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Italian Cooking Class: Private Culinary Experience
5.0
62 Ratings
Firenze
Join Fabio in Florence’s countryside for a hands-on Italian cooking class. Make fresh pasta, sauces, and desserts. Experience authentic regional cuisine.
Join Fabio in Florence’s countryside for a hands-on Italian cooking class. Make fresh pasta, sauces, and desserts. Experience authentic regional cuisine.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Via dei Renai, 37 - Guests will be picked up in a private car from a central location in Florence and transported to the charming countryside home of their host, Fabio, nestled in the hills just outside the city. Fabio and his partner Christiane extend a warm welcome, sharing delightful stories of life in Florence and their olive oil harvesting…
- Via dei Renai, 37 - Guests will be picked up in a private car from a central location in Florence and transported to the charming countryside home of their host, Fabio, nestled in the hills just outside the city. Fabio and his partner Christiane extend a warm welcome, sharing delightful stories of life in Florence and their olive oil harvesting process. Begin a 2-3 hour private, hands-on Italian cooking class by learning to make pasta from scratch using traditional machines. Fabio will then guide participants in creating a seasonal sauce, either a fresh vegetable blend or a Sicilian-style sauce. Next, prepare a local dish such as a pork fillet with almonds or Fabio’s favorite, baccalà con porri e cavolo viola (pan-stewed cod with leeks and purple cabbage). Savor the meal with local wine and conclude with a seasonal dessert like winter castagnaccio (chestnut flour cake) or summer panna cotta with strawberry coulis. Relish each flavorful creation in this unique Tuscan culinary experience! This immersive food adventure with the lovely local couple is a true Florentine delight.
What's Included
- Private Cooking Class with your host Fabio
- Pick-up and drop-off from central Florence meeting spot
- Alcoholic beverages
- Private Cooking Class with your host Fabio
- Pick-up and drop-off from central Florence meeting spot
- Alcoholic beverages
What's Not Included
- Hotel pick up and drop off
- Hotel pick up and drop off
Meal Options
- Seasonal welcome drink
- First Course (Primo) - Homemade pasta with a vegetarian, meat, or fish sauce, or Gnudi (Tuscan “naked ravioli” with ricotta and spinach)
- Main course (Secondo) - Tuscan slow-stewed beef with garlic, black pepper, and red wine or Pork fillet in almonds and aromatic herbs
- Crostata with jam, Biscotti di Prato (traditional cookies), or Fabio’s apple pie -
- Seasonal welcome drink
- First Course (Primo) - Homemade pasta with a vegetarian, meat, or fish sauce, or Gnudi (Tuscan “naked ravioli” with ricotta and spinach)
- Main course (Secondo) - Tuscan slow-stewed beef with garlic, black pepper, and red wine or Pork fillet in almonds and aromatic herbs
- Crostata with jam, Biscotti di Prato (traditional cookies), or Fabio’s apple pie -
Additional Information
This is not your typical Italian cooking class. This is a chance to immerse yourself in a private cooking class with a delightful man passionate about regional Italian cuisine and share an authentic meal with a couple that has been married for 30 years and are still crazy in love!
Fabio lives on a hill in the countryside surrounded by olive trees. Fabio…
This is not your typical Italian cooking class. This is a chance to immerse yourself in a private cooking class with a delightful man passionate about regional Italian cuisine and share an authentic meal with a couple that has been married for 30 years and are still crazy in love!
Fabio lives on a hill in the countryside surrounded by olive trees. Fabio and Christiane (when she is home) welcome you into their colorful home with a refreshing drink. Fabio will explain how they pick olives and how olive oil is made. Next, join Fabio in his kitchen for a 2.5 hour hands-on cooking class. Learn to make fresh pasta, sauce, a main and dessert. Depending on the season, you might help Fabio make tagliatelle con ragù or squid risotto with wild fennel and orange peel, and cod with leeks and purple cabbage or pork chop with almonds. For dessert, enjoy castagnaccio, chestnut flour cake, a regional favorite or panna cotta with strawberry coulis in the summer over a pot of freshly brewed coffee.
- Fabio’s home is about 10km from the city center. He or someone appointed by him will pick you up from a central meeting location (Via dei Renai 37, Firenze) and drop you off at the same place at the end of your experience. The cost for return transportation from the central meeting location is included in the price. Please include your WhatsApp number or local contact number in your booking so that it is easy to communicate, in case of traffic or other delays.
- Fabio can accommodate vegetarian, lactose-free and gluten-free diets in his Italian cooking class, so please inform him in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies.
- Please note that, as is common in many Italian homes, this residence does not have air conditioning.
- Fabio’s car can only accommodate six guests. If there are more in your group, email us
Location
Via dei Renai, 37
Via dei Renai
Fabio, or someone from his team, will pick you up from the central meeting location at Via dei Renai 37, Florence, and drop you off at the same location after the experience. Round trip transportation from this meeting point is included in the price.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(62 Ratings)
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Dream752983
Jan 29, 2026
Much more than a cooking class... - Instead of simply learning to make pasta in a large class setting in the city, we desired something more customized, private, and authentic. Fabio and Christiane exceeded every expectation and delivered an experience we will never forget. Fabio customized our dinner (fish) with ease and yes we learned to make pasta. But this wasn't a class - this was an invitation into their home to share backgrounds, stories, experiences while cooking food. We also shared some wine but most importantly created memories that will last with us forever. There were 4 of us plus Fabio and Christiane which was the perfect size to fit the space. Meeting locations, menu creation, and overall communication was excellent. We promise to return to pick olives with Fabio and Christiane sometime soon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roycer150
Oct 22, 2025
Countryside cooking experience with Fabio and Christiane - The cooking Experience with Fabio and Christiane was wonderful. We had a great time and learned a lot about cooking traditional Italian foods. The view from the country side was amazing and the wine was delicious. This was definitely the highlight of our vacation in Italy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thomascn9039om
Oct 22, 2025
A truly enjoyable experience with Fabio - This experience was one of the highlights of our trip. Fabio and Christiana welcomed us into their home and shared their culinary expertise as we cooked and ate a delicious midday meal together. We appreciated him contacting us in advance to discuss the menu options. A truly enjoyable experience from beginning to end.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X8502richarlottep
Oct 15, 2025
An authentic Tuscan cooking class and dinner. - If you’re visiting Florence this experience is a must do. It will be your best dinner experience of the Tuscany region. You will learn , taste, and most of all have fun. You both made us feel welcoming in your beautiful warm home. Thank you for being one of my highlights of Florence.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurielh9796kp
Oct 8, 2025
One of a kind experience that will elevate your time in Florence. - We took this cooking class as four friends looking for a taste of Italian cooking and life outside of the tourist areas of Florence. Our experience began when Fabio picked us up and drove up into the hills outside of Florence. The winding roads along old stone walls into the olive groves gave the first indication we were about to experience something very special. Fabio and his wife, Christiane, were wonderful, warm hosts. After a welcome appetizer and some sparkling wine in their garden, we proceeded into their inviting home for hands on lessons in making tiramisu and traditional cod dish and handmade tortelli stuffed with fish and cheese. As the sun set and the day cooled, the hills around the house were alight with reds and pinks. Magical. Fabio was a patient teacher and fabulous cook. The results were delicious. Over dinner and local wine we had stimulating discussions about life. This was a precious and one of a kind experience we'll never forget. Grazie Mille, Fabio and Christiane!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard14036658
Oct 3, 2025
A very pleasant afternoon. - My wife and I had a wonderful experience with Fabo and Christiane in late September. Before the class Fabio and I corresponded about the menu for the afternoon. It was all tasty – crostini with cheese and anchovies, stuffed zucchini flowers, gnudi, Baccalà mantecato and Cantucci di Prato. They have a stylish home in a beautiful setting in the country (where we were able to pick fresh chanterelles). All ingredients and wines were local. An added bonus: an engaging conversation with this cultured and well-traveled couple.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rhonda
Sep 28, 2025
Fabulous cooking class experience - We had a wonderful afternoon/evening with Fabio and Christiane. We were picked up right on time and driven to their beautiful countryside home. We had a few lite bites and good conversation. Next was a very informative cooking experience complete with detailed instruction on each part of the meal. Fabio let us participate in many aspects of the meal preparation. We learned a lot and were lucky enough to consume everything we made and it was delicious. We highly recommend this cooking experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johnsw4139zf
Jul 31, 2025
A heartening glimpse of humanity and food bringing people together - Fabio and his partner were an absolute joy. The two of them couldn't be more welcoming, pleasant, or enjoyable with which to cook and dine. The food was probably the best meal we had abroad in 10 days. The country setting was perfect for the experience, style of cooking, and task of cooking. The experiecne was tuned perfectly to our desires based on our correspondence.
Understand that Fabio does both cooking for you and teaching (cooking with you) style experiences, and he's assertive in the kitchen: if you're not, he'll simply make and serve the meal for you. If you want to do a majority of the work, be prepared to be assertive. Regardless, he provides an incredible amount of information and experience.
Would ABSOLUTELY recommend and will absolutely do again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gatorboo
Jun 27, 2025
Welcome to Florence - This wasn't a cooking class, it was more of an experience and an excellent introduction to Florence. I booked this for my mother and I, hoping for a break from the more traditional tours and museum visits. What a wonderful evening! Fabio contacted me a few days before to gauge our likes and dislikes and then emailed me the menu. We made stewed beef Tuscan-style, handmade pasta with a vegetarian sauce, zucchini, and a dessert made with chestnut flower. The food was very good. I received the recipes and have made the beef again since coming home. But, better than the food was the company. Fabio and his wife, were absolutely wonderful. They provided excellent hospitality, great conversation, and even a few tips for must-see attractions. Based on their recommendations, we took a lovely tour to Sienna. This was a perfect introduction to Florence. I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P1717nkchrisc
Jun 13, 2025
Wonderful - We had a great evening with Fabio and his
wife Christina. He was very generous in sharing the traditions of his cooking and sourcing of herbs oils and ingredients. The goal was to provide a gluten free dinner and he did a great job. The company was delightful and the setting in the hills of Tuscany in the middle of an olive grove. You can't get more authentic than that!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
