The cooking week

Our cooking classes are very hands-on. The classes are taught in English and our wonderful local chefs will guide you through the preparation of a variety of simple but delicious Italian recipes (from Tuscany and from other Italian regions) and reveal some of their culinary secrets.

The cooking classes

Groups are small (maximum 10 people), so that everyone gets a chance to try their hand at the techniques, from making fresh egg pasta dough to lovingly stirring an artichoke risotto to perfection. Rather than cooking a “usual” Italian meal of first course, second course and dessert, we teach you several dishes on each day, so that you go home with quite an extensive repertoire!

You are free to pick and choose whether you’d like to join in the cooking school activities on a particular day or not. If you fancy a day horse-riding, hot-air ballooning or just going to the beach, let us know in advance and we’ll help you do just that.

Getting around

You can get to Certaldo easily by train, but car rental during your week is essential. Ours is not a package tour, where we herd you around in a van. We give you a structured week’s activities but also the tools to explore on your own if you wish to. You drive to all excursions, either following us, or with our detailed directions. Distances driven are short and to keep carbon emissions down, we encourage car-sharing and car pooling whenever possible, putting you in touch with other participants who would like to share a vehicle.

Your week with us

Here is a typical week at Organic Tuscany. Please note that this is an example, albeit a pretty accurate reflection of what we do! The dishes cooked will vary following the seasons and any special requests you have, and the specific days for excursions may vary.

Saturday

You arrive

We help you get settled in. You can just rest after your journey, have a dip in the pool or explore beautiful Certaldo or the surrounding countryside.

 7.30 pm

Alfresco welcome dinner

We cook for you and your new classmates on this first evening, and keep things simple. Warm foccaccia straight out of the oven accompanies grilled organic vegetables, local biodynamic cheeses and crisp salads, all washed down with local biodynamic wine.

Alfresco lunch

Sunday

 11.00 am-1.00 pm

An exploratory walk to get your bearings

We take you on a gentle walk to explore the surroundings and learn about the history of the area where we are staying. We also drive five minutes to see a charmingly frescoed Romanic church nearby. Lunch is back at the villa.

 1.00 pm-2.30 pm

Lunch

 5.00 pm-7.30 pm

Cooking class 1

Handmade fresh pasta, 3 seasonal sauces (a meat sauce, an asparagus and ricotta sauce and an artichoke sauce), Sicilian fennel and orange salad, tiramisù.

 7.30 – pm-9.30 pm

Dinner

Monday

 Morning

Visit to San Gimignano

We suggest a visit to this medieval city just 20 minutes away. This is also a good morning to use if you want to explore on your own (the Chianti area, Volterra, etc).

 4.30 PM – 6.15 PM

Cooking class 2

Crostini with roast peppers and with “salsa verde“, “pappa al pomodoro” (Tuscan tomato and basil soup), potato and spinach gnocchi, slow cooked beef with vegetables and herbs, artichoke and parmesan salad, custard and fruit tart.

 6.15 PM – 7.30 PM

Olive oil tasting session

Our oil expert guides you through the world of extravirgin olive oils.

 7.30 – pm-9.30 pm

Dinner

Wednesday

Visit Florence

You have a whole day to visit Florence. You meet an official guide for a three-hour walking tour in the morning, and have the afternoon free to do as you wish – see museums, churches, go shopping for shoes, people-watch on a sunny terrace, or just wander the magical streets.

Ponte vecchio, Florence, Tuscany

Thursday

 10.00 am-12.30 pm

Cooking class

Braised artichokes, risotti (e.g. artichoke, asparagus, porcini mushrooms), herby turkey cooked in milk, moist apple cake.

 12.30 pm-2.00 pm

Lunch

 5.30 pm-6.00 pm

Visit to a master potter’s ceramics studio

Our friend Terry Davies wll show you his beautiful studio.

 7.00 pm-9.30 pm

Wine tasting of local organic wines

led by our wine expert, followed by a light dinner (much of which you will have prepared earlier!) accompanied by the wines you have tasted.

Friday

 10.00 am-12.30 pm

Cooking class

Delectable antipasti (marinated sundried tomatoes, baby onions slow-cooked in balsamic vinegar), vegetable sformati, pollo alla cacciatora (chicken with herbs, wine and olives), almond biscotti.

 Afternoon

You are free to relax by the pool or do some shopping before you leave.

 7.30 pm

Farewell dinner

We have a relaxed dinner at the villa, cooked by the talented Serenella.

Saturday morning

Departure

The villa from the garden

2025 Calendar

2025 Calendar

Our weeks include 7 nights' accommodation - Saturday through Saturday. Check-in is on Saturday afternoon, departure is on the following Saturday morning. The dates show Saturday through Friday for clarity.

April 26th - May 2nd
Full
May 3rd - 9th
Places available
May 10th - 16th
Places available
May 17th - 23rd
Full
May 24th - 30th
Full
May 31st - June 6th
2 places available
Aug 30th - Sept 5th
Places available
September 6th - 12th
Places available
September 13th - 19th
Places available
September 20th - 26th
Full
Sept 27th - Oct 3rd
Places available

2025 prices

Prices

* Prices are in Euros and are converted into each guest's currency according to the exchange rate the day they book. To give you an idea, we show the current USD prices.
Type of guest Euros USD*
 Cooking guest1 €2,400 $2,626
 Non-cooking guest1 €1,900 $2,079
 Double room for single use2 +€900 $985

1) Based on two people sharing a double room with an ensuite bathroom.
2) We only have space to accept 2 solo travellers per course. They pay a €900 supplement and are offered their own double room with ensuite bathroom.

What our guests say

Reviews from TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp and Facebook

Don Kilgras
29 Jun 2024
It was everything as wonderful as we expected it to be. The people were great, the accommodations were excellent, and the classes were fun. The nightly dinners were not to be missed. Side trips were excellent. We'd go again!
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Marion Campbell-Brown
20 Jun 2024
We had a wonderful week with Organic Tuscany. Shilpa and Riccardo made us feel very much at home . The villa was beautiful with exceptional views of the surrounding countryside. Really enjoyed the cookery classes and eating the results of our labours! A very well-planned week. Thanks to the whole team for making it so enjoyable.
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Lucia Sciore
13 Jun 2024
Always a warm welcome at the villa. Classes were informative & fun. The food was exceptional. Side tours were fun as well as relaxing by the pool.
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maureen conner
16 Jun 2023
Organic Tuscany is not to be missed. Shilpa, Ricardo, and their entire team are consummate professionals, seasoned hosts, and they provide a schedule that blends local sights and artisans with exquisite cooking experiences. My advice--register for Organic Tuscany immediately. You will never regret it.
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Pamela Collen
12 Jun 2023
We had a great week the perfect mix between cooking culture and Chianti - a big thanks to all the team
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Beth Wigden
06 Jun 2023
one of the best vacations I will ever have taken. The 2 hosts were wonderful people and made everyone at home. We had a group of 10, learned a lot of cooking and about wine. They also gave us advice on where to have lunch, what to see in Florence, and Siena. Totally wonderful
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Contact us

If you’d like more information about our cooking courses or you are interested in booking a space, please call us, email us or send us a message using the form below.

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Call us

If you’d like to speak to us, you can call our US number (we answer them from here in Italy!)
From the US: 347 410 9690