Rome: Home cooking class with local chef + meal & wine

Summary

Cooking, laughter, and real Roman flavors in a local’s kitchen

You’ll join a Roman home cook for a private class in their kitchen, learning to make fresh pasta and classic starters before sitting down together for lunch or dinner with local wines included. Expect laughter, hands-on tips from your host, and authentic flavors you’ll remember long after the trip.

4.75

(28 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to feel nervous ringing the bell outside Claudia’s apartment in Rome. But there I was, palms a bit sweaty, wondering if my pasta skills would embarrass me. Claudia opened the door with this big, warm smile and suddenly it felt less like a “class” and more like visiting an old friend. The kitchen smelled faintly of coffee and something her neighbor was frying next door (she rolled her eyes—“always garlic at 10am!”). We washed our hands, tied on aprons, and got right into it.

Making fresh pasta is messier than I thought. Flour everywhere—on my shirt, even in my hair somehow. Claudia showed me how to shape cavatelli with her thumb (“like Nonna taught me,” she said), but mine looked more like tiny sea creatures. She laughed, not unkindly. We made a simple artichoke starter too; she explained how Romans love their vegetables in spring. I tried to say “carciofi” properly—she grinned at my accent but let it slide. There was this easy rhythm between us: kneading dough, sipping wine, swapping stories about our families.

Lunch happened around her little table by the window, sunlight catching on the mismatched plates. The cavatelli tasted way better than they looked (Claudia insisted that’s always true). We finished with tiramisu—her mother’s recipe—and strong espresso that made my heart race a bit. I could hear kids playing downstairs and someone singing out of tune somewhere above us. Honestly, I left feeling lighter than when I arrived. Still think about that afternoon sometimes when I smell coffee or see artichokes at home.

3h