Florence - Lesson with Chef Barbara

All the members of my party were very impressed with the class taught by Barbara. The location was splendid (the view was incredible!) and she was a delight. You could see she was quite the professional and yet very easy to talk to. I very much enjoyed the trip to the market with her to chose the foods for the class as I have never seen such a place before. As well, we had a dish I had never encountered -stuffed zucchini flowers and it was by far the favorite of my group. The entire experience was the highlight of our time in Florence. As well, two members of our party had a similar class with Susan in Venice and raved about what fun they had with her there. In fact they seemed so happy and I had enjoyed Barbara to such a degree in Florence I regretted that I had not enrolled for the class with Susan as well. I think we will not soon forget the experience and most definitely will refer your service to others in the future. Jason J, Ok

Barbara met us at the market in Florence to purchase the food we were going to prepare and took us through the entire market. We couldn't believe the cheese and meat counters. Some of the vegetables are different from what we have in the States, and she explained and answered my many questions. One vegetable I'll never forget was the long purple onion rather than the round one I buy here. She drove us to her country home. Her home was located about 10 minutes outside Florence from the market on a hilltop with a wonderful picture post card view of Florence as we looked down upon it. The setting was as exciting as the cooking. It was a windy and chilly day the day we were there so we ate the lunch we had prepared in her dining room. She made us feel very much at home in her home. She gave us copies of all the recipes (which require no adaptation for me to prepare at home) and also gave us an apron from her school as part of our experience which will make it just that much more fun to prepare the recipes here at home. I took notes as we prepared the food to help me remember the little "tricks" she suggested. It was a very relaxing, wonderful day and a highlight of our trip. She packed so much into the one lesson we feel we were truly able to experience not only Tuscan cooking but a little bit of life in Tuscany. Charlene & Lee S., FL

Just wanted to thank you for a truly memorable vacation experience. Barbara Desderi's cooking class today was SO much fun. Not only is she very knowledgeable but she is personable and charming also. My class consisted of myself and a married couple from Minnesota. We all got a chance to be hands-on and to ask questions about cooking styles in Italy and life in Italy in general. Barbara's enthusiasm for her homeland and her love of cooking fine food was inspiring. Thank you for helping to arrange a wonderful time. Toni M., CA

We had a very special meeting with Barbara -- met at the market in the snow! so we chose several items for the menu she had planned. She drove us back to her kitchen. It was a wonderful day. She is very warm and the food was delicious. Linda & Michael P., NJ

Our cooking class with Barbara was one of the highlights of my trip to Florence. Even though she wasn't feeling well, she was upbeat, gracious, and so kind. We took our class at her magnificient home, overlooking Florence. She treated us as if we were a special member of her family. I can't wait to cook our menu with my family. Thank you Barbara for making this such a memorable trip. I hope to see you when you come to the states. Cea E., OH

Barbara's class is both fun and informative. Her instructions are clear and easy to follow because she both shows and tells how to prepare each dish. What's more, she's an easy going person with whom I felt instantly comfortable. No need to stand on formality or try to impress, just roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. In short, it was a great experience and I would do it again if I had the chance. Malin J., Washington D.C.

Loved meeting up with her at the local produce market and [May was] such a great time of year to see all the fresh Italian produce. Barbara pointed out alot of the local produce that we can't get at home and how she would/could use in the kitchen. We're very glad we took the country experience of going out to the villa. Eating our homemade italian lunch out on the terrace while absorbing the beautiful Firenze vista was truly worthwhile. Barbara was an expert in the kitchen, we picked up new styles and approaches to cooking that we can't wait to try out at home -- thoroughly enjoyed it! Susan B., MA

It was a great experience we would definitely do it again, we loved going to the central market and buying the food to cook and then going to Barbaras' parents house [for the country experience] to cook. Although the meal was very simple it was great and we both learned some things from Barbara. By the way, Barbara is sweet and we loved her as a host. Thank you, Terry B., CA

Barbara was a wonderful teacher and the opportunity to take three private lessons with her much surpassed my expectations. She is an excellent communicator and I enjoyed the hands on learning. I had an opportunity to ask many questions. She is a lovely person and when you have a one to one class, it is nice to be with someone who you like. I found I really liked her and enjoyed seeing some of the political and social issues through her eyes ( we talked about food, wine, politics, families, children and books - all the usual subjects when you have women in the kitchen!). I would highly recommend this class to anyone! Ruth M., MN

Fasinating class and Barbara Desderi is an extremely knowledgeable chef. It was a delightful day and I cannot begin to express our gratitude. Barbara met us at the market and I took furious notes while she showed everything from vegtables, to meats, to cheeses, pointd out different items, what to look for, how to use certain ingredients, and was a wealth of information. Barbara made several recipes, answered questions related and unrelated to what she was making and made two extra items because the other couple wanted ot know how to make gnocchi and I mentioned pesto and she said, "Let's make it." The childhood home where Barbara taught the class is out of a storybook. It was a perfect day... this is truly a wonderful chef. Margaret O., IL

We took our class at Barbara Desderi's family villa overlooking Florence. Barbara picked us up in town, took us shopping at a colorful local outdoor market and then drove us to the villa. We enjoyed breathtaking views of Florence and an abundance of Italian charm. The class was for my mother, my daughter and I. My mother is quite knowledgable about cooking so I feared she might be difficult to please. Barbara proved to be well trained, an excellent teacher, personable and went out of her way to make our experience truly memorable. Thank you! Kim T., CA

[W]e had an absolute wonderful experienced with Barbara in Florence and loved every minute of our time with her from the market to the final sip of wine. She is a delight and will recommend her to friends. Barbara never seemed to be in a hurry and always answered our many questions with a smile and always added a few interesting extra facts along the way. I have been cooking for 50 years and still learned little tips I can use. They food was delicious and we had a ball. My husband is NOT a cook and he loved the whole experience also. Many happy memories of a fun day. Carol G., IL

This was a family tour & my daughter, son in-law & I decided to take a cooking class for one day. My husband & son chose not to do the cooking. My husband & I have been to Italy on tours, but this time we drove. Three nights were spent in San Gimingnano, 3 in Florence & 4 in Rome. For me, the highlight of the trip was meeting & cooking with Barbara. She certainly enjoys her job & you can tell that by her enthusiasm. I enjoyed her menu & cetainly enjoyed participating in the preparation of the ravioli, chicken, potatoes & the delicious tiramasu. This was the first time that I ever made homemade pasta. My daughter, son in-law & I have decided to do some shopping next week to purchase equipment that we do not have. My husband I usually make 3 to 4 trips a year to Europe or elsewhere. Italy is our favorite country. The Tuscany area is just wonderful. Since we both love cities, we enjoy Rome & Florence.If I have a chance to return to Florence, I would take another class with Barbara. Thanks for providing this wonderful service. Marie T., MD

I was among a group of 6 friends who took 3 one-day lessons with Chef Barbara in Florence. We loved Barbara! Her personality was sparkling, warm, friendly, and very accommodating. Her recipes are easy, simple, fresh, and delicious. Daily shopping at the outdoor market was a great experience with the gorgeous fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats. We spent 6 days in Florence crammed with museums, eating, shopping, and cooking. Being with Barbara was certainly one of our top highlights. We all give Barbara our recommendations and would sign up for her cooking classes again while in Florence. Lana W., MA

My mom and I had a fantastic day with Chef Barbara! The one day class was an island of calm in an ocean of museums, palazzo's, restaurants, and sight seeing. Meeting at the Sant' Ambrogio market was a great idea. It's clear that all the local farmers, butchers and cheese makers love Chef Barbara. She really knows her way around and taught us a lot about produce and great ingredients. We were really impressed with Chef Barbara's atelier (studio) in Florence, too. It was just a 5 minute drive from the market and the perfect space for our class of 6 students. She had everything prepped and ready to go when we arrived, so there was no time wasted. We also enjoyed meeting the four other students (all Americans on holiday). Matthew W., CA

This class was the highlight of our vacation. Chef Barbara is extremely knowledgeable about food, food pairing and the history of Italian cuisine. The menu we prepared was authentic, the meeting place interesting and available ingredients were very fresh. I would recommend The International Kitchen and Chef Barbara to anyone. I have already shared much of this adventure with many friends and family. Thank you so much. Kindest regards, Lara & Andrew M., WA

Our experience could not have been better. We met the teacher in an italian open air market. We were able to experience the culture, learn about their agriculture and return to a very quaint studio. The class was very small and very hands on. We definately would recommend The International Kitchen and will look forward to booking with them again soon! Dana H., CO

We met Barbara in the market which was fun and informative as well. Then we went to her mothers home to cook as we were her first clients after maternity leave and that became the highlight of the event. Her home overlooked Florence and we dined al fresco on her patio with the city below. Barbara did an excellent job of instructing as well as sharing food history relevant to Tuscany. The meal we made was the best we had in our entire 3 weeks in Europe. Lesle H., WA

Classes with Barbara Desideri were excellent ... She is a gem, so sweet and very competent. We especially enjoyed the trip to the market at St. Ambrogio where she showed us what to look for when shopping. She knew all the merchants personally and I think got the best ingredients. Her menu was interesting and it was very hands on for us with her standing by to make sure we got things right. Her country home was charming and the weather (in Early October) was so nice we got to sit outside for our lunch. She made some excellent wine choices that pared very well with the food. She is very professional. We were part of a party of eight [...] and I think we would do it all again and will certainly recommend this to our friends. Warren K.

Chef Barbara was great. She was a pleasure. It was just two of us so it was great hands-on instruction. Her facility was wonderful, clean and easy to work in. The meeting point was easy to reach and the walk and discussion through the market was interesting. The recipes was wonderful and easy to follow when I got home. Linda G., PA

The class with Barbara was the highlight of our 10 day trip to Rome and Florence. My parents and I did the class, and it was just a wonderful experience. Barbara is warm and engaging, and she was a joy to work with. She took time to explain so much to us, from the variety of products in the market, to cooking techniques and ways of cooking Tuscan style. ... [The International Kitchen] staff was very helpful and the information was good. Thanks for setting up the class with Barbara. It was a once in a lifetime experience! Robin, VA

Chef Barbara in Florence was wonderful in every aspect. Her communication skills were excellent, and her knowledge went full circle. We would enjoy taking another class with her anytime that we will be able in the future. Going through the market was especially helpful, as she discussed the various foods, freshness tips etc. Evan G., NY

Cooking with Barbara in Florence. Barbara was wonderful. She was exceptionally friendly, knowledgable and happy to involve everyone, including my kids (who, along with my wife and I, truly found this experience memorable). The food we created was very tasty and unusual, and we plan to have a party with friends this month to cook the recipeis she gave us. I don't recall her assistant's name, but she was also very nice. The class was one of ther major higlights of our trip (maybe the highest). Barbara was the type of person we hope will come to the USA, so we can return the favor, and left us with such a warm and happy feeling about Florence. She's a gem. Willliam B., VA

Barb was so awesome. with just the three of us it was perfect. no one else was in our class that day. we got to ask her all the questions we wanted. i think she was a very intelligent and fun person and we were happy to have met her. she did a wonderful job and made our experience in flornece that much better. we asked her a lot about florentines and their culture which also was very helpful and an extra perk of our time spent with her. Randi N., IL

We really enjoyed the fact we met with Barbara beforehand at the market where she introduced us to local Tuscan food, diets and produce. Barbara's English was excellent and she explained everything from the produce and cooking utensils we were using to the history of Tuscan cuisine compared to other areas of Italy. We found the whole experience fascinating and a lot of fun... Elisabeth T., UK

Chef Barbara's class was terrific. It benefited from the company we were with - another young couple on holiday. I realize one can't pick and choose your co-students but the company really made the afternoon enjoyable. The market was fantastic and we definitely wished we had known about it sooner so we could have visited for lunch during our stay. Going back to Chef Barbara's house was also a treat - we were both very envious of her beautiful kitchen, patio, and views. The menu was terrific and while we have some practicing to do before we roll raviolis quite as good as she did, we've enjoyed our mistakes throughly since we've been home. I've made the chocolate cakes twice and my dinner guests licked their plates clean. Kristen B., LA

Our cooking class was great. Barbara was interesting and it was fun for my children as well. We have made the items since our return. Maura T., IL

The visit to the market was quite interesting. With Barbara driving us from the market to her home and with her liitle boy playing in the yard under her mother's supervision, it felt like a visit with a friend. Barbara was very easy going and very forthcoming with recipes, tips, advice. The instruction was excellent and the food outstanding. Pamela U., USA

Going to Chef Barbara's house was amazing. Her class was very educational and very fun. We truly enjoyed dining outside afterwards as it was a perfectly gorgeous day! What a fantastic memory to have for the years to come. Ric P., USA

We all had a wonderful time. Chef Barbara was a delight and made out visit very relaxing and comfortable. Relaxing in the country side of Tuscany, the food and wine were the best. Mary R., USA

I really enjoyed going to the market with chef Barbara. She let us sample different items. Chef Barbara was bery friendly and open. She was supportive and encouraging. She gave many pointers and the food was fabulous. It was loads of fun and one of the highlights of my trip that my family and friends benefit from. Melissa G., VA

We loved our cooking calss even my 17 year old son was engaged. Barbara had a lovely warm engaging personality while keeping everything on track. The food was fab. and the recipes easy enough that I have been able to replicat the tortellini with my 5th grade class. I'm only sorry it was a Sunday and we missed the market experience. Ruth A., NY

The cooking class with Chef Barbara was a highlight of our visit to Florence. The visit to the market was fun and also educational as Chef Barbara was great to answer our questions. We chose to take the class in her country home and it was very nice. Our 15 year old niece was with us and she enjoyed it just as much as we did. We all took part in preparing the meal. We were in Italy for eight days and visited Rome, Assissi, Venice and Florence. This was our favorite meal!!!! We have returned to Alabama and purchased a pasta maker, potato ricer and lots of fennel! This was new for us - never had eaten fennel or even seen it in the stores. We have since prepared it many times and on the last visit to the produce stand I ended up telling everyone in line about it and how to fix it. I guess there will now be a shortage in Alabama! :) We highly recommend taking a class with Chef Barbara. Ken M., AL

It was a great experience, especially being able to participate, though in a limited way, in making some of the dishes. Nothing like hands-on experience to reinforce what you've learned. The class experience was very fulfilling and certainly exceeded expectations. I have been to several such classes and find each to be quite different. This one was especially pleasing because the instructor/chef was so warm and welcoming. I felt almost as if I was in her kitchen watching and helping her prepare a meal. Janet T.

Barbara was just so nice and informative. The trip to the market was great, as we were able to ask question after question about the different items we saw. Also, Barbara was very forthcoming in talking about all things Italian. Great Day!!!!!!! Amy Jo B., PA

Barbara was a very friendly and knowledgeable chef who we really enjoyed spending time with. She took the time to answer all of our many questions with a very genuinely kind attitude and didn't rush us to finish even though she had other obligations that evening. She was very helpful when we asked her about different recipes and cookbooks... We really enjoyed that she brought us around the marketplace first. That was one of the highlights of the class! Heidi F., USA