There’s nothing like traveling and enjoying great food. Why not take a vacation to the home of great cooking, cultural events, fine wines, fabulous foods, and the sights and aroma that would make any fan of great Italian cuisine smile and say delizioso (delicious in Italian). Even while writing this I am tempted to speak with my sad version of an Italian accent and gesture with my hands and fingers as I speak – when in Rome do as the Romans do.
If you love food and want to learn how to cook while you vacation in Italy, you’ll want to consider these cooking classes, tours, or a cooking school. Many are taught by a local chef or visiting chefs from around the country.
The Italian Cookery Course
This course has two courses for traditional Tuscan cuisine and one course for Italian Mediterranean, which includes Italian, French, Spanish, and Moroccan cuisine. This vacation cooking school has been teaching cooking classes for over ten years and all of the classes are taught in English.
The Casa Ombuto and Torre del Tartufo are large villas located on estates in Tuscany, equipped with professional size kitchens. Students will learn how to make dishes in 3-day or one week classes. They also take students on full day trips to gather the ingredients for their dishes. Chefs will
CNN’s online site has rated this as “Perfect Present for cooks.” The Observer Newspaper elected them as one of the top 10 cookery schools in Europe.
The International Kitchen – Sicily
The International Kitchen is a travel company that specializes in cooking vacations. There are so many choices for anyone interested in attending a vacation cooking school in Italy that all you need to do is choose which region you would like to vacation in.
The two locations in Sicily are the Amore Siciliano and the Baroque Sicily; see the company’s website for current locations when you plan to travel. Both are 6-night packages that are available during select seasons. Unlike the Italian Cookery Course which is a specialized cooking school, these are vacations usually include a morning cooking class, afternoon tours of local food and winery, and dinner can include more touring of local sights, history, and/or local restaurants.
The Baroque Sicily is a 4-star family run hotel. Cooking lessons are guided by a local chef to the region of the cuisine. This hotel was rated as one of the best in its area. The International Kitchen is listed as the leading provider of cooking school vacations in Italy since 1994.
Organic Tuscany
Many of the cooking schools will try to use the local produce of their region, including organic ingredients. This cooking school is exclusive to organic cooking, with cooking classes from 1-day to 1-week. Unlike the group tours, this is a much less hurried vacation of bus tours. You’ll rent your own car or car pool when visiting sites off of the grounds where culinary delights will be created.
If you have a limited amount of time in Tuscany, Siena or Florence, the one-day class is a must for those who wish to enjoy the lessons of Tuscan cooking. The school chefs live with their families near the same villa as the week long students. One-day classes are taught in the home of a chef and usually lasts a couple of hours, then followed by lunch or dinner with several family members. This is limited to Tuesdays only.
Organic Tuscany is part cooking school, part tour, part cultural exchange. You’ll enjoy your stay in the beauty of their villas, the natural high of the location, the experienced staff in food, wine, and culture. They have been highly reviewed by travelers on Trip Advisor as, “Best culinary adventure,” and “The highlight of my Tuscan Adventure.”
Sources
Italian Cookery Course
The International Cooking School – Italy
Organic Cooking in Tuscany
