Highlights
Quick Look
Period
November to February
Difficulty
Beginner to Advanced
Acommodation
Blue Sardine Boutique Hostel
Duration
7 days
Group Size
12 students max
Cost
2026: €29502027: €3450
Introduction
A 5-day, hands-on course in Italian salumi making and meat preservation.
This course is a comprehensive immersion into the world of Italian salumeria — a practical, in-depth journey through the techniques, cuts, and processes that define one of the most respected meat cultures on the Planet.
Over five intensive days in our professional lab, you’ll learn to transform pork from nose to tail into traditional Italian salumi: whole muscle cures, fermented salami, fresh sausages, cooked specialties, and regional spreadable products.
We’ll cover:
During the course, you’ll taste over 50 authentic Italian salumi products, covering a broad spectrum of regional styles and curing techniques.
You’ll work with experienced instructors, using professional tools and equipment, while making real products from start to finish.
What You Will Learn
This course gives you the technical knowledge, manual skills, and cultural understanding to confidently produce Italian-style salumi on your terms — whether at home, in a professional kitchen, or an artisan workshop.
Objectives
During the Course, You Will Also
Here, even meals are part of the learning.
Each dish served during the course is inspired by the rich diversity of Italy’s regional cuisines. It is designed to show you how salumi is made, eaten, shared, and celebrated.
Lunches and dinners are included, and many of the products made in class are featured on the menu, providing context for their use in both traditional and modern Italian cooking.
This course is ideal for chefs, butchers, hunters, food entrepreneurs, and passionate amateurs who want to learn the genuine methods behind salumi making, far beyond generic “charcuterie” boards.
Who teaches this course?
Juan Penzini Granier
Academic Director
Check Bio
Juan Penzini-Granier is the founder and academic director of the Artisan Culinary School. With a career spanning over 15 years, Juan is a seasoned professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the culinary industry. Juan’s culinary journey began with formal training in baking, which he then complemented with education as a professional cook, then turned his career towards the managerial part of the culinary business. He went on to own and manage several successful restaurants in Venezuela, where he was awarded the largest concessions system at the most prestigious country club in the city. He also had the opportunity to go back to the school where he started his career, but this time as a kitchen instructor and food and beverage cost professor. Then, seeking to expand his horizons, Juan moved to Italy to pursue an education in professional charcuterie and cheese making and ended up being the director of an international culinary school. As a teacher and instructor, Juan has trained over 500 people from more than 45 countries, instilling in them a passion for culinary artistry and a commitment to excellence. With the Artisan Culinary School, Juan aims to offer a unique and immersive culinary education experience that empowers aspiring food artisans to realize their full potential. Juan’s dedication to culinary education and his vast expertise make him an invaluable leader and mentor at the Artisan Culinary School. His vision and leadership drive the school with excellence and inspire its students to reach new heights in their culinary careers.
Itinerary
Discover everything we have planned for you in our itinerary.
Day 1
Arrival & Orientation
Arrive in Altea, settle in, and meet your fellow students. We’ll gather for a brief orientation in the evening and enjoy a welcome dinner together.
Day 2
Italian-Style Butchery & Whole Muscle Salumi: Salting & Curing
We begin with a theory session on selecting and conditioning pig carcasses for salumi production, followed by a full butchering demonstration and hands-on session using traditional Italian techniques.
Work begins on whole muscle products such as coppa, pancetta, and lonza. Learn salting methods, cut selection, and preparing meats for aging.
Day 3
Fermented Salami: Part I
Begin preparation of ground meat salumi. Learn the fundamentals of meat selection, grinding, mixing, pH control, starter cultures, and safe fermentation.
Day 4
Fermented Salami: Part II & Fresh Sausages
Stuff your fermented mixes into casings and move on to fresh sausages, focusing on texture, seasoning, and traditional Italian profiles.
Day 5
Cooked Salumeria & Spreadable Products
Produce regional specialties like mortadella, sanguinaccio, and spreadable salumi such as ‘nduja and ciauscolo. Explore their unique techniques and cultural roles.
Day 6
Aging, Lab Setup & Salumi Business Planning
Cover aging chamber setup, storage, hygiene, and environmental control. Then shift to planning for small-scale artisan production and sustainable business practices.
Wrap up with a Q&A and course reflections. Certificates and ACS Course Awards are given out before enjoying a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 7
Departure
Enjoy a relaxed morning before your scheduled transfer. A light lunch is available for later departures.
Specifics
When you join us at the Artisan Culinary School, everything is designed so you can focus entirely on learning, creating, and enjoying the experience.
Course Fees (2025/26)
Course Fees (2027)
Inclusions
*Our wines are carefully selected by our resident sommelier and served at dinner, following European hospitality customs.
Not Included
Who is this course for?
Anyone who loves food. Culinary students, professional cooks, butchers, farmers, entrepreneurs, home cooks, salumi aficionados, and Italian culture lovers. No prior butchering training is necessary, although having some basic food knowledge will enhance your
experience during the course.
Did you know?
You may also be interested in the following courses
Transform into an Artisan Foods Expert through our comprehensive program, starting with an introductory week followed by specialized courses in vegetable and seafood conserves, dairy and cheese production, bread baking, pastry making, and charcuterie from France, Spain, and Italy. Perfect for those dedicated to mastering artisan food production.
Discover ancient and modern fish and seafood conservation techniques in our one-week intensive and full-immersion course. Learn how to select and buy fresh fish at the peak of its season, and understand how to use salt, fats, acid, microorganisms, and heat to make traditional European specialties and their modern variations. We uphold sustainable fishing practices and a zero-waste philosophy.
Spain is the land of the legendary Ibérico breed. Spanish style charcutería has permeated the meat culture of many other countries. In this hands-on experience, you will learn traditional and genuine methods for artisan charcutería production while exploring the culture of Jamón, chorizo, and dozens of delicious meat products.
Discover the art of French charcuterie in this one-week intense program. Understand and use basic science principles of meat preservation and transformation in detail while working hands-on as we replicate the most representative French meat products: pâté, terrine, saucisson sec, jambon, fresh sausages, and foie gras.
The Artisan Meats Specialist program is a comprehensive, all-inclusive, and hands-on culinary immersion into the world of artisanal meat delicacies spanning three renowned European cultures – French, Italian, and Spanish. This course, tailored for both professionals and culinary enthusiasts, delves deeply into the art and science of charcuterie from these three countries, offering an extensive understanding of meat transformation and preservation.
