(above, right) Augusto with Chef Charlie in Otranto
Meet Bari native, unofficial Pugliese ambassador, our travel partner, and longtime friend of Epicurean Exchange Culinary Travel, Augusto Salomone. Augusto established his company, Ad Pugliam, in 2008, to share the magic of Southern Italy and in particular, Puglia — geographically considered “the heel of Italy’s boot” — with the world! Augusto and our guests can attest to the fact that Puglia has it all – sleepy villages, stunning beaches, lively cities, incredible regional food and wines, historical UNESCO sites, and of course, its engaging, friendly, and welcoming people!
In 2016, when we were researching our first tour to “Italy’s Undiscovered Southern Coast,” we discovered Augusto and his tour company online. They appeared to be one of the region’s premiere operators – stellar reputation, years of experience and unique offerings. He met our first criteria: “qualified, knowledgable, and trusted partners to host our tours.” Next, we needed a partner who could customize a tour to meet our program needs: tours that would offer a culinary focus, including sourcing the best regional ingredients and opportunities to cook with local chefs and create and savor the quintessential foods of the region. This was a new concept for him, but we worked together to offer our first culinary “food focused” tour of Puglia in 2017.
Augusto personally accompanied our first tour, and, as operator (and speaking for our guests) we were not disappointed. His knowledge of the region and relationships with local hoteliers, chefs, artisans, and guides, not to mention his humor, enthusiasm, and skills as a translator, made every moment, outing, occasion, and day effortless, seamless, and wonderful! His understanding of our guest’s expectations and anticipating their needs is exceptional. His flexibility “on the road” makes the days exciting, often unexpected, and most-importantly, fun!
In 2019, we added a tour of Sicily. This tour was also custom-designed, meticulously executed, and personally accompanied by Augusto. Another “feather in the cap” of this talented professional and now a permanent fixture of our culinary tour repertoire.
The pandemic took its toll on friends like Augusto, and we have all had to pause our activities and the passion for what we do. We are pleased to announce that we will be joining Augusto again in May 2022 for back-to-back Puglia and Sicily tours. We have taken the fall, but together have gotten up, brushed ourselves off re-tooled, and are offering our exceptional tours again, with improvements and enhancements to make our experiences even better!
For more information and to register for either the Puglia or Sicily tours, or both, and follow the links here: