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

Tuesday

 10.00 am-1.30 pm

Visit to an organic vineyard

with tasting and lunch. We visit a five-hundred-year-old cellar and are shown around by the charismatic owner. Lunch is in the old oil-pressing room.

 Afternoon and evening

Visit to Siena

The visit includes a tour with an official guide. For dinner, explore Siena’s many great restaurants.

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

2024 Calendar

2024 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 27th - May 3rd
Full
May 4th - 10th
Full
May 11th - 17th
Full
May 18th - 24th
Full
May 25th - May 31st
Full
June 1st - 7th
Full
Aug. 31st - Sept. 6th
Full
September 7th - 13th
Full
September 14th - 20th
2 places available
September 21st - 27th
Full
Sept 28th - Oct 4th
Full

Prices 2024!

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 €2,200 $2,372
 Non-cooking guest1 €1,700 $1,833
 Double room for single use2 +€700 +$755

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 €700 supplement and are offered their own double room with ensuite bathroom.

What our guests say

Reviews from TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp and Facebook

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.
read more
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
read more
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
read more
Sonia
5 star rating
02 Nov 2022
Fabulous experience We waited 2 1/2 years for this trip and we weren’t disappointed! Our hosts were great. The villa and pool were fabulous and the food so delicious! It’s the perfect split between cooking, sight seeing, relaxing and just being totally spoilt! Would thoroughly recommend to anyone wanting to explore Tuscany and experience the amazing food and wine from the area. Can’t wait to go again!
read more
Kim Konrad Kelly
29 Oct 2022
This was our 2020 trip that we moved to 2022! It was so worth the wait! Shilpa and Riccardo are wonderful hosts and every minute was amazing. The villa was beautiful with amazing views. The cooking together with new friends was so fun and delicious. The planned side trips allowed us to see more of Tuscany. This was a dream trip that we want to repeat! We just need more time. 2 weeks in Italy was not enough!
read more
Emma Rice
29 Oct 2022
This trip was fantastic - Shilpa and Riccardo run a wonderful course with delicious recipes and great trips to local attractions as well. The instructors and local producers we visited were all lovely and took plenty of time to share their experience and products with us. Really enjoyed the whole trip. The villa was beautiful and very comfortable.
read more

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.

[wpforms id="7348" title="false" description="false"]

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