Join Chef Renato for an extraordinary day at a private villa on the Isle of Capri. An internationally renowned chef, Renato was awarded two Michelin stars and has received recognition from the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic organization recognizing only seven establishments in all of Italy. Chef Renato decided to leave the restaurant business and focus on his own catering company and cooking school. The setting of your cooking class is a magnificent private villa overlooking the sea with spectacular views of Ischia, Procida, and Capo Miseno. The day begins around 10:30 a.m. with a welcome drink on the terrace, where you can take in the stunning views and enjoy the verdant, surrounding gardens. The lesson itself lasts around three hours, with Chef Renato guiding you through the preparation of six courses. After the lesson, you will enjoy the dishes you have prepared, if weather permits, by the pool, where you are welcome to relax after the meal.

Available year-round Monday through Friday for a minimum of two people, evening classes also available upon request. Unavailable: May 20 to July 7; July 19-23.

Prices

Minori is another lovely port town along the rich and beautiful Amalfi coast, just a few miles from Amalfi and Ravello. It is a little town of special charm, with a beautiful promenade, enriched by a splendid 11th century fountain. It was here that the first prototypes of a dish were developed that today we can't even dream of living without - pasta!! Join Chef Giuliano Donatantonio of the restaurant of the Hotel Villa Romana for a hands on cooking class. You can choose a morning class or afternoon class, where you will go through the preparation of a four to five course meal, one of course being pasta! Afterwards, you will enjoy the meal based on your efforts, DOC wines included. Available any day on request for a minimum of two people.

Prices

Often called the "Julia Child" of Italian cuisine, Diana Folonari has been sharing her wealth of knowledge for over 26 years. Her creative intelligence and lighthearted sense of humor guarantee the lessons are "allegro vivace" in every sense. Diana is married to Vic Folonari of the renowned Folonari wine family, and the grape flows freely through her cooking and at the table.

The setting for your class is Diana's villa overlooking Positano, set amid bursting arrays of bougainvillea, hibiscus, and oleander. The class begins at 9:30 a.m. and finishes at approximately 1:00 p.m., at which point you will enjoy the dishes you have prepared, if weather permits, on the terrace. Available on request any day of the week, June through October for a minimum of two.

Prices

Spend a very special day with Chef Vincenzino. After many years as chef/owner of a restaurant, he decided to run a cooking school from his home, enjoying the people who love food, and "eat it with the heart and not just the mouth!" You will meet the chef walk together to his private home located in a historic alley of Ravello, strolling through the pedestrian road that crosses the village. With Vincenzino, who speaks English, you will learn how the traditional secrets of the local chef, including how local people choose vegetables and local wines. Then it is on to Vincenzino's home, gloriously situated on a cliff top 350 meters above sea level. You will proceed with the hands-on preparation of your lunch, from starter to dessert... wine, water and coffee included. Weather permitting, lunch will be served on the terrace (option valid only for 2 people) to enjoy the spectacular view of the Mediterranean, or in the dining room. The day begins around 10am and ends after your meal in the afternoon.

Available on request for 2-4 people: the cooking day is just for you, other reservations will not be added. Private transfer from Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Maiori, or Minori can be arranged.

We can also arrange for you to spend a night or two in a charming three or four-star hotel in Ravello. Please inquire for rates and availability.

Prices

US$230 per person

Come to Mamma Agata's clifftop home in Ravello to learn Mediterranean and Italian specialties like pasta, pizza, cakes, and dishes made with veal, chicken, seafood, and fresh seasonal vegetables. Mamma has been the chef for some of Hollywood's most shining stars: Liz Taylor, Federico Fellini, Humphrey Bogart, and Fred Astaire to name a few. The hands-on and demonstration lesson will be followed by a gourmet meal on the terrace overlooking the sea, in the spacious garden surrounded by lemon trees and flowers. Class runs for approximately 4 hours, followed by a gourmet lunch, 10:30am to about 3:00pm.

Available Monday through Friday on request for a minimum of 2 people.
Unavailable: Saturday or Sunday, May 28-31, and August 2008.

Prices

Spend an unforgettable day at the exquisite Relais Oasi Olimpia, learning incredibly delicious, typical and regional recipes from a local chef. Chef Gennaro, a young chef from the town of Gragnano, just outside Naples, began cooking for friends and family at home and eventually his passion inspired him to journey throughout Italy on a quest to master regional Italian cuisine. He looks forward to sharing his love of Italian cuisine with you. You will have an exceptional experience cooking in the exquisite teaching kitchen of the Relais Oasi Olimpia. Be prepared to cook, eat, drink and laugh! Located just 10 km from Sorrento, the hotel will provide a courtesy shuttle service from Sorrento.

Classes begin around 10:00 am (or afternoon classes around 4:30 pm), and last approximately 2 ½ hours, followed by the meal you've prepared, with wine. If you like, bring your bathing suit and take a cooling dip in the beautiful 15-meter pool, or just relax in the outdoor dining area. Surrounded by rose and vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and views of the Gulf of Naples and Salerno, with instruction from a charming, talented chef, this will be an experience to savor, both literally and figuratively.

Four and six-night programs also available at Oasi Olimpia (click here for the description and itinerary page). The beautiful rooms of this elegant hotel are also available to book nightly.

Available any day of the week, March through October. (Classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are generally afternoon classes; all other days are generally morning classes.)

Prices

Emilia Romagna; just the name conjures up visions of gastronomic wonders. It is often said to be the food capital of Italy, and the center of it all, is Bologna. Best known, of course, for its Bolognese sauce, it is also home to many of Italy's most famous stuffed pastas, such as tortellini.

Your day begins at 9:00 AM with a pickup from your hotel and a tour of a medieval market. Around 10:30 AM, transfer to La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese: an old cookery school that offers a spacious and well-equipped working area with the professional skills of talented teachers. The cooking class starts with a demonstration from the traditional pasta-makers, the sfogline of Bologna. The curious visitor will be taught the secrets of making and rolling out the pasta. Using their skill, patience and special touch, these ladies will help you make tortellini, tagliatelle and tortelloni appear like magic! After the lesson you will taste the prepared dishes flavored with traditional sauces. Your day ends at 2:00 PM with a drop-off back at your hotel or Bologna city center. Available any day upon request for a minimum of two people.

Prices

Spend the day with Chef Micaela in Parma, home to the famed Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the fine Parma ham. Micaela knew from the time she was a young girl she had a true passion for cooking. Although she obeyed her parents and completed her college education with a business degree, she has since gone from a "white collar" to a "white apron," pursuing her calling! Speaking perfect English, she is delighted to share her knowledge with you, starting with a local market visit and then a hands on class in her charming home in the center of town. (Please note that the market is currently undergoing construction and the market visit may be substituted with another gastronomic visit.) Classes, which will go through the preparation of a meal will begin around 9:30 a.m. and end at approximately 2:30 p.m., after your lunch with wine.

Available on request any day for 2-3 people. For larger groups, please inquire.
Unavailalbe: May 30-June 8, and all of August.

If you would like, you can supplement your cooking lesson with a visit of a parmigiano cheese producer, a Parma ham producer, or a winery visit. Please inquire for details and prices.

Prices

Spend a remarkable day with Chef Dana in Rome. Dana, who hails from Princeton, New Jersey, has been studying Italian cuisine for over 10 years. After receiving her degree from Peter Kump's renowned cooking school, she worked at San Domenico in New York, before relocating to Rome. A graduate of the University of Virginia in English Language and Literature, Dana also writes about cuisine, and has been the chief reviewer for the Time Out "Eating & Drinking Guide to Rome." Most recently, she served as the reviewer and editor for the Fodor's 2005 Italy Gold Guide, covering A to Z on restaurants, bars, nightlife, hotels, sports and recreation. Dana loves to teach Italian/Mediterranean cuisine with international touches (she loves trying to expand the Italian mind and palette). Only the freshest ingredients are used in the hands-on classes she offers in her home kitchen on typical "La Cucina Romana," as well as many other regional cuisines. You will be in very knowledgeable hands with Dana! Cooking classes begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. with a market visit, and ending around 4:00 p.m., after you have eaten the lunch you prepared, accompanied by good wine. This class cannot be confirmed more than 60 days in advance. Please note that Dana's apartment is four flights up, and there is no elevator.

Available May 6-June 1; September 1-December.

Prices

Join gastronomic researcher, noted-international author and chef Stefano Cirillo on a unique culinary excursion in Rome! In addition to teaching cooking classes he is working on a television program dedicated to Italian cooking called ‘Following Stefano’ as well as a new book. Stefano's cooking classes are taught in his home, a villa on the famous Appia Antica.

• The full-day experience begins around 9 am and includes a visit to the Arco di Travertino Market, a hands-on cooking session with close to 10 different dishes, lunch and tasting of 5 Italian D.O.C. wines. Your day will end around 5:30 pm.
• The ½ day immersion begins around 9 am and includes a visit to the Arco di Travertino Market, a hands-on cooking class with 4 traditional dishes, lunch and tasting of 3 Italian D.O.C. wines. Your day will end around 2:00 pm.

There is also the option of doing a historical and gastronomic tour of Rome with Stefano. This includes transportation, a light lunch at an Enoteca in central Rome, a tasting of extra virgin olive oils and five D.O.C. wines of the region. After lunch you will continue on to Ancient Rome and the Caracalla baths and follow the ancient streets of the Roman countryside where you will enjoy three more gastronomic specialties. This tour is truly a unique way to explore Rome and beyond!

Prices

Full-day cooking class:

Half-day cooking class:

Tour price:

Learn Ligurian cuisine from a true Ligurian, Chef Roberto Dal Seno, who has over 20 years experience in Italy and abroad. Your cooking class will be held in the one of the most well-known restaurants in the area, Ristorante Monte Rosa, beginning at 2:30PM. Chiavari is one of the charming seaside towns of the Italian Riviera, in a prime location to reach the elegant towns of the Riviera and is only a short train ride from the extraordinary Cinque Terre. Your day with Roberto will consit of a three hour hands-on cooking course, with dinner to follow based on your efforts in the restaurant or out on the loggia.

Prices

In the hills above Rapallo, you'll find the unusual restaurant of "U Giancu" where Chef Fausto leads lessons in the regional cuisine of Liguria, often making use of the herbs and vegetables in his extensive garden behind the restaurant. The lesson starts about 8:30 in the morning with a visit to the local market, which is in a charming square in the old center of Rapallo. Fausto will take you on a short tour to show you the herbs and vegetables typical of the region, and discuss some possible recipes. You then meet again (you continue with your own car or by taxi) at the restaurant for the class which lasts about three hours, and is followed by a degustation with fresh baked focaccia and wine. You return that evening to the restaurant for a gourmet dinner with wine. Included is a copy of Fausto's cookbook and a gaily-colored U Giancu apron. Closed on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Prices

Experience the wonder of the complex and exotic cuisine of Sicily. Your instructor will be the TV personality Eleonora Consoli, a noted authority on Italian and Sicilian gastronomy, the author of Sicily-La Cucina del Sole and many other cookbooks, and a regular contributor of articles to magazines such as Vogue, Cuisines du Monde and Voyager. The courses are held in her typical Sicilian home dating from the 18th century, in one of the most characteristic villages on the slopes of Mt. Etna, 15 km from Catania. Classes will be based on well-known Sicilian recipes, paying particular attention to pasta, fish and vegetables. Eleonora's aim is to combine the cooking class with the culture, traditions, habits and customs from which the cuisine has evolved. Each lesson will last around three hours and features a complete menu, with the meal and wine to follow.
Available on request any day for a minimum of two (there is a 10% surcharge for classes on Sunday); morning class begins at 10:00 a.m., afternoon class at 6:00 p.m.

Prices

Arrive around 10:00 AM in Polizzi Generosa, a small village about an hour's drive outside of Palermo, surrounded by a cheerful countryside and green pastures. This morning you will visit a typical cheesemaker who will show you how the famed sheep’s ricotta is produced, and of course you’ll be treated to a tasting to whet your appetite for lunch. Now you’re off for a lovely drive through the beautiful Madonie Park to a rustic agriturismo or a local family's home (depending on the number of participants), where you will enjoy a cooking lesson. You will learn to prepare some of the most popular and essential recipes according to the local tradition, including homemade pasta. Lunch with your new friends. After lunch, a visit of Polizzi Generosa. This lovely town lies in the middle of the Madonie Mountains' Natural Park. This internal region between the Northern Coast and Central Sicily has a wealth of ancient small villages where many people still live according to the old Sicilian traditions. The ancient village is rich in historical and artistic attractions. Visit to the Park's Museum. During the walk through the town's medieval streets, guests will have a break for a sampling of typical sweetmeats. The day ends around 4:30 pm.

Available for a minimum of 2 people.

Prices

US$285 per person
US$375 including roundtrip transfer from the Palermo area.

Chef Vincenzo began his restaurant career at the tender age of 12. After working for many years in the US, his passion for his homeland and its food brought him back to Palermo. He opened his own restaurant in 1999, which is today one of the best-known and popular restaurants in the city.

Your day will begin at 9:00 AM with a visit to one of Palermo’s historic and bustling markets, where you will shop for fresh, seasonal ingredients with Vincenzo. Return to the restaurant, located in the main shopping district near Piazza Croci, for your hands-on cooking class. If you are lucky, Vincenzo’s mother and mentor, Mama Lucia, may be on hand to assist him with the class. The lesson will focus on typical Sicilian dishes like veal scaloppine with Marsala wine, zucca all'agro, or pasta with Erice-style pesto. Lunch, served with delicious Sicillian wine, will follow. This class will last until approximately 2:00 PM.

Prices

US$225 per person

Learn the culinary secrets of Authentic Southern Tuscany at Palazzo Bandino, an estate that produces very high quality wine and olive oil, perched on a hill with spectacular scenic views. The estate is located near Montepulciano and Montalcino, home of the famous Brunello wines. Your hands-on lesson begins at 10:30. With well-known local chef Luciano Benocci, you'll prepare Sienese specialties that combine the season's freshest ingredients, straight from the Palazzo Bandino estate. After the lesson you'll visit the wine cellars for an introduction to Tuscan wines and a demonstration of how they are bottled. Lunch with wine follows. The estate is easy to find, located just outside Chianciano Terme only five minutes from the autostrada exit.

A second option is a wonderful pizza class! The Valerianis have recently finished a new covered patio that features a wood-burning oven. Learn to make authentic Italian pizza (two types), and such traditional Tuscan dishes as chicken and potatoes or cannellini beans, which any Tuscan can tell you must be cooked in a forno a legna! Unavailable: December 2007 - March 2008.

Prices

US$220 per person for either class (regular cooking class or pizza class)

Member of Slow Food

Just outside Florence in the town of Figline Valdarno, is the popular Ristorante Torre Guelfa, owned by English speaking Chef Claudio Piantini. Chef Claudio, who is widely considered one of the rising stars in Tuscany, offers hands on cooking lessons, teaching you an unbelievable number of dishes. For two people, the class will be held at the kitchen of the restaurant, with your meal to follow in the restaurant; for four or more, you will have the class in his newly renovated teaching kitchen at his charming B&B farmhouse property, the Relais Torre Guelfa. At the farmhouse, prior to the class, Claudio will proudly show you his fabulous fruit and vegetable garden, perhaps picking some items to use in the class. After the lesson, your meal is served either in the dining room, or, if weather permits, on the outdoor terrace or around the swimming pool, set amidst Claudio's own vineyards. Classes Tuesday and Thursday start at approximately 4:30 p.m., and classes Wednesday, Friday and Saturday start around 9:30 a.m. All classes last for around three hours and are followed by a meal (lunch or dinner) with wine. The class at the farmhouse includes roundtrip transfers from Ristorante Torre Guelfa, located in the center of town, a few blocks from the train station.
Unavailable January 10-February 9, 2008.

Prices

Available Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings.

Barbara is a native Florentine, and has been fascinated by food since she was a small child. Her father is a noted musician and opera singer, and she had the opportunity to travel widely through out the world with him, observing and absorbing different culinary styles. Following her acquiring a degree in political science, Barbara began her journey into the world of cooking. She has worked at the famed “Cibreo” restaurant in Florence, and was a teacher at the Scuola di Arte Culinaria Cordon Blue for three years. In 2002 she became a sommelier, and in 2003 she began giving cooking lessons. Now you can join Barbara, who speaks perfect English, for a daily class beginning at 10:00am, when you visit the wonderful Sant'Ambrogio market. Then on to her "atelier" where she has created a cozy, welcoming atmosphere and teaching kitchen with all modern equipment for the hands-on cooking lesson, followed, of course, by your wonderful lunch with wine. If you only have time for a one day class in the Florence area, this is a great experience! Available any day on request, market closed on Sunday.

If you prefer to have a "country" experience after the market visit, you have the option of returning with Barbara to her lovely country home, Le Mortinete, a wonderful house built in the 16th century located at the beginning of the Chianti area. You have the option of staying few minutes from the center of Florence and in the middle of the typical Tuscan country at the same time. The house has a very well equipped kitchen where you will have your hands-on lesson, and a garden circled by olive trees and roses, where, weather permitting, you will enjoy your lunch. If you choose the country experience, you will be responsible for getting yourself to and from Barbara's home, which is about a 15-minute taxicab ride away.

In February, Barbara prefers classes to be Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday; in April she prefers Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; in May she prefers Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Please note that Barbara is unavailable March 23-25, and that the market is closed June 2 and June 24 (although she can still offer the class).

Prices

Join Silvia in her Florence home for Tuscan cooking lessons. Silvia, who speaks excellent English, learned to cook from her Florentine grandmother, who passed on a wealth of family recipes. She has been teaching Italian cooking for five years and particularly enjoys sharing her love of life, good food and meeting people. You'll meet her for a fascinating visit to the huge San Lorenzo Market of Florence (having a guide like Silvia is a must!), then return to her delightful apartment to prepare a full Italian menu, and sit down to a meal composed of your efforts. Maximum class size: 4. Market visit is at 9:00AM, followed by your class at approximately 10:30AM. The day ends after your meal, around 2:30PM. Silvia will meet you at the market, and will take you to her home in her car. Not available Sundays (markets are closed). Unavailable: July and August, 2008.

If you are interested in exploring "Jewish Florence," Silvia offers a wonderful tour. Meet in the morning at the popular Gilli's in the Piazza della Repubblica for a typical Italian breakfast of cappuccino and cornetto and discuss the Jewish community in Florence from the Renaissance to World War II. Then on to the synagogue along Via del Corso, to view an old Jewish Oratorio. Visit of the synagogue and the wonderful museum, followed by lunch at Ruth's kosher restaurant next to the synagogue. 9:30AM-12:30PM plus time for lunch. Available for a minimum of two people, including breakfast and lunch. Kosher style cooking classes also available on request. Unavailable: July and August.

Prices

In the beautiful wooded area about 2 km north of Montecatini, you will find the property and professional kitchen of Il Molino, a restored 16th century olive mill, where proprietor and chef Giuseppe will lead you in your lessons of typical Tuscan cuisine. Guiseppe spent his childhood surrounded by the aroma of fresh herbs of the Nievole Valley, where his passion for cooking goes back to his simple country upbringing at the family's olive mill. He developed his talents as Chef in several restaurants in the US, including Prego in San Francisco and Pricci in Atlanta. Your day starts at approximately 9AM, when Giuseppe meets you at the Montecatini market. You head straight to the wonderful fruit and vegetable market to gather items for your class directly from the farmers. Then on to the butcher shop, "Grelloni" to meet the owner Mrs. Lina; followed by a stop to meet Mrs. Marietta, the owner of "Zucconi," the award-winning pasta maker who supplies the renowned New York restaurant Le Cirque. Then it's on to Giuseppe's kitchen for a hands-on lesson for approximately three hours, followed by lunch with wine. This class requires that you have your own car. (Lovely apartments are available on the property that are suitable for a family of four; please inquire for price.) Market closed on Sunday.

Not available January 25 - February 10, and April 13 - 21, 2008.

Prices

Join Elisabetta and Marco, both fluent in English and passionate about cooking, for a wonderful learning experience in their cooking class. Their approach is characterized by a reverence for fresh ingredients, simple preparation and a harmonious combination of ingredients to bring out the natural flavors of food. The classes are held at the Siena Cooking School located inside the medieval walls of Siena. You may choose a morning class from 11AM to 2PM or an evening class from 6PM to 9PM. In each class a complete menu is prepared, and the session is followed by the meal complete with a DOCG wine.

Available year-round upon request for a minimum of two, Monday through Friday.
Unavailable: June 2, July 5 - 14, 2008

Morning class: 11AM-2PM
Evening class: 6PM-9PM

Prices

Located midway between Florence and Siena, the Osteria La Gramola, recognized by the Guide Michelin, is the setting for a hands on cooking class in traditional Tuscan cuisine. Chef Cecilia Dei and Sommelier Massimo Marzi, join you in the kitchen for a day to discover the ingredients, flavors, wines and history of the Chianti area and the Tuscan people. In each session you will learn to prepare a three course country lunch: 1st course of soup or pasta with sauce, 2nd course, main dishes, 3rd course, desserts. Afterwards, you eat the meal you have cooked together, complete with tastings of local wine, typical products and Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil. The class begins at 10:00AM and lasts approximately four hours. If you choose to do multiple classes, different menus will be offered for each class. Not available Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Prices

If you are spending a little extra time in Tuscany, you might consider one of the many tours or excursions we offer in the region.

• 3-hour guided walking tour of Florence:
  $195 per person for 2 people - $145 per person 4 or more
  
• 2-hour guided visit of the Galleria degli Uffizi (Tickets included):
  $170 per person for 2 people - $125 per person 4 or more
  
• 3-hour combined visit of the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia (Tickets included):
  $245 per person for 2 people - $195 per person 4 or more
  
• Full-day driving tours:
  $325 per person for 2 people - $225 per person for 4 for any of the following (Please inquire for details): Siena and San Gimignano, Chianti Food & Wine, or San Gimignano and Chianti
• Full-day driving tour of Cortona and Montepulciano:
  $395 per person for 2 people - $250 per person for 4 for any of the following (Please inquire for details)

If you are interested in learning about and tasting a wide variety of Tuscan wines, here is an opportunity for you. Visiting different wineries is a difficult and often capricious effort; here, we offer a half-day wine appreciation and tasting session that encompasses all the great Tuscan vintages. Your morning at Palazzo Bandino starts at 10 AM, with a very entertaining and informative explanation of the history of these wines, followed by a tasting of each wine group, accompanied by cheese, olives and typical Tuscan bread.

A visit to the winery of Palazzo Bandino follows to witness the process whereby a grape becomes a sip. Lunch with wine follows, and afterward, you may purchase wine at very good local prices. Any day on request except Saturday.

Click here for Authentic Southern Tuscany, the full program also available at Palazzo Bandino.

Prices

Join chef Letizia in her lovely agriturismo spectacularly located in the hills surrounding Assisi for a wonderful experience. Letizia will teach you Umbrian creations, with Sicilian flair, as her mother is originally from Sicily, using many of their homegrown vegetables. The day will begin with a trip to Santa Maria degli Angeli and a visit of a splendid family-run shop where Letizia will first give an overview of the typical Umbrian products. You will then taste 3 types of olive oil, a selection of cheeses and cured meats from Norcia, locally made sweets and liqueurs like Nocino (walnut), amaro al Tartufo (truffled herbal spirits) and rosolio (rose liqueur). Depending on the season, there will be additional treats such as truffled crostini and/or chocolate. The quality of the foods is very high, all from local food artisans. In addition to the products mentioned above, you will have the opportunity to shop for herbs, wines, balsamic vinegar, and honey at very reasonable prices. Return to the inn for your three-hour hands-on cooking class. Following the class, enjoy your meal with wine from the region. Day begins at approximately 10:00AM with the visit of the artisan shops and will end after lunch, served on the panoramic terrace when weather permits. See Cooking in Assisi for 3-night program.

You will need your own transportation for this class. We would be happy to assist you with a low-cost rental or we can arrange transfers up to three people for US$50 (total) roundtrip.

Prices

A very special experience awaits you at the Restaurant Zeppelin! Located in the center of Orvieto, the restaurant owner and chef, Lorenzo Polegri, will be your instructor for a four-hour hands on lesson in Orvieto and Umbrian specialties. Chef Lorenzo has led an incredibly interesting and varied life, with many accomplishments. His formal education is in modern languages and literature, but his passion for cooking led him to his present role. Without any formal culinary training, he has created an illustrious career as a chef, teacher and food consultant while pursuing his avocation of competitive body building!

With his dynamic personality and love for his art, this big man with a big smile is a gentle giant in the culinary world and will inspire you with his dedication in teaching his cooking courses. The class begins at 9 a.m. on any day and is about four hours long. You will prepare most of what you eat and the rest will be prepared for you. At the end of the class you will receive an apron, printed recipes and a certificate. Meet at the restaurant which is about a 10 minute walk from the train station up the main street in Orvieto. (If you are driving, we recommend you park at the train station.)

Prices

Christine Hickman, personal chef and teacher, invites you to join her for a hands-on cooking lesson in her beautiful newly reconstructed home in central Perugia. Located in Umbria, the "Green Heart of Italy", the medieval Etruscan city of Perugia is a thriving cultural and language center, and the chocolate capital of Italy. Christine has worked and studied in both the United States and Italy for many years and draws on her knowledge of both languages and cultures to make her classes a unique and enjoyable experience. Menus always focus on the freshest seasonal ingredients as well as Umbrian specialties such as truffles, Pecorino cheese, and Torta al Testo. Traditional pasta dishes, specialty desserts and the finest local wines are also featured. Technique classes on specific subjects (hand-made pastas, gnocchi, desserts and sauces for example) are also available on special request. Classes begin at 10AM and last approximately 3 hours. Following, we will relax and enjoy the wonderful meal you have helped prepare accompanied by distinctive local wines, water and coffee. Classes are available from May 1 - October 15, Wednesday through Saturday. Market visits beginning at 9AM may be arranged any class day. Christine is also available to do cooking classes in your villa. Please inquire for pricing.

Prices

Discover the food, wine, and culture of this wonderful region, rivaling Tuscany for its natural beauty and richness, known as the "green heart" of Italy. Your class will be held in the lovely Hotel Clitunno with Mamma Giovanna, manager of the hotel’s San Lorenzo Restaurant and matriarch of the family-owned hotel, along with one of the chefs of the restaurant. The Umbrian cuisine is incredibly rich and varied, famed for its heady olive oil; the wines are among the best produced in Italy. The cooking lessons are great, the food sublime!

The morning class begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. and lasts for three hours, after which you will dine on the fruits of your labor, accompanied by excellent local Umbrian wine.
Class can be confirmed any day of the week for a minimum of 2 people, November through March. April through October a class can only be confirmed with a minimum of 1 night stay at the Hotel Clitunno. Please inquire for rates and availability.

Prices

US$180 per person for the cooking class

"Le Gemme di Artemisia" is a stylish restaurant on the shores of Lake Garda, where stunning views abound. As well as running an outstanding restaurant, the owners, Andrea and Lara, take great pleasure in offering hands-on cooking classes taught by Chef Andrea. Born in Verona, Chef Andrea has had an illustrious international career as a fine chef, but his desire has always been to return to his roots and open his own fine restaurant. He has accomplished his dream and invites you to share his passion. Chef Andrea speaks fluent English.

Available any day except Tuesday on request for a minimum of 2 people, maximum of 6 people.

Prices

Chef Maria Grazia has been teaching others the secrets of Italian cuisine for years in both Venice and Milan. Join her for this special opportunity in one of Italy's most beautiful cities. Meet in the morning around 9:00 am at the famous Rialto Market, where you will browse the amazing fruit & vegetable offerings as well as the fish market. From there you will head to Maria Grazia's beautiful home in the historic San Polo quarter where you will prepare a full meal, from starter to dessert. Courses usually focus on fish—this is Venice, after all!—but meat and vegetarian classes can be requested any time. After the lesson you will enjoy a lunch of what you have prepared accompanied by fine local wine.
Available on request for a minimum of 2, maximum of 8 people. Please note that the vegetable market is closed on Sunday, and the fish market is closed Sunday and Monday.

Maria Grazia also has a three charming double rooms available on a B&B basis. Each has a private bath, and one can be converted into a triple or quadruple. Please inquire for details and prices.

Price

Patrizia has worked for 10 years with some of the most prestigious hotel restaurants in Venice, in addition to catering meals in some of the finest Venetian homes. Now, she opens her lovely apartment (with a view of the bell tower of St. Mark's) and invites you to join her in discovering the secrets of genuine Venetian food, with Venetian locals. You will go through approximately five courses, followed by a meal of your efforts, complete with fine local wine, water, coffee, and, of course a grappa to top it off! You will meet at 10:45AM to visit the Rialto market, then on to the apartment for your hands on class and meal, which will end at approximately 2:00PM.

Available for a minimum of 2 people Tuesday through Saturday.

Prices