Chicago-Style Pizza or Pasta Cooking Class in Naperville

The dough is already prepared so you spend the class actually cooking, not waiting for it to rise.

A private 1.5-hour cooking class in a local Naperville home where you choose to make either Chicago-style deep-dish pizza or fresh handmade pasta from scratch, then sit down to eat your meal with your host Nancy over wine and dessert. The class runs as either a lunch or dinner depending on which option you book at checkout.

The experience

You arrive at Nancy's Naperville home about 40 minutes from Chicago and start with a platter of meats, cheeses, vegetables and dips while you get to know each other. Then you move into her open-plan kitchen to make your choice: Chicago-style deep-dish pizza or fresh pasta such as fettuccine alfredo with a compound milk sauce. The pizza dough or pasta dough arrives already prepared since it needs time to rise, so you skip the waiting and move straight into the hands-on work: rolling, shaping, layering, saucing. While the pizzas bake or the pasta rests, Nancy walks you through making a fresh salad with homemade dressing and a flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

Once everything is ready, you sit at her dining table to eat the meal you made, with wine or beer and Nancy's company. The whole experience lasts about 1.5 hours in the kitchen, then the meal itself. If you don't specify pizza when you book, Nancy defaults to pasta.

What’s included

• Private cooking class in Nancy's Naperville home kitchen.
• choice of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza or fresh handmade pasta.
• appetizer platter with meats, cheeses, vegetables and dips.
• fresh salad with homemade dressing.
• flourless chocolate cake.
• wine or beer with your meal.
• lunch or dinner depending on your booking option.

Options for this experience

2 options

Lunch-included cooking classGuide in English · 11:00

Cooking class with dinner includedGuide in English · 17:30

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 17:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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

Stroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Book the lunch option if you want an earlier start to your day, or the dinner option if you prefer an evening of cooking and conversation. Either way, the class fits into a single afternoon or evening without requiring you to arrange transport to a restaurant.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Can I choose between pizza and pasta, or is one set for the class?

You choose at checkout between a pizza class or a pasta class. If you don't select one when booking, Nancy will default to pasta. Either way, you make it from scratch in her kitchen.

What time of day does the class run?

You book either a lunch or dinner session depending on which works for your schedule. Both follow the same format: appetizers, the cooking class, then your meal at Nancy's table.

Is wine included, or do I need to bring my own?

Wine is included with the meal. Beer is also available if you prefer that instead.

How much cooking experience do I need?

No experience is required. Nancy teaches the tips and techniques as you go, and the class is designed for anyone who wants to learn Italian American cooking in a home setting.

What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?

Vegetarians are welcome. Tell Nancy about any dietary restrictions when you make your booking so she can adjust the menu accordingly.