to support ourselves, the idea of renting rooms for international guests grew organically.

2. How did you choose Piedmont? Do either of you have ties to the area?

My family comes from Emilia Romagna.  All four grandparents immigrated to New York from the hills of Bardi and Berceto between 1915 and 1920. We also both have always had a deep affinity for this country.  But we looked in several regions before deciding on Piemonte.  Piemonte had everything we were looking for – beauty, an undiscovered culture, food and wine, good infrastructure, good proximity to both the Mediterranean (one hour) to the rest of Europe, good major airports, and three great Italian cities, all very diverse, within 2 hours:  Torino, Milan and Genoa.

3. I see your B&B is a work in progress. What other projects do you have in the works?

We are presently constructing a third room.  A few months ago we finished a beautiful wine cellar, the year before that a gourmet kitchen and pottery studio.  We have a couple of additional renovations after the one we are working on, but have become philosophical — we will get done what we can get done and not stress about the rest.  The Italian way of thinking has started to rub off on us.

This is definitely a ” work in progress “.  Construction is evident; we don’t try to hide it (although we come to a grinding halt as soon as our season starts). I always worried about how the guests would view this — but in reality, they love that aspect of it.  We have had people come back five and six times now over the last five years, always excited to see what new thing we have done. The guests feel part of our lives and part of the process of this project, which they clearly are.

4. I know people think the life of a innkeeper is glamorous, but tell us the nitty gritty. What is not so fun about running a B&B?

We’re a full service B&B, and provide the guests with lots of individualized attention. We do day long wine tours which end with dinner here at the B&B, we have cooking classes, I offer pottery classes, and we spend lots of time each day with guests on itinerary planning, reservation making, and other concierge functions.  I bake every day.  Our breakfasts are 5 to 6 different dishes, each prepared as the guests would want them, taking into consideration dietary requirements as well.

We find that in order to stay “fresh” for our guests, and to deliver the level of service that we do, it is key that we get our rest and a bit of downtime during the season — meaning blocking out a few nights off every month — if we don’t, then we do get exhausted.  Since this was a post mid-life change for us, we have to watch our energy level.  We would rather have a little less income but enjoy the process more, and be raring to go when the guests come.

If you would ask me mid-season, I think that I would say that ironing sheets would be the thing that puts me over the top sometimes:)  We have 100% linen on our beds and each sheet can take up to 20 minutes to iron.  I am thinking of investing in one of those awesome Miele “Mangle” roller ironing systems next year to cut down on that task.

5. You and your husband obviously adore your jobs, but what is the one thing you love most of all?

Oh, it would absolutely be the guests.  We have unbelievably interesting people come and stay here.  The discussions get philosophical; we end up talking about everything and more.  We have had guests from Italy,the US, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Brussels, Norway, Sweden, Australia, China, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, England, Canada, Tunisia… I am sure I am forgetting a country or two.  What a gift that is for us!  The guests enrich our lives every single day.

For more information on staying at Baur B&B, visit their website or read Diana’s blog, Creative Structures. Other expat-owned businesses that have been featured here at My Bella Vita include:

Bella Baita B&B: An Italian Vacation in Piedmont

Bella Vita Italia: An Italy Travel Concierge

Anyone who has read more than three posts on My Bella Vita knows I am obsessed with a few things … Italy, Calabria, my nephew Cole (but that is a story for another day) and traveling!

When I’m not traveling, I’m thinking about my next vacation, welcoming others to their vacation at our B&B or dishing out advice to Calabria-bound travelers.

Today, I am happy to introduce you to my kindred spirit up in Liguria.

Megan of Bella Vita Italia is a full-time Italy travel consultant, vacation planner and wedding coordinator who has spent the last five and a half years in the Italian Riviera. I interviewed her last week about her job and (lucky) you get to read about it today.

1. You and I have a lot in common, Megan. We were both event planners in America, are married to super-cute Italian boys and chose similar names for our expat blogs. The difference is, you always knew you wanted to live in Italy. What finally motivated your move to the bel paese?

We do have a lot in common! As for finally making the big move, I literally woke up one morning and said to myself, “If I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it.” I quit my job and put the wheels in motion. Six months later I was here for good.

2. You started Bella Vita Italia in 2004 as a travel concierge to assist travelers with their Italian vacations. What is the most rewarding part of that job?

The most rewarding thing is when people tell me it was the trip of a lifetime-I love that!- or when they thank me for not making them “think” too much.  Another satisfaction is planning “off the beaten path” trips. I recently had clients do a trip to Puglia and Sicily and I really enjoyed the research that went into it.

3. I have to ask … what is the hardest, or shall we say, least glamorous part of your job?

The hours. People think because it’s a fun job, it can’t be hard, but there are times when I am on the computer 12-15 hours a day or when I am juggling seven sets of clients at once-like right now!

I guess you could say the “behind the scenes” part is not so glamorous. Then there’s the accounting, ugh.

4. You give your phone number to clients, offering them a 24/7 lifeline when they are in Italy. You just added vacation rentals and weddings to your repertoire. Uhm, Megan … when do you sleep?

Absolutely I give them my number, and in many cases I provide them with an Italian cell phone. As for the new services, I’ve been doing both on a limited basis for a few years now. I know it seems like a lot, but thankfully I am organized. (Although I do sleep a bit more from November – March!)

5. What are some of the most memorable vacations and weddings you have planned?

There have been many, but recently I had clients staying in Le Cinque Terre for three months who had eight different groups of guests visiting them. I organized all of their excursions, cooking and eating events and transportation. In a way, it was like working as a concierge for a small hotel, but they were so kind that it was a pleasure to be so busy.

The other one was a wedding I did in a thousand-year-old tower overlooking the sea in Portovenere. It was such fun to plan and the wedding couple and mother of the bride were wonderful to work with. At the end of the evening, the bride turned to me and said, “Thank you for making my dream come true.” That was better than any paycheck I could receive!

If you are planning a trip to Italy and are interested in a travel consultant, visit Bella Vita Italia or contact Megan directly for details.

Thank you, Megan for chatting with us today … and everyone else, buon weekend!

* Photos courtesy of Megan, Bella Vita Italia

I’ve just been itchin’ to launch a series on expat-owned businesses in Italy. As an expat (who owns a business), it is nice to meet others in my proverbial scarpe, swap stories and compare battle scars. To start this series with an expat whose business-like mine-helps travelers make the most of their Italy vacation, well … that is just icing on the mountain.

And speaking of mountains … Bella Baita B&B, owned by American-expat Marla Gulley and her Italian husband, Fabrizio, is an Italian Alps retreat set in stunning Piemonte. As part of TEM, the Sustainable Mountain Tourism Association, Bella Baita is able to offer sack lunches, evening meals and cooking courses in conjunction with their B&B amenities.

Starting at an unbelievable rate of €55 per night, Bella Baita features four rooms with a private bath and a breakfast of homemade jams, breads, pastries and yogurt. For more information or to book your stay at Bella Baita B&B, click here.

And now … on with the interview.

1. Our situations are very similar … American woman falls in love with Italian man, moves to his hometown, opens a bed and breakfast … . How did you and your husband develop the idea of opening a bed and breakfast?

Fabrizio and I met in Tuscany where we were both working for other people-me, as a chef at an English Art school and he as a Maitr’d at an Agriturismo.

He told me about his home in Val Chisone, Piedmont and how he owned a vacant building there. When I heard the 2006 Winter Olympics were going to be in Torino and that his home was smack dab in the middle of what they called the “Olympic circle,” we decided to give it a go.

2. What is your favorite part of owning a bed and breakfast?

The interesting people that come to stay with us and all of the people we have met by owning the B&B. It has been very exciting. I always say that guests’ arrival is like opening a surprise package-you have no idea what you’re going to get and so far it has all been delightful.

3. As a fellow innkeeper, I know the day-to-day tasks aren’t always glamorous. Can you summarize your typical workday for us?

Most of the time we split the work between us. We get up and I bake the morning pastry and pull together all of the elements of the breakfast, play hostess and dispense tour guide information.

On non-market days, I clean up after breakfast, freshen the rooms and catch up on inquiries, emails or blog posts, (ha ha ha ha ha) before preparing lunch. On market days, once or twice a week depending on business, we rush to the market, then finish B&B chores in the early afternoon.

Afternoons are determined by whether or not we have dinner reservations, cooking classes or yard work and the myriad of tasks necessary to keep a big building running.

Oh yes, then there are full cleans if we have check outs. I am in charge of laundry-washing and hanging it out to dry, while Fabrizio cleans the rooms. Cooking classes start at five, dinner is around 8:00 and then we clean up and set up for the next day.

4. Prior to your inn-keeping days, you were a professional pastry chef and tour guide. How do you think those skills better help you serve your guests?

I was a pastry chef at a Colorado ski resort for 12 years and learned a tremendous amount about customer service and making dreams happen for people on their vacations. Then I worked as a chalet host in Colorado for a London-based tour company, where I learned the ropes for running a small full-service B&B.

I had a maximum of 12 guests, shopped, cooked, cleaned, skied and generally did what I do here. It was a great warm up for what we do today, more or less a blue print.

5. In addition to your cooking classes, what other activities do you offer or suggest for guests visiting Bella Baita?

We encourage everyone to immerse themselves in the beauty of the area. Our little spot is tranquil with fresh mountain and streams and is perfect for walking, biking and spotting wildlife.

Further afield you can see some of the 2006 Olympic venues, as well as the largest fortress in Europe, Fenestrelle, sometimes referred to as the Great Wall of Piedmont. There is also the picturesque Waldensian valley Germansca, ringed by regional nature parks and the French border.

Nearby is Manta Castle, Sacra San Michele, and Torino. Guests can also enjoy the culinary delights of the area found in the bi-weekly Pinerolo market, local wineries and the famous Barolo wine region. As I always say, do as little or as much as you like, you’ll run out of time before you run out of things to do.

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Thank you, Marla and in bocca al lupo!

“We” have been busy working on our new bed and breakfast in Catanzaro, Calabria. I feel I can claim labor here since they start pounding at 7:00 AM every morning. So much for my quiet Italian life!

Also, I have gone shopping for tiles, bathroom stuff and furniture. That is hard labor. Here are a few photos taken last week.

Master Pasquale, the “bricklayer”

My husband working in one of the storage units

The floor they removed. It looked better inside the B&B.

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As of mid-2007, Il Cedro B&B in Catanzaro, Calabria opened its doors. We welcome your emails or comments and look forward to meeting you soon here in Bella Calabria!