Private dining in Vicenza with show cooking: Family recipes

Cook with a Vicenza home chef, then eat what you made

A private dining experience at a local's home in Vicenza where you watch show cooking of authentic regional dishes, then enjoy a four-course meal with starter, fresh pasta, main course and dessert, plus water, regional wines and coffee. The host is part of Cesarine, Italy's network of home cooks who open their kitchens to travelers. Lunch or dinner. 2.5 hours. English or Italian-speaking guide.

The experience

How do you eat the way locals actually do in Vicenza? You show up at someone's home, not a restaurant. The cook (a real Mamma with family recipes in her kitchen) walks you through the dishes she's making: you'll see how she builds fresh pasta Pappardelle with white asparagus sauce or shapes Ravioli by hand, how Baccalà alla vicentina comes together, what goes into the dessert. This is show cooking, not a demonstration you watch from a distance. You're in the kitchen, close enough to ask questions and pick up the moves.

Then you sit down to eat. The four courses arrive in order: a seasonal starter, the pasta you just watched her make, a second course of Baccalà alla vicentina with a side dish, and a typical Vicenza dessert. Torta Putana or tiramisù or something similar depending on what's in season. Water, a selection of red and white wines from regional cellars, and coffee come with it. The whole thing runs about two and a half hours. Your host speaks English or Italian, so you can ask about the recipes, the ingredients, why she cooks the way she does. This is the kind of meal that doesn't happen in guidebooks.

Cesarine runs this: they're the network of over 1,000 home cooks across Italy who invite travelers into their own kitchens. You're not paying for a catering service or a staged event. You're paying for access to someone's home, someone's cooking, someone's table.

What’s included

• Private four-course meal (seasonal starter, fresh pasta, Baccalà alla vicentina with side dish, and typical Vicenza dessert).
• show cooking demonstration in the host's kitchen.
• water, selection of red and white wines from regional cellars, and coffee.
• live guide in English or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

DinnerGuide in English or Italian · Available from 4 Feb 2027Dinner

LunchGuide in English or Italian · Available from 4 Feb 2027Lunch

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 timesNext departure: 4 Feb 2027

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book the lunch slot if you want to explore Vicenza's other sights the same day. The dinner option gives you the full evening in the host's home and a more relaxed pace through the meal. Both run about two and a half hours, so choose based on when you want to eat and what else is on your itinerary.

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 exactly do I watch during the show cooking part?

The host prepares the pasta course and the main course in front of you, typically fresh pasta Pappardelle with white asparagus sauce or Ravioli, followed by Baccalà alla vicentina. You see the techniques and ingredients that go into each dish.

Do I get to cook anything myself, or just watch?

This is show cooking, so you watch the host prepare the dishes. You're in the kitchen with her and can ask questions about technique and ingredients, but the cooking itself is her work.

What's included in the four-course meal?

A seasonal starter, fresh pasta as the second course, Baccalà alla vicentina as the main with a side dish, and a typical Vicenza dessert such as Torta Putana or tiramisù. Water, a selection of red and white wines from regional cellars, and coffee are included.

Can I choose lunch or dinner, and does the menu change?

You pick lunch or dinner when you book. The menu stays consistent across both seatings (the host prepares the same four courses), though seasonal ingredients mean small variations from one visit to the next.

How do I get to the host's home, and where is it located in Vicenza?

Public transportation options are available nearby. The exact address is provided after you book, so you can plan your route in advance.