Cooking class & dinner in Siena at a local's home

Cook pasta and taste four courses of Sienese food at a stranger's table.

A cooking demonstration and 4-course meal at a local's home in Siena, where you watch the host prepare seasonal pasta, a main course and dessert, then eat everything together with Tuscan wines and coffee. The experience runs about two and a half hours and stays small. Just a handful of guests around one table. English and Italian are both spoken.

The experience

You arrive at a Cesarine host's home in Siena and step into a working kitchen where the cook walks you through the day's pasta: pappardelle, pici or gnudi, made the way it appears in family cookbooks passed down through generations. This is not a performance. You watch the technique up close, see the ingredients, and understand how the dish comes together. The host is vetted by Cesarine, Italy's oldest network of home cooks, for authentic culinary knowledge and genuine hospitality.

Once the cooking is done, you sit down to the full 4-course menu: a seasonal starter, the fresh pasta you just watched being made, a second course like panzanella or slow-cooked game, and a Sienese dessert. Rice pudding, castagnaccio, cantucci or tiramisu. Water, a selection of red and white wines from Tuscany, and espresso come with the meal. The group stays small, so there is real conversation across the table, not a performance for an audience.

You can book this for lunch or dinner depending on what fits your day in Siena. The whole experience takes about two and a half hours. Public transportation runs nearby if you need it, and the host welcomes service animals.

What’s included

• Shared show cooking in the host's kitchen.
• 4-course meal with seasonal starter, fresh pasta, second course and Sienese dessert.
• water, selection of Tuscan red and white wines, and espresso.
• small group setting at a local's home table.

Options for this experience

2 options

DinnerGuide in English or Italian · 19:00Dinner

LunchGuide in English or Italian · 12:00Lunch

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 12:00 and 19:00

Book up to10h before

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

GroupUp to 10

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book the lunch slot if you want to cook and eat earlier in the day, or the dinner option if you prefer an evening around the table. Either way, the small group size means you actually talk to the host and the other guests, not a classroom setup or a crowded dining room.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

8 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

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

What pasta dishes might I watch being made?

The host prepares one of three fresh pastas: pappardelle, pici or gnudi, depending on the day and the season. You see the technique and the ingredients as the dish comes together in the kitchen.

Does the meal include wine?

Yes. A selection of red and white wines from Tuscany cellars comes with the 4-course menu, along with water and espresso after dessert.

How many people sit down to eat together?

The group stays small. Just a handful of guests around the host's table, so you have time to talk and connect with both the cook and the other diners.

Can I book this for lunch instead of dinner?

Yes. You choose either lunch or dinner at checkout, and the 4-course menu and cooking demonstration run the same way for both.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Contact the host directly after booking to discuss any dietary needs. Cesarine hosts work with guests on accommodations when possible, though the menu is built around traditional Sienese recipes.