Overview

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa – Lesson with Chefs Cecilia and Massimo

Located midway between Florence and Siena, the Osteria La Gramola is the setting for a hands-on cooking class in traditional Tuscan cuisine. Chef Cecilia Dei and Sommelier Massimo Marzi offer two different course options. During the standard course 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 10:00 a.m. and lasts approximately three hours followed by lunch.

A second option is a shorter pasta lesson, which includes the preparation of hand-made pasta, followed by a light lunch with typical Tuscan starters and the pasta prepared together dressed in different traditional sauces. The pasta course lasts approximately two hours followed by lunch.

  • Morning class: 10:00AM-2:30PM (approx.)
  • Pasta class: 11:00AM-2:30PM (approx.)

Interested in adding a truffle hunt with a professional truffle hunter? Please inquire for details!

Trip Details

Where is this trip located?
Trip Rating
5

Stars

★★★★★
★★★★★
5.0

Average Rating

23

Reviews

Country:

Italy

Region:

Tuscany

Class Dates:

Generally available any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for a minimum of 2 people. Please review our complete pricing and dates details.

Price per person for full Tuscan Cooking Class

Starting at

$235

Price per person for Pasta Class

Starting at

$185

Pricing & Dates

Class Pricing

Price per person for full Tuscan Cooking Class US$235
Price per person for Pasta Class US$185

Class Dates

Available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for a minimum of 2 people.

  • Morning class: 10:00AM-2:30PM (approx.)
  • Pasta class: 11:00AM-2:30PM (approx.)

Interested in adding a truffle hunt with a professional truffle hunter? Please inquire for details!

Reviews

We gave this trip 5 stars
★★★★★
★★★★★
Jessica & Richard
NY
Trip taken September 2023
(These travelers left a starred review with no comments.)
No rating given with this review
We had a wonderful class and visit. The class was informative, personal, and very interactive. We loved every minute of it and will do it again, when possible. Carol W., IL
No rating given with this review
Re: our cooking class -- my husband was really skeptical when I signed us up for that experience. But at the end of our class, my husband said that it had turned out to be one of his FAVORITE Italy experiences! Massimo and Cecilia were fun, knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. We would take a class with them again anytime, and would highly recommend them to anyone. We enjoyed them so much that we went back to their restaurant one evening just to eat dinner with them! Paul F.
No rating given with this review
This class was one of the highlights of the trip, absolutely wonderful, I enjoyed every minute. Loved learning about the history of the local Tuscan cuisine, local fresh ingredients, the hands on preparation and delicious menu. The location and decor of Cecilia and Massimo's restaurant was clean and beautiful, and Cecilia was an excellent teacher, nice, charming and she spoke wonderful English. Learned a lot from Massimo when he gave us a wonderful informative presentation and tasting of olive oils and wines of the region. The food we prepared - Tuscan tomato bread soup, bruschetta, Drunken pork and almond biscotti were so delicious... I would highly recommend this class! Kathy K., USA
No rating given with this review
I enjoyed tasting the wines and oils while our food was cooking. I loved the location. The hosts were wonderful. I did like that they gave us the recipes. They converted the metric, but unfortunately, they measured some ingredients like the flour in weight, whereas I am used to measuring in cups. I am not a very good cook, so that was kind of a bummer when I attempted to make biscotti back home! Jennifer J., GA
No rating given with this review
Massimo and Cecilia were engaging and infectiously proud of the heritage and culture of their region. While the food and wine were plentiful and wonderful, the insight into the history and culture associated with the wines, oils and food was enchanting. Young C., NJ
No rating given with this review
Our cooking class was just wonderful. Cecelia and Massimo are just charming people and passionate about their work, food and Tuscany. We all (7 of us) enjoyed the class, recipes, information about wine, olive oil and our delicious lunch. Lisa B., Washington D.C.
No rating given with this review
Cecila and Masimo were warm, friendly and very welcoming hosts. We enjoyed the opportunity to become part of their kitchen, to learn about their techniques, to have them share their recipes and to reap the benefits of the experience. The additional discussion of olive oils and wine were enlightening and gave us new insight to bring home. David B., VA
No rating given with this review
Thanks so much for the most wonderful experience as part of our trip to Italy. We had a delightful cooking class/lunch with Cecillia and Massimo…they made us feel we were in their home and enjoyed all of the class and the results were spectacular. In fact the food was so good we returned the next evening for dinner and again, it and they were terrific. Again, great program. We will use it again. Arnie H., IL
No rating given with this review
The best part was that my friend and I were the only two people in the class! We had the complete attention of Cecelia and Massimo, who were wonderful, informative and passionate about what they do! The class also happened to be on market day, so we were able to purchase fresh ingredients from the local market. Upon returning home to London, we had an Italian themed dinner party and prepared the wonderful dishes we learned at La Gramola. We would definitely book another lesson through the International Kitchen. Bravo! Nicole B., UK
No rating given with this review
I have been in the food and beverage business for 32 years. One hour of the class was devoted to an explanation of local Tuscan wines and olive oils (while our meat simmered). Sommelier Massimo taught me more in that one hour than I had previously learned from many visits to vineyards and from my wine reps. Chef Cecilia took us through 3 courses of true Tuscan cooking. The class was more about cooking than technique. It was fun! Cecilia's easy going manner kept everyone at ease and at the end we sat and enjoyed the meal that we had prepared. Cecilia and Massimo are generous with their time and the wine. I would go again in an instant. Thomas O., Hilton Head, SC
No rating given with this review
This was one of the highlights of my trip to Tuscany. My friend and I took a class from Cecilia and Massimo from [L'Osteria] La Graoala in Tavarnelle and were very, very pleased. So much so that a few nights later we took them 8 empty bowls and had them fill them for us so that we supplied food for 15 people at our villa. We included some of the dishes we learned to cook...homemade pasta with a duck sauce and tiramasu. I would certainly go back and take another class when we return to Tuscany. Joanne S., VA
No rating given with this review
Massimo and Cecilia were outstanding. They were so pleasant to us and wonderful to be around. Massimo gave us a great lesson on regional wines and olive oils. Cecilia gave us great instruction on making a wonderful meal. It was a group of 5, which was perfect. It gave us the opportunity to ask a lot of questions and get to know Massimo and Cecila better. Bobbi S., WV
No rating given with this review
All parts of the program were above our expectations and we consider it one of the best parts of our trip to Italy. Anon., VA
No rating given with this review
The experience was wonderful. Cecilia and Massimo were gracious hosts who helped us have a real hands on experience in the kitchen. They shared information about local food, wine and olive oil with us. It was a great experience. Tricia H., GA
No rating given with this review
We had a wonderful time. Cecilia and Massimo could not have been more gracious. It was a very "hands on" experience. We would highly recommend Osteria La Gramola to anyone. We ate at the restaurant two other times and had wonderful meals. When you go to the restaurant, don't be afraid to push on the door. The first time we went it did not look like they were open when, in fact, they were. Tim & Lynda C., MI
No rating given with this review
Just a note to say that the cooking school at Osteria Gramola is to be prized. It is not a school, but an experience in fine cooking. The host and hostess are expert in their fields and run a very fine restaurant. Thank You, Bob & Debbie P.
No rating given with this review
Our class at Osteria la Gramola in Tavarnelle was a delightful highlight of our visit to Tuscany. Massimo and Cecilia were warm, generous, and informative hosts and cooking instructors, and the meat, soup, and dessert courses we prepared were truly delicious (including the tastiest biscotti we had in 2 weeks in Italy.) We learned a lot - Massimo and Cecilia very patiently answered our endless questions about their cooking, their lives, and Tuscan food and drink - and enjoyed a very satisfying lunch from what we and our classmates helped prepare. We would highly recommend this class. Judy, Melanie, & Paula, PA
No rating given with this review
The pasta cookery class was just brilliant! Massimo & Cecilia were very welcoming, friendly, funny and taught us really well! We have since made pasta at home the way they showed us and it worked brilliantly. The restaurant was truly Italian and just added to the whole experience. I could not recommend this course more to friends and family :-) We received a recipe to make pasta and further stuffing and sauces and an apron. We got to eat our pasta afterward cooked by Cecilia and we were even given a bottle of wine to taste which we were allowed to take home. Caroline C., UK
No rating given with this review
Chefs Cecilia and Massimo were incredible. They were very serious, professional, etc. but equally caring and wanting you to learn. We really enjoyed their team approach and Massimo's wine and olive oil "lessons" were an unexpected but great addition. Andrew H., CT
No rating given with this review
What we loved most about the course was the kindness from Cecilia and Mossimo as well as their love and passion for Tuscany. The additional wine and olive oil tasting was fantastic and really helped us get a sense for food and wine together. One critique I would have is that it would have been better to have a pasta course added given our experience in the kitchen. While these courses have to be set for the lowest common denominator, we come with more experience and thus having a little bit of tailoring would have been nice. Overall, a great time was had. Anuja D., CA
No rating given with this review
We enjoyed our experience very much. The chefs were lovely people. We enjoyed both the cooking and the wine tasting. One suggestion we would make is to offer menu options. While the meal was great, we do not typically eat pork and we cooked a pork dish. We would have preferred to cook a pasta dish in Italy. The homemade tomato soup was delicious and the biscotti was excellent as well. Roz & Larry M., CA
_Response from The International Kitchen:_ We encourage our guests to let us know of any food preferences at the time of booking!
No rating given with this review
The class was fantastic. Just the right blend of hands on and observation. Cecilia was a great teacher and so nice to cook with. The Tuscany wine and olive oil education from Massimo was a real added bonus. And then eating what we had prepared in their restaurant was the perfect end to the experience. Jason and Aileen T.
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Where is this trip located?
Trip Rating
5

Stars

★★★★★
★★★★★
5.0

Average Rating

23

Reviews

Country:

Italy

Region:

Tuscany

Class Dates:

Generally available any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for a minimum of 2 people. Please review our complete pricing and dates details.

Price per person for full Tuscan Cooking Class

Starting at

$235

Price per person for Pasta Class

Starting at

$185

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