Behind the Scenes of Our Weekend with Massimo Bottura

Last spring, an intimate group of PRIOR members traveled to Modena in Italy where chef Massimo Bottura and partner Lara Gilmore took us behind the scenes of Modenese life, their newly opened, art-filled villa, Casa Maria Lugia, and their agenda-setting restaurant, Osteria Francescana.

The weekend was part of our ongoing series of “Nomadic Clubhouse” events, in which we bring together chefs, artisans and experts in their field for special celebrations that draw out the best of a particular region.

Among the many weekend highlights, the couple and their son Charlie led a tortellini-making class at the villa, and, in an impromptu moment, the ever-inventive chef fetched a finely aged bottle of the region’s prized balsamic vinegar to create a cocktail mixed with prosecco.

Our group enjoyed a private recital of the world’s oldest organ at the Basilica Di San Petronio in Bologna, we lunched among the world’s rarest collection of Maseratis in a barn at Hombre Farm, Italy’s finest producer of parmigiano reggiano, and, by the weekend’s end, lifelong friendships were forged between PRIOR members from around the world.

After the success of the event, the couple are once again opening the doors of their villa for an entirely new experience from November 7–10 especially tailored around the fall bounty of the region. The Nomadic Clubhouse will include a three-night stay at Casa Maria Luigia, tastings of fresh black truffles in the Apennine hills, a market tour of the Modena market with Massimo, and dinner prepared by the chef showcasing the white truffles of Alba in the carraige house of the villa. The weekend will culminate with dinner prepared by Massimo and his team at Osteria Francescana, the chef taking time out from the kitchen to explain his menu and methods throughout the evening.

To learn more about becoming a PRIOR member and joining us on any of our upcoming experiences, see the Events and Journeys page on this site, or contact us at hello@prior.club.