GROUP weekly cooking class: Pasta & Pizza Cooking Class
Cooking Classes
Weekly shared cooking classes in Tuscany, in small groups 4-12 people
PASTA & PIZZA
Learn the secrets of the best Italian pasta and pizza, get to know local people, share this experience with other visitors, make new friends!
30-40 minutes from Pisa, the coast, San Gimignano and Volterra, you find our culinary school called My Tuscan Kitchen, at Rita’s farm near Montefoscoli, where we organize enjoyable hands-on shared classes.
DOWNLOAD DETAILS OF CLASSES, NEW 2024 CALENDAR & BOOKING FORM HERE
Every Thursday Rita’s farm and My Tuscan kitchen school welcome you for a class with focus on Pasta and Pizza. What you’ll learn is how to make the perfect fresh pasta dough and a delicious pasta sauce, and how to make the perfect pizza dough and bake focaccia, pizzas and even a sweet pizza! We will use our 200-year-old wood burning oven on the property for baking the pizzas, if weather permits.
Calendar 2024, every Thursday from the 18th April to the 24th October. See below the details:
- From April 18th to May 30th: class starts at 10:00 am
- From June 6th to September 12th: class starts at 3:30 pm
- From September 19th to October 24th: class starts at 10:00 am
- Not available on July 18th and August 15th
Meet Rita and her lovely family, the pets and the farm animals such as chickens and donkeys. Enjoy a shared experience with other guests who come from all over the world and learn about the history, culture and traditions of our land.
Food is culture, so while learning he recipes, you’ll also get information about they are related to the history of Tuscany and Italy.
Our local cooks, friendly mammas or nonnas from Tuscany, are happy to share with you all the secrets of the best Italian pizza and fresh pasta dish using their family recipes.
The atmosphere is familiar, cozy, easy going, and everybody is welcome to participate in the preparation of the food, like in a family. For those who don’t feel like cooking, no problem, you’ll enjoy all the explanations, the wines and the company, while waiting for the meal to be ready.
A mysterious Temple right next door
Just next to our cooking venue is the stunning Tempio a Minerva Medica a special place rich in history and mysterious legends. On the occasion of our cooking class you will have the chance to stop in front of it for a picture and learn about a few facts. You can learn more about it and enjoy a full guided visit of the temple by clicking here.
Some questions that will find an answer during the class:
What do the colors of the Margherita pizza stay for and who made the first pizza in the world? How to know when the pasta is al dente: shall I throw it toward the wall?
A truly fun and educational experience for the whole family. 🙂
Please note:
Menu is decided by our staff. Please, make sure you inform us about possible food restrictions or allergies in advance, so that we can guarantee a menu that suits everybody. Last minute changes are not possible.
Morning sessions end with lunch and afternoon sessions end with dinner. In both cases, you’ll eat what you prepared with your hands.
Meeting point is at Arianna & Friends office 15 minutes before the class starts. Please be in time. This is a self-drive service. If you need a driver, please ask for a quotation.
More: for a complete experience, be informed that every Tuesday we also organize a class with focus on typical Tuscan dishes and traditional recipes. Find more info in this page: TYPICAL TUSCAN COOKING CLASS
What you taste
This is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this class. Please, note that the specialties of the menu prepared at the class may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the class.
In our cooking class we like telling you a lot about Tuscan farms and farmers' cooking traditions, introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters.
You will have one of our guides as a language assistants and coordinator with you during the whole class. Please, see below all the guides and language assistants who can be with you.
During this experience you will also meet one of our Tuscan cooks who give you the cooking class. Please, see below which cooks you are likely to encounter.
Hello everybody! My name is Davide, the youngest one in the team of Arianna & Friends. I joined the company in 2022, when my aunt Ester, one of the chefs in the team, introduced me to Arianna & Massimo. I am a wonderful talker and I really enjoy entertaining our guests during cooking classes and foodie tours. I also deal with bookings related to Teatro del Silenzio. Being from Lajatico, I am really happy to arrange holidays to people who will visit my hometown.
I am a very ironic person who likes making life enjoyable, something that my colleagues really appreciate on a daily base. I really hope I can meet many people from all over the world thanks to my job. Ciao ciao! 
Ciao, I'm Silvia, one of the youngest cooks at Arianna & Friends'. Cooking is my real passion and I like to prepare any traditional dish both for visitors and for my family. I also love baking pizza as well as trying innovative food and special contemporary techniques, especially in my kitchen at home. When I started working for this company in 2018, I met an incredible team of collaborators and with them I finally feel joy and serenity in what I do. Any time I work as a cook I can breath freedom and this makes me happy.
As I really love the sea, in my free time I like being at the beach. I have a passion for travelling and being in the company of my friends. I could define myself as a "free spirit" with a big attraction to ... hats !!!
Looking forward to meet you all! 
Ciao, I'm Ester, one of the cooks of Arianna & Friends'. I've been working with them since the beginning of their adventure in 2007.
I love cooking together with people from all over the world, especailly with young kids.
What I prefer to cook is pasta dishes, pizza and desserts, like for example the stunning cake I made to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary.
I live, like Davide (my nephew), in the little village of Lajatico, birthplace of Andrea Bocelli and from my home I can hear his voice and see something when Teatro del Silenzio takes place in July.
I live in a farm and I have chickens, rabbits, a large vegetable garden. I make my own olive oil and wine together with my family.
I hope to be able to cook with many of you in the years to come and teach you a lot of our typical Tuscan food. 
Mi chiamo Carlo, the only "boy" among the chefs of Arianna & Friends. I am a cousin of Lorena, who has worked with the company for long now and who introduced me to them back in 2022. I live in Pontedera, home of Vespa, and I have been cooking all my life, since preparing delicious food has always been my great passion. In my working age I was an operator for an insurance company, so I know plenty of local people and I am very friendly and talkative. I then retired and decided to dedicate myself to the things I like the most: cooking and joining friends. I have limited Enlish but miraculously all our guests can easily understand me through my body language and face expressions. I will be waiting for you for great barbecue dinners and traditional dishes of all kinds! 
Hi everybody, ciao a tutti. I am Elisabetta and I am the youngest one among the chefs of Arianna & Friends. I have been working with the company for several years, initially just as a sous-chef and eventually as a proper chef. I have accumulated many years of experience while learning from all my other colleague chefs, but I also added my personal taste and knowledge to the whole. I am really happy to be part of this team and to be able to meet people from all over the world. In my free time I enjoy the company of my lovely puppy for long walks or just hanging around for shopping. Ciao a presto! 
Maria Grazia, in our team called MG, is a very positive thinking lady who works as a sous-chefs at Arianna & Friends, when she is not busy helping children get born. In fact she is also a professional ostetrician! A nice irony in her character, combined with an intrinsic calm when working, create
an incredible effect during the services provided. 
Hi everybody! I am Paola, a talented cook who is never tired. I have been cooking all my life both privately and in the kitchens of a series of restaurants in the area I live in, near the central town of Empoli. I joined Arianna & Friends in early 2022 as the whole world was recovering from the difficult years of the pandemic and as the company was quickly restarting its operativity. I was very glad that I could join such a dynamic and friendly team and share with them all my knowledge and passion. I deal with cooking classes and chef services in all the region together with the various story-tellers and chef assistants who participate in the service. In my free time I enjoy cycling in the spectacular Tuscan hills that surround my home town. I can't wait to cook for you an unforgettable meal! 
Marco is a very fascinating middle-aged man with plenty of interests and a great knowledge on botanics and farming. He has been cooperating with Arianna & Friends as a sous-chef in cooking classes and chef services. A great professionalism and care for the quality of service make him one of the most beloved members of all the team. 
The rates for these activities vary according to the age of the participants.
Check rates in the table below.
Weekly shared cooking class:
|
|
|---|---|
| Age of participant | Rate per participant |
| Adults | € 90 |
| Teenagers (12 – 17 yrs) | € 65 |
| Children (4 – 11 yrs) | € 35 |
| Min 4 participants – Max 12 participants | |
Rates include
- A local cook
- An English speaking story teller
- A visit to the farm, to the vineyards and olive groves
- Full cooking class
- Use of the 200 year old wood oven if weather permits
- All food
- Unlimited wines from the farm (white and red)
- Printed material
- Personal aprons as souvenirs
- Served full lunch or dinner
- Tax
Rates do NOT include
- Transportation
- Tips to the staff. This is not compulsory, but greatly appreciated
Transportation is not included in the rates above. For more info on transportation, please see the box “Transportation options”.
Here a message from Rachel who visited us in early June 2019:
Dear Arianna,
We just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our cooking class with Veronica and Laura on June 7th. They were incredible and the location at Rita’s farm was so beautiful and authentic Tuscana! This was truly the highlight of our trip in Italy – a night our whole family will cherish and always remember! Veronica was such an incredible guide – so thorough and informative and enjoyable to be with.
She mentioned providing us with the written recipes with measurements – in particular the pasta and pizza doughs. Could you please email us these when you have a chance
Thank you so much!!
Rachel
Here a kind message we receveid from Rachel in late Spring 2019:
I had the most wonderful experience cooking with Rita and Sylvia on Thursday May 2! I fell in love with the experience from the moment I arrived. I go on and on with all of my memories of the day – the farm, the temple, Rita and her personal story, Sylvia and her assistance, the others who joined us and even Romeo and Juliette. Even the the beautiful ingredients we had for making the pasta and pizza were photo worthy for me. I so much want to make these dishes again for friends and family here at home. Since I was so caught up in the in the experience of the day, I did not write down the details of the recipes. I remember Rita saying that we could contact her and the recipes would be emailed to us. I look forward to getting them from you. I must say that my time in the class is the highlight of my trip. Grazie, Grazie, Rachel
Here a message from Beverly, who visited in April 2019:
Hi Arianna, I want to thank you for arranging the pasta/pizza cooking class for me. My grandaughter and I had a wonderful time!!! Rita and Silvia were so much fun and so knowledgeable. Rita said if we contacted you that you would email us the recipes. Our class was on Thursday, April 10th. Again thank you so much, and I will recommend you to everone!!!
Here another message for the same cooking class of the previous testimonial! :))
Good Morning,
I just wanted to say what a wonderful afternoon we had at our pizza and pasta cooking class we had last Thursday, we all as a family very much enjoyed it. Rita’s hospitality was amazing and we loved hearing all about her way of life and farm.
She mentioned that you would email out the recipes to us if we asked, I would be very much grateful of this if possible.
Many thanks
The Phillips family
Here is the message of Paul and Emma who took part to our small group pizza making class on 24th August 2017:
Hello Moira, Rita and Veronica:
Our sincere apologies for the delay today and thank you for arranging such a nice day.
We really enjoyed it and special thanks to Rita and her team and family for hosting us. It really is a memorable experience and we thank you all for making everything wonderful.
Thank you so much and you will definitely hear from us again.
Take care.
Best regards,
Paul and Emma
This is the feedback of Louise, who joined us for a private cooking class at our panoramic farmhouse:
We cannot thank Massimo and Esther enough for the most perfect afternoon last week – their care and attention, sense of fun and knowledge were amazing and they gave us a most memorable time. Pizza and pasta making in a glorious setting, informative and relaxed, oh to be and live like an Italian.
Thank you so much – it was perfect.
Louisa, Chris, Hamish, Hester and Jacob.
This is an email we received on 31st March from Pat & Suzie who took part to one of our cooking classes focusing on the pasta making.
Good evening!
My wife (Suzie) and I were lucky enough to enjoy a wonderful pasta lab on March 20th with Massimo and Ester; we had such a great time. I have sent a few pictures of our day; maybe you’ll want them for your web site, and hopefully you can share Ester’s first “selfie” with her!
If possible, I would really appreciate some help with the recipes we learned. I took so many notes, I can’t imagine how I missed anything!
We used 2 different flours for our pastas, one fine and one robust. When we made ravioli and tagliatelle, we mixed the flour 50/50. When we made gnocchi, I have written down to use only fine flour for the dough. But I seem to recall using the more robust flour if more was needed when we were kneading the dough. Is this correct, or do I always use the fine flour when making gnocchi?
Thanks if you can help and I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed our day!
Pat & Suzie
Massimo,
Thanks for the great response! I really appreciate it. Please feel free to use the pictures on your web site, I think they capture the fun, beautiful setting, and of course, the great food!
I will definitely post some comments on your trip advisor page for others to read.
We are having friends stay with us in our home over the Easter weekend, and Saturday, Suzie and I are going to treat them to some home made ravioli and gnocchi, along with some of the excellent wines we brought home with us from Tuscany. Hopefully, we will make you and Ester proud of your students! I’ll let you know how we do.
Thanks again and all the best,
Pat
This is an email we received from a family who took part to one of our cooking classes at My Tuscan Kitchen
For a wonderful evening! We have had a great time in Tuscany. Your cook, Signora Lorena and her great assistant Arianna, accompanied by the class of rookies, Lynnette and Mick , Billings , and new found friends from Washington D. C., Kristen and Johnny and Kristen’s parents.
Please send recipes!!!!!
Grazie
Making dough for fresh pasta
Here the happiness of Helen, who took her two young children to our weekly cooking class with focus on pasta and pizza making:
Hi Veronica
We went on the pizza and pasta cookery class on 2nd June with our children and I thought I would send some photos through of you, Esther and the children. They had a fabulous time and this class was one of the best things we did on our holiday!
Thanks very much for the food, education and for keeping both the children and us entertained!
I hope the pictures come through ok.
Best wishes
Helen
Ester showing a young boy how to use a shovel to bake pizzas
A moment of our weekly cooking class with focus on pizza and pasta
A weekly cooking class in Tuscany ideal for children
A weekly cooking with focus on pizza in Tuscany, ideal activity for kids
Wood burning oven ready for pizzas
This are the words of Will after taking a cooking class taught by Ester with the help of Veronica with focus on pasta and pizza making:
Thanks so much for organising our amazing holiday. My son Thomas has not stopped talking about Esther, Veronica and massimo and the pizza and pasta!
Here is a photo of him in action should you wish to use it.
Thanks again
Regards
Will
After making pasta a little boy shows how long tagliatelle were
These are the words of Valerie after a cooking class with Veronica where her kids learnt how to make pasta and pizza
Veronica,
No, thank you! The kids had a great time and talked about their arts all day long. My husband and I were blown away at all you guys did. It really wasn’t what we were expecting! It was so much more. You guys went above and beyond.
We will be singing your praises on Trip Advisor and the like as soon as we get home and I get on my computer. These iPads are so frustrating to type on!
Have a great rest of the week and thanks again,
Valerie
This is an email we received on from Raya, who enjoyed one of our small group cooking classes at My Tuscan Kitchen's cooking school
Hello Arianna Good morning From Tel -Aviv!
thank you very much for the Toscan cooking class on the 7/11/13 in the Agriturismo. Mrs. Ester was very good teacher and the translator( sory i forgot his name) was very good as well. I hope to come again for 2 step of cooking class in Toscany.
Thanks again
Raya
This is an email we received from Loretta and Julia, who participated to our cooking classes at My Tuscan Kitchen cookery school.
Arianna and Friends,
Julia and I want to thank you for an outstanding vacation!! It was just wonderful and everyone/everything was perfect! It was our first cooking vacation and we could not have imagined the fun and learning as well as great food that we helped to make!
The Tuscan Cooking Class was magnificent! We learned so much and we thoroughly enjoyed our fellow “future chefs”! Signora Carla and Arianna were fantastic as well as patient and fun to be with.
Making Tuscan desserts with Veronica at Mama’s Cakes was the greatest! The Traditional Tiramisu, Cenci, Cantuccini, and the Apple Cake was so much fun to make with Veronica’s guidance and sharing with the Pizza class was perfect!
Signora Ester and Massimo were wonderful in the Pasta Lab. We enjoyed everything about it and sharing the meals outside with our classmates was a special treat.
We can’t thank you enough for your wonderful hospitality. Both Julia and I plan to return someday and do it again.
I tell everyone I meet that they, too, should do this vacation. IT is wonderful and we thank you so much! Gracia!
One question: Can you send me the written recipes for all the dishes/desserts since my notes are not what they should be? Also, I have loads of pictures so if you want a few of the group preparing the meals, I can send them. Just let me know.
Thanks again,
Loretta and Julia
This is an email we received from Bill, who met Arianna for one of our winter private cookery lessons in Casciana Terme, near Pisa.
Hello Arianna and Friends
Hoping you have a great new year. Thank you so very much for arranging our cooking class in late November. It was amazing.
I would like to bring a small group next October to stay at the farm for about 3-4 days what types of accommodations are there and what prices per night with breakfast each morning?
Thanks again for everything
This cooking class takes place on a farm by Montefoscoli, near the village of Peccioli, in central Tuscany, among Pisa, San Gimignano and Volterra.
MEET-UP LOCATION:
Unless differently specified, the meeting point with the language assistant directly at the premises of the cooking school. Detailed information and road instructions will be provided at the booking stage.
DURATION:
Our programs take3 hours for cooking and the rest for dinner/lunch and relaxation. Time for transportation not included.
AVAILABILITY:
The program "Pizza and Pasta Lab" is available every Thursday from May 5 through 27 October 2022.
LANGUAGE:
This class is available in English with no surcharge. German, French, Spanish, Russian or Italian are also possible upon booking with no surcharge.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Easy
CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children
CLOTHING:
No particular clothing required.
FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The foods served during this cooking class might contain gluten, lactose, nuts and alcohol. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process.
TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car or a scooter in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
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