Special Events

Italian Cooking Demonstration with Rolando Beramendi

Join us in-person at BAKE! for this not-to-be missed Authentic Italian Cooking Demonstration* with Rolando Beramendi, the renowned importer of the finest ingredients from Italy to the US and author of the cookbook, AUTENTICO: Cooking Italian, The Authentic Way (2017). 

* Please note this is not a hands-on class but a demonstration—this means you’ll be only watching, listening, and asking questions as the guest chef prepares dishes.

Rolando will share his wisdom of what it means to make and eat an authentic Italian meal by preparing three recipes from his cookbook: his most famous appetizer, Pizza Without A Crust; followed by Risotto Verde, featuring a host of fresh green herbs; and for dessert, his Capezzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake. 

We’ll have tastings throughout the evening as Rolando creates his authentic Italian fare for us, while serving up his culinary philosophy: “start with the very best pantry items, buy what is fresh and in season, and make dishes the way they are meant to be, simple and delicious.” 

Rolando’s cookbook, along with a selection of Italian pantry items from his company Manicaretti Italian Food Importers will be available for purchase.

You’ll leave BAKE! with a solid foundation of what it means to make and eat an authentic Italian meal and all three of Rolando’s recipes to make at home. 

Meet the Instructor

"Eat and be authentic"
Rolando Beramendi is the founder of the Italian fine food importer, Manicaretti (“little treats,” “delicacies,” or “delicious morsels” in Italian), specializing in the importation and distribution of artisan gourmet foods from Italy since 1987. Today, the company’s name is recognized as a seal of guarantee for the best Italian pantry items available in the industry, supplying stores and restaurants across the country that include Zingerman’s Deli, the Roadhouse, and Zingerman’s Mail Order right here in Ann Arbor.

An industry-renowned tastemaker, Rolando has had a profound impact upon American food. His products, cooking classes, and culinary expertise have been praised by luminaries such as Ina Garten, Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Nancy Silverton, Zingerman’s own Ari Weinzweig, and many more. He splits his time between New York, San Francisco, and Florence.

Rolando’s cookbook, AUTENTICO: Cooking Italian, The Authentic Way (St Martin’s Griffin, 2017), is an insider’s glimpse into the Italian farms and kitchens where Rolando learned to cook authentically. Included are 120 recipes and a serving of his philosophy: start with the very best pantry items, buy what is fresh and in season, and make dishes the way they are meant to be, simple and delicious.”

For a preview of Rolando in action and an introduction to his philosophy at the heart of his cookbook and import company, check out this video on his YouTube channel Manicaretti Italian Food Importers.