Cooking Class in Tuscany: Make Handmade Pasta & Tuscan Meal

Roll, cut and cook a full Tuscan meal in a working restaurant kitchen

A hands-on cooking class in Chef Barbara's professional restaurant kitchen in Tuscany where you prepare traditional handmade pasta, a classic main course and dessert with locally sourced ingredients, then eat the meal you've made. The class runs about 4 hours and accommodates families and corporate groups alike. Chef Barbara teaches in English or Italian, and you take home a recipe book.

The experience

You spend about 4 hours in a working restaurant kitchen learning to make pici all'aglione (the local hand-rolled pasta served with garlic, oil and tomato) alongside other pasta shapes like lasagna, tortelli and tagliatella. Chef Barbara walks you through preparing the doughs, rolling and cutting them by hand, and building the sauces with meat and seasonal vegetables. Every step is hands-on: you're not watching a demonstration, you're doing the work alongside the chef and other participants.

The menu also includes focaccia or pizza, which you'll shape and bake until golden, and cantuccini: the classic Tuscan almond cookie traditionally served with sweet vin santo wine. All ingredients come from local sources, so the flavors are rooted in the region itself. You'll learn the brief history of Tuscan and Italian cooking as you work, picking up techniques you can recreate at home.

Once the cooking is finished, you move to a table in the restaurant and eat everything you've prepared together. The class includes an apron, a recipe book to take home, and water. Wine is available separately from the restaurant's list. This setup works equally well for families wanting to cook together and corporate groups looking for a team activity with a real outcome.

What’s included

• Apron.
• Recipe book to take home.
• Bottled water.
• The full meal you prepare (lunch or dinner depending on class time).
• Hands-on instruction from Chef Barbara.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 10:30

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Senior (71 to 90 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (8 years) · Infant (under 6): 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 7 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Cooking Class with Chef Barbara

Is this one for you?The class is held in Chef Barbara's restaurant kitchen in Tuscany, so no car is needed to get there. Ask about the exact location and how to arrive when you book. If you're staying in a nearby town or without transportation, confirm the pickup options or directions at checkout.

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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: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (8 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly do I make during the cooking class?

You prepare pici all'aglione (hand-rolled pasta with garlic, oil and tomato sauce), a choice of other fresh pasta shapes like lasagna or tortelli with meat or vegetable sauces, focaccia or pizza, and cantuccini cookies. The full menu is a traditional Tuscan meal from start to finish.

How long does the class take?

The cooking class runs about 4 hours from start to finish, including the time you spend preparing the dishes and then sitting down to eat the meal you've made.

Is the class really hands-on, or do I watch the chef cook?

It's completely hands-on. You work alongside Chef Barbara and the other participants, rolling pasta, shaping dough, preparing sauces and cooking. The lessons are built around doing the work together, not watching a demonstration.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

The class includes an apron, a recipe book, bottled water, and the meal you cook. Wine is not included but available separately from the restaurant's wine list at checkout.