Gerri is a lover of all things Italian: food, culture, the Renaissance, the Early Roman Empire, and of course, family.  She grew up in an Italian-American home in Flushing, Queens where her grandfather nurtured a fig tree in the backyard, her grandmother made fresh ricotta and raviolis, and Sunday dinner for twelve began at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.  With a desire to recreate and invite others to her family table, she opened Cucina della Terra, a cooking school in a pastoral area of Italy where the culture of food could encompass a wider circle.

Gerri began her career as a teacher, after graduating from New York University with a BS in Education, followed by a Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University.  Eventually she went on to pursue her passion for food, and earned a degree in Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute.  She has worked in several New York City restaurants including Lavin’s, Woods, and the three-star rated Aureole.  Gerri was also Chef/Owner of a catering business and retail shop, serving New York City clients in the fashion industry and business world.

Finally, in 1996, she found herself managing the second location of Peter Kumps’ New York Cooking School.  This presented the opportunity to blend her love for teaching with her passion for food.  Gerri is now a Chef/Instructor at what has been renamed The Institute of Culinary Education.  She teaches professional level pastry arts, culinary classes and a variety of specialty classes on bread baking, pizza making, and Italian home cooking. Simultaneously, Gerri discovered this wonderful spot in Umbria, Italy, where she is fulfilling her dream to share with others the culture of food paired with a rich adventure that marries the antique with Italian Modern. Come join Gerri at Cucina Della Terra for a week-long cooking vacation creating delicious meals and memories.