About the Cooking School in Tuscany
This cooking school's modern, professional kitchen occupies the ground floor of a 15th century villa. During your stay you will live above the school, in bedrooms that are charmingly decorated with Italian country antiques.
Students encompass every level from culinary beginners to accomplished chefs who come to study the unique nature of Tuscan cuisine. Taught by three experienced and professional instructors, all classes are small in size, completely hands-on and conducted in English.
During the cooking class, the school’s instructional emphasis remains focused on the same three things: traditional Tuscan technique, innovative use of ingredients and esthetic presentation.
What changes is the seasonality of the food. Each course devotes special attention to pairing foods with appropriate wines.
The package price for each program includes accommodations, lessons, all meals (paired with excellent wines), daily sightseeing tours, taxes, tips and airport or train transfers to and from Pisa airport or Viareggio train station.
Your Schedule for the Week
You arrive on Sunday and are welcomed with lunch served on the main lawn. The remainder of the day is yours to settle in, explore the estate and enjoy a delicious four course dinner prepared by your instructors.
Monday through Friday, lessons are held from 10:00 -1:00PM. Classes are small, completely hands-on, and make use of all-natural, seasonally-fresh ingredients.
Essential Tuscan techniques you will master include: homemade pasta, ravioli, gnocchi, pizza, focaccia, risotto, bruschette, crostini and other types of canapes, vegetable and grain soups, grilled, roasted, fried and stuffed vegetables, fish and meat preparation, sweet and savory tarts, pastries, ice creams and sorbets.
Lunch is from 1 PM to 2:30 PM and features foods prepared during the mornings’ lessons. All meals consist of three courses accompanied by local wines and served at a formally set table situated on the main lawn.
Afternoon tours take place from 3:00-7:30 and are led by professional, English-speaking guides who will introduce you to such undiscovered treasures as Lucca (an 11th century walled city surrounded by 3 1/2 miles of perfectly preserved walls), the seaside resorts of Viareggio and Portovenere and Pietrasanta, famous for its marble works.
Dinner each night is a glorious, candlelit affair featuring four delectable courses prepared by your instructors and accompanied by a variety of excellent wines.
Your Tuscan experience reaches its climax on Friday night at our graduation festival dinner, where you receive a diploma certifying your newly acquired status as an "Authentic Tuscan Cook."
** Additional Nights/Stays are available to purchase separately, as are individual rooms and one-day cooking classes - please call for more information.
