Toscana Saporita - A Highly Acclaimed Cooking Course In Tuscany

If you are looking for a critically acclaimed cooking course in Tuscany that is charming, warm, fun and packed with local knowledge, you should definitely take the time to consider Toscana Saporita Cookery School in Massarosa.

This well-regarded foodie destination has been featured in the International Herald Tribune, the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Good Housekeeping and many more. It also has a fan in one of Britain’s premier celebrity chefs, Gary Rhodes, so you can rest assured it’s a high-quality delicious destination.

Where do classes take place?

The school itself occupies the ground floor of a 15th century villa and regularly welcomes food-loving students from all over the world. For hundreds of years this large and majestic setting was used to house the estate’s fine wines, which were stored in huge wooden barrels. But while the barrels are unfortunately gone, the terracotta floors and original wood-beamed ceilings remain in all their impressive glory.

As for your accommodation, student cooks are put up in the grounds of the villa in fully-equipped houses, finished in a simple, modern Italian country style.

Who teaches the classes?

The chefs are, obviously, responsible for teaching you how to conjure up some glorious Tuscan dishes – whether fresh homemade pasta, raviolis, focaccia, or biscotti – which usually happens during the morning’s cooking classes.

The tour guides will then whisk you away in the mid-afternoon (around 3pm) to discover the varied sights, sounds and tastes of Tuscany’s beautiful rolling countryside and charming hilltop villages.

What types of dish and cooking techniques are covered?

During one morning’s class for example, you may become a new master of fresh pasta, bake your first focaccia (Italian bread), roast a leg of lamb and produce some sumptuous balls of sorbet.

The next day it might instead be time to tackle a nutritious grain soup, ravioli or gnocchi, maybe cook a pizza in the estate’s wood-fired oven, and then indulge in producing some homemade ice cream.

These classes are taught by three experienced professional instructors, and they are all conducted 100% in English.

When do classes take place?

After that, you’ll head off on your late afternoon excursion with an English speaking guide. This could be an historic trip to Florence or Pisa, a wander in the countryside, or a food-related jaunt to taste local wines, cheeses, truffles and/or olive oils.

The evening dinner meanwhile will be prepared by the chefs themselves, so you can put your feet up, enjoy every last bite at your most relaxed, and get inspired for the next morning’s session.

Courses at Toscana Saporita usually run to a week in length. You can choose from the Italian Food Lovers course (the school’s most popular), the Advanced Course, or work with the school’s team to create a custom-made course for your group.

And what if you only have one day spare during your trip but you still hanker after such an acclaimed cooking course in Tuscany? Don’t worry, one of the school’s ‘one-day skill sessions’ will provide you a quick but hearty hit of Italian cuisine.

The school’s courses generally run from Spring through Fall (so roughly April to October). To learn more or to book your acclaimed cooking course in Tuscany, just visit the Toscana Saporita website.

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