About Us

Information & Reservations

651-439-8868
763-218-9583
Bask in the glow of hospitality.

Three very warm and caring hosts will help you plan your trip and make you feel at home in Italy.

Barbara Brandt – Travel Agent and Co-Founder, Flavors of Italia:

Taking care of people is part of Barb's nature and talent, and she looks forward to helping you plan the Italian adventure of a lifetime. Barb is the ideal travel planner. She's attentive to your needs, patient, and excited to recommend travel experiences that will enhance and personalize your vacation in Tuscany.

Over the past 13 years, Barb has become known for creating memorable, personalized trips. Not only did she own a travel franchise for nine years, she earned and still holds a Master Cruise Counselor designation from CLIA. Currently, Barb is a Senior Travel Advisor with Carrousel Travel, an affiliate of American Express (the largest travel company in the world) and she uses the agency's vast resources to provide unforgettable travel experiences.

Barb's love for adventure has taken her to six continents over the past twenty years. She is fueled by her passion for travel and wants your life to be enriched by her well-researched and customized vacations.

Maureen "Molly" Brandt – Certified Executive Chef and Co-Founder, Flavors of Italia:

Experiencing Tuscan culture through food is the focal point of your journey, and Molly looks forward to sharing the flavorful local cuisine with you. During your stay, Molly will prepare your daily breakfast and four dinners for you using fresh, local ingredients and traditional Italian culinary techniques.

A Certified ProChef Level Three by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and CEC through the American Culinary Federation, Molly has earned a reputation as an up-and-coming talent. While in training, Molly worked at the Food Network™ and was named a Food and Wine best student chef in 2006. Upon graduating, Molly had the distinct honor of serving as a CIA teaching assistant. After her tenure at the Culinary Institute, Molly was invited to be guest chef for Dream Italy by CEO Giorgio Dell'Artino and worked with Dream Italy in China, planning and creating Italian menus for the company's promotional events.

Molly has worked in the kitchen at many reputable restaurants, most notably (and recently) the critically acclaimed, Michelin starred Cafe Boulud under Gavin Kaysen. 

Giorgio Dell'Artino – Italian Travel Specialist, Expert Guide:

Giorgio is your personal concierge and he's excited to be your host while you're in Italy. As your expert English-speaking guide, Giorgio will share his special friendships and local knowledge with you during your stay. Giorgio has an open and charismatic personality sure to put you at ease. He will go out of his way to customize your stay and show you Tuscany as you've never imagined it.

Born in Rome, Giorgio has always had a passion for travel and different cultures. By the time he was eighteen, he had explored every corner of Italy and most of the European continent with his family. When he was nineteen, Giorgio decided to visit the United States. It wasn't long before his friends were asking him to organize trips that revealed the "real" Italy. Thus, Giorgio planned and guided several trips to Europe for his friends from the United States.

In 1997, motivated by his success and a dream to share Italy's beauty with other travelers, Giorgio started his own company in Tuscany. Today, Dream Italy is one of the most prestigious travel agencies in Italy and provides dreams, a la carte. Giorgio specializes in personalized, one-of-a-kind Italian travel experiences. You can visit his site at www.dreamitaly.it.

Affiliations

Carrousel Travel American Express
6625 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55423