Zemin di Ceci: Chickpea and Chard Soup

One of my favorite parts of leading culinary tours in Italy is introducing guests to local food producers and talented cooks and chefs. In September, I took a small group of four intrepid women to Liguria—their first time (and mine) traveling to Italy since the pandemic. Among the highlights was a cooking class at the home of a chef who lives in the hills above Chiavari, on Liguria’s eastern riviera.

Valentina Venuti is not just a chef, but also a sommelier, blogger, and c