Dana Point Italian Cooking Class: Multi-Course Meal

Cook an Italian multi-course meal in a local home, then sit down to eat it together.

An Italian cooking class in Dana Point where you learn to prepare a multi-course meal with fresh, seasonal ingredients in a small-group setting at a beautiful coastal home near Laguna Beach. The class includes a welcome cocktail, hands-on instruction from your hosts, the meal you cook together with Italian wine pairings, and printed recipes to recreate the dishes at home. Choose between a lunch or dinner departure time at checkout.

The experience

You'll arrive at Ann and Rick's home in Dana Point, just minutes from Laguna Beach and near the Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria hotels. After a welcome cocktail and appetizer, you move into Ann's spacious kitchen for a hands-on class where you'll prepare a multi-course meal together. Ann shares techniques and stories from her culinary training and travels as you work with fresh, seasonal ingredients to create dishes like Italian meatballs in marinara with creamy polenta, suppli, and a fresh seasonal fruit tart for dessert.

The class runs about three and a half hours. You cook alongside your hosts and a small group of other participants, learning authentic recipes rather than watching a demonstration. Ann walks you through each dish, explaining the why behind the techniques so you understand how to adapt them at home.

Once everything is ready, you gather around the table to eat the meal you've prepared, paired with carefully selected Italian red and white wines. You leave with printed recipes for each dish and a small keepsake. The group stays small enough that you get real attention and can ask questions as you cook.

What’s included

• Hands-on instruction in Ann's spacious kitchen.
• welcome cocktail and appetizer.
• multi-course meal you prepare and eat together with Italian red and white wine pairings.
• printed recipes for every dish.
• a keepsake to remember the class.

Options for this experience

2 options

Dinner, meal, and cooking classGuide in English · 17:00

Lunch, meal, and cooking classGuide in English · 11:00

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 17:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?The small-group format and hands-on setup mean you actually cook the food yourself rather than watching, so you leave with both the techniques and the confidence to recreate these dishes at home. The printed recipes and keepsake turn the afternoon into something you can return to long after you leave Dana Point.

Top questions

What dishes do you actually cook in this class?

You prepare a multi-course meal that includes classic Italian meatballs in marinara with creamy polenta, suppli, an antipasti spread with prosciutto and melone, whipped ricotta crostini and bruschetta, and a fresh seasonal fruit tart for dessert. The exact recipes shift with the season and what's available.

Is this a hands-on cooking class or a demonstration?

It's hands-on: you cook the dishes yourself in Ann's kitchen alongside your hosts and the other participants. Ann guides you through each step, sharing techniques and tips from her training and travels.

What's included in the price?

The class includes a welcome cocktail and appetizer, the full multi-course meal you cook and eat together, Italian wine pairings, printed recipes for every dish, and a keepsake to take home.

How many people are in the group?

It's a small-group class, so you get personal attention from Ann and Rick without feeling crowded in the kitchen.

Can I choose between lunch and dinner?

Yes. You pick either a lunch or dinner departure time when you book. Both follow the same menu and structure.

Do I need cooking experience to join?

No prior experience is required. Ann teaches authentic Italian techniques from the ground up, and the class is designed for anyone who wants to learn.