A ITALIAN family living in Pickering are hoping to bring the taste of Italy to Ryedale with a new cooking school for young people.

Il Siciliano, an Italian cooking company set up by Antonella Pampaloni and her family, wants expand and create Simply Sicily, a company to help young people in the community, giving them a platform for what could become a future career.

Antonella, whose husband and daughter run the company, said she wants young people to have something they can benefit and learn from.

“We would like to help young people and create something they can benefit from and with this they would be able to work and learn,” she said.

The project would be aimed at young people from the age of 16 upwards who want to leave school and get some experience in the work place, as well as vulnerable people, teenage parents and young families.

Students would learn how to master the art of Italian cooking, learn to be waiters and bar staff, and learn about running a business.

“A chef would come in and teach them everything, even how to make ice cream, which would be really great,” said Antonella. “The aim is to give young people a better future full of new ideas and challenges and to create new businesses, so new jobs will also increase.”

The family are trying to raise as much money as possible to set the company up and are promoting catering evenings where guests can sample the Sicilian cuisine, free of charge.

For more information or to make a reservation phone 07710 548389.