Bologna home cooking class: 3 recipes with a local chef

Cook three generations of Bologna recipes in a home kitchen, then sit down to eat them.

A three-hour hands-on cooking class in a local home in Bologna where you learn to make a seasonal starter, fresh pasta (tortellini, lasagne, tortelloni, tagliatelle, gramigna, strichetti or balanzoni) and a Bolognese dessert (torta tenerina, zuppa inglese, tiramisu, torta di riso, raviole or salame al cioccolato) from a Cesarine host trained in authentic family recipes. You cook at a fully equipped workstation, then sit at the table with your host and taste everything you've prepared with local wines and espresso included. The class is held in English or Italian.

The experience

You arrive at a local home in Bologna and work through three recipes at your own station, with all ingredients and tools ready. Your host (a home cook from Cesarine, Italy's network of culinary experts) walks you through the techniques that have been passed down through generations of mammas and nonnas. The starter changes with the season; the fresh pasta is one of six shapes the kitchen offers that day; the dessert is one of six Bolognese versions. You handle the dough, shape the pasta, build the flavors. Nothing is demonstration-only.

After the cooking, you move to the table and taste everything you've made. Local wines are poured with each course, and espresso closes the meal. The whole experience takes three hours. Your host speaks English or Italian, so language is not a barrier to understanding the "why" behind each step: the tricks that make the difference between a dish that tastes like home and one that tastes like a recipe.

What’s included

• Hands-on instruction in three recipes (a seasonal starter, fresh pasta and a Bolognese dessert).
• a fully equipped workstation with all utensils and ingredients.
• the meal you cook with local wines and espresso.
• a live guide in English or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

2h Tagliatelle BologneseGuide in English or Italian · 10:00 and 17:00Express hands-on cooking class for small groups: learn to make fresh handmade tagliatelle and authentic Bolognese ragù from scratch with a local Cesarina

Cooking class featuring three recipesGuide in English or Italian · 5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00Private hands-on cooking class lasting 3 hours: you'll make three traditional recipes from scratch alongside your Cesarina

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Pets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Choose the three-recipe class to learn a complete meal from starter through dessert, or pick the single-dish option if you want to focus entirely on mastering Tagliatelle Bolognese.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What pasta shapes can I learn to make in the Bologna cooking class?

The class offers six fresh pasta options: tortellini, lasagne, tortelloni, tagliatelle, gramigna, strichetti or balanzoni. Your host will prepare one of these depending on what the kitchen is teaching that day.

Do I eat what I cook, or is it just a demonstration?

You eat everything you've made. After the cooking ends, you sit at the table with your host and taste the starter, pasta and dessert you prepared, accompanied by local wines and espresso.

What dessert options are included in the Bologna cooking class?

The dessert is one of six Bolognese choices: torta tenerina, zuppa inglese, tiramisu, torta di riso, raviole or salame al cioccolato. The kitchen selects which one based on the day's menu.

How long does the cooking class take?

The class runs three hours from start to finish, including the cooking and the meal at the end.

Are drinks included in the class?

Yes. Local wines are served with the meal, and espresso is included at the end. Water is also provided during the class.