What our guests say

Organic Tuscany is EVERYTHING we wanted and MORE! My husband and I went to cooking school at Organic Tuscany last October (2017). I was so pleased... so terribly over-the-top pleased... that I've put off writing a review, fearing I wouldn't be able to do the experience (and the people) justice. Having looked at several cooking schools in Italy, I was having trouble finding THE one, and then I came across Organic Tuscany's website. Oh my gosh! It just had it all! Authentic Tuscan villa, warm, engaging, and amazing... read more people provide the experience, great food, great wine, great company, and just everything I had hoped for. This wasn't our first Italian vacation but it was by far our best! Shilpa and Riccardo, we feel, are friends for life. Such an engaging couple, both of whom were obviously committed to our having a peak experience, and it was! I cooked risotto last night with Tuscan green beans, andipasto and bell pepper crostinis for my son and his wife; and tonight, it was gnocchi with sage sauce, asparagus, antipasto, and minestrone soup. We've been home 4 months and I just can't get enough of this meal planning and cooking... good thing my family likes Italian food. And the biscotti! I can't even believe I made biscotti that was so delicious! Shilpa, Riccardo, Malgosha, Maria, Clara, Terry, Manuella, Serenella, Serena, and Genna, you'll never, ever be forgotten. Thank you so much for a once-in-a-lifetime-never-to-be-forgotten experience. Warmest regards! Carol & Howard PS: We were there with 5 ladies from Canada, none of whom brought husbands. My husband went on the trip with me and didn't cook but went sight-seeing the days we had classes. He had a ball... enjoyed every experience with us (eating, drinking wine, tasting olive oil, touring Certaldo, visiting Terry's studio, hanging out, and even our very last night). He had as much fun as I did and has really enjoyed the fruits of my very pleasant labors. Would highly recommend for girlfriends OR couples (cooking or non-cooking). If you like eating/cooking Italian, don't miss this experience! read less

An authentic Italian experience! My husband and I were there September 23-30, 2017. Friends had recommended this cooking school to us. Cooking amazing italian food with the backdrop of the hills of Tuscany, with amazing chefs, what could be better! Met a great group of people from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and the US. You get a copy of all the recipes and the apron you wore to cook to boot! My husband and I have recreated the recipes at home, delicious. Hosts Riccardo... read more and Shilpa are wonderful, as are the chefs; Serena, Serranella, and Manuela; Cristina, the wine and olive oil expert; and Clara and her husband Terry who guide you through an authentic “Italian” experience. The villa is lovely, all renovated. Go a few days early and spend some time in Italy, that’s what we did. An experience you will not forget!! read less

Just the Best ! My week at Organic Tuscany was the highlight at the end of 6 weeks in Italy and Greece. Initially we were given specific and detailed instructions for travel to the house which was extremely helpful. The classes are very carefully planned and well organised to run smoothly with charming and very competent tutors. The house and setting is lovely and our rooms were spacious and very comfortable. A warm feeling of friendship developed from the outset between the guests and... read more staff. The organised trips in the local area were particularly interesting. I recommend Organic Tuscany without hesitation. read less

Nothing could have been better for these Canadian ladies! Myself and four other ladies had the pleasure of taking part in the cooking school and staying at Organic Tuscany. It was by far the highlight of our three week trip. Riccardo and Shilpa are the ultimate hosts and have put together a week that was fun, exciting and educational. The chefs, cooks and tour guides were unbelievable. I was a bit concerned about driving but it turned out to be no problem with Shilpa’s careful directions and my insistence... read more of getting an automatic car! I highly recommend staying here and enjoying the hills of Tuscany while learning to cook wonderful food from experienced chefs. read less

Love Love Love Organic Tuscany! My two kids, ages 26 and 23, and I had a wonderful week of cooking and eating the most delicious food and learning about the beautiful life and culture of Tuscany. Shilpa and Ricardo, along with their friendly, knowledgeable team, created such a delightful environment for my children and I to make magnificent memories together.

My experience with Organic Tuscany was absolutely fantastic! The accomodations and location were just beautiful, and a huge shout out to Shilpa and everyone for helping us deal with lost luggage. The overall itinerary for the week went well beyond the actual cooking classes; encompassing private tours and olive oil and wine tastings that we never would have had access to without Organic Tuscany's impressive network around the Chianti region. Lastly the cooking classes were wonderful - very collaborative and... read more instructive, and led to many, many delicious meals in a gorgeous setting with a great group of people! read less

Best way to get a flavor of Tuscany! My husband and I went for our 25th wedding anniversary in September and it was fabulous. The villa was beautiful and comfortable. Host, Ricardo and Shilpa and the staff were amazing. It was a great balance for me, cooking, resting, sight seeing, and eating! We were able to get a real flavor of Tuscany. Highly recommend it!

The most amazing experience! I can't say enough good things about our week-long stay at Organic Tuscany! Excellent cooking classes, beautiful and comfortable room, fabulous staff, stunning location in the hills of Tuscany, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees galore! And then there's the amazing organic food and wine!! Drop everything and get there now!

Great people, great setting, great food. A perfect week! This was a truly great week in a picture-perfect villa in the Tuscan hills. My husband was a "non-cooking guest" and had no problem amusing himself during the 10 or so hours when we were actually in classes in the kitchen. The instructors were great, there was plenty of hands-on time, and the food from the four classes (two lunches and two dinners) was as good as the food from the other catered meals (yes!). Other highlights: the tour of... read more Pietro's vineyard and its elegant lunch served in the garden, with the most delicious fresh ricotta I could ever imagine; the olive oil tasting class, with its wonderfully eccentric and opinionated instructor (who certainly shamed me out of my bad olive oil habits). There are plenty of side trips offered to fill the time not actually spent cooking or eating, but it is not necessary to take them all -- relaxing in the beautiful gardens was just too inviting -- and it was also fun to explore the area on our own. The staff were very helpful in providing suggestions for trips to local hill towns. The rooms were very big and comfortable. The setting is beautiful but not at all pretentious, and comfortable clothes with stout walking shoes are recommended. read less

Organic Tuscany was a magical experience. Set in the beautiful countryside overlooking vineyards, olive groves and wheat fields, with a view of a nearby castle perched on the adjoining hillside which we viewed from our bedroom window. The food was of the highest quality and prepared with love and excellence. The small group of 8-10 people from around the world gives it an added bonus, and you will be sure to leave with new friends. The pace of cooking classes... read more and leisure time, with a bit of structure, allows for full relaxation to read, hike, bike while absorbing the beauty and culture of the region. The home and gardens are immaculate, with beautiful furnishings and linens, set in a relaxing, casual atmosphere. Shilpa and Ricardo are a gastronomic and cultural delight, with stories and interests that reach the globe. Their staff of experts on cooking, wine and olive oil are equally professional and intriguing. I give the experience my highest recommendation. read less

Beautiful location, wonderful people, and amazing food All around just an amazing experience. The entire team at Organic Tuscany was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and passionate, and the cooking classes were the perfect in terms of the amount of dishes covered and the hands-on practical aspect of cooking. Not only did we have a chance to cook and eat some of the most delicious food I've ever had, we had a wonderful tour of nearby Certaldo, where we learnt some of the local history of the area, we... read more visited a nearby winery where we were once again treated to amazing food and taught about the history and process of wine-making, and had both olive oil and wine tastings that focused on local products from Tuscany. Oh, and of course the villa itself was surrounded by the beautiful green tuscan countryside and had an amazing outdoor patio where we were able to eat every meal with a view of the sunset at night. In short, the enitre week was wonderful in every way imaginable, and I cannot recommend this experience enough. read less

Tuscan Bliss I didn't want to leave. The heady combination of tranquil, green rolling hills,a huge garden filled with scented plants and the best Italian food I have ever eaten was irresistible. Shilpa, Riccardo and all their team of experts made this one of the best 7 days I have ever had. As an experienced cook I was surprised at the number of new tips I learnt about local ingredients, seasoning how to make vegetables tastier. The vegetable garden was a thing... read more of beauty. It was great to relax by the pool in the late afternoon sun too followed by long evening chats around the table as we enjoyed delicious plates of guinea fowl with grapes, the lightest gnocchi and mouth watering local cheese and fruit tarts. Unforgettable. read less

My husband and I first experienced Organic Tuscany back in the fall of 2008, and we had such an incredible time, we decided to go back just this past spring (2017). The wonderful couple who run Organic Tuscany (Shilpa and Riccardo) are simply fabulous hosts, who have created an itinerary with the perfect balance of sightseeing, cooking and downtime. Our group was just nine people--small enough to easily travel, explore, dine out, and cook together without any problems. We had... read more cooking classes at the villa, took day trips to Siena, San Gimignano, and Florence, spent a morning at an organic winery where we enjoyed lunch with the winemaker! We also enjoyed olive oil and wine tastings, as well as visiting a well-known ceramist who lives in the area. The villa itself was positively beautiful. The beds were comfy, the water pressure was very good, the kitchen was big and bright, and the grounds were enchanting... We made new friends, got to see old friends again, and even though we had been on the tour before, everything seemed new and different. Our time there was so awesome that I didn't want to leave (and I am very much a homebody). I think we may actually have to go back AGAIN in a few years. Organic Tuscany is a wonderful way to sample all the things that make Tuscany famous: the food, the wine, the history, the art, the ancient cites, gelato, the people, the scenery... This truly is a trip you will never forget. read less

Simply perfect! A beautiful villa, charming hosts (Riccardo and Shilpa, who are multilingual and an utter delight), fascinating cookery classes, and the most delicious food - this really was the holiday of a lifetime! The villa is surrounded by flower-filled gardens, and has perfect views of the Tuscan hills. You can cool off in the pool, or lounge under the willow trees and watch the fireflies at night. Pure bliss! Each room is tastefully and individually decorated, and you can help yourself... read more to anything you want (tea, coffee, snacks) in the kitchen. The teachers for the cooking classes are incredibly interesting and informative, and I learned so much - who knew garlic had a 'soul'?! From making our own pasta to preparing heavenly cakes (the chocolate, orange almond cake will live long in my memory), everything was incredibly fresh and delicious! We all ate together on a long table on the terrace, thickly covered in jasmine, and watched the sun set over the hills. As well as arranging fascinating tours of the main sights, such as Florence, Siena and San Gimignano, there were all kinds of unexpected extras - the olive oil tasting with lovely Cristina was a highlight. Absolutely wonderful in every way. I can't recommend this place highly enough! Thank you so much Shilpa, Riccardo and your fantastic team! read less

Stunning location, exquisite food and a charming crew The photos don't do it justice – the villa is not only picture-postcard perfect, but utterly peaceful, with no sound but the birdsong. The air is thick with the scent of jasmine and lemon blossom, and the grounds are rambling, with a thousand shady corners in which you can read undisturbed until it's time to go in for yet more superb food. The cooking classes are hugely fun and informal, and interesting for experts as well as beginners, and the... read more people who lead them are really charming. In fact everyone involved, from hosts Shilpa and Riccardo to housekeeper Malgosia and the various characters involved in the excursions and tastings and so on, is a delight. Perhaps most memorable, though (and it's a crowded field), is the food. As a unreconstructed carnivore I did more than once wonder if I wouldn't just become a vegetarian – such a wealth of variety and flavours and the produce was all so fresh and tasty. Although there are meat dishes, the care and creativity with vegetable dishes was a revelation. A car is almost essential, but can be very cheaply hired at Pisa airport (I paid €65 for a week), and Siena, Florence and many smaller towns, such as beautiful San Gimignano, are within an easy drive. Don't arrive with too many fixed ideas about all you want to see and do, however – the villa can prove very hard to leave… read less

Wonderful Tuscan Experience While the success of experiences like this is totally dependent on the mix of fellow travellers, the Organic Tuscany group go out of their way to create a wonderful experience for all. We had a fabulous week with Shilpa, Ricardo and their team. The food was excellent and the dishes we made were authentic and achievable. The wine and olive oil tastings were really interesting and alot of fun. We loved every minute of our stay. The food and wine,... read more the local history and culture, the relaxed schedule, the lovely people and their stories...all set within extraordinary landscape. We'd happily go back again. read less

Thank you Shilpa and everyone at Organic Tuscany for a wonderful week of cooking, eating, laughter and the ‘Tuscany Experience’. The cooking classes were so informative and such fun. The relaxed atmosphere, food and the people, made the week a holiday to remember. The new villa looks lovely and I would love to come back again. Anyone thinking of taking a trip to Tuscany to a cooking school, don’t miss this one. Best, Diana.

The Best of Tuscany For a week in Italy you can't beat, you have to experience Organic Tuscany Cooking classes. It starts with a stay at a small villa surrounded by vineyards in a setting that reminds you of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. And then you get to learn how to cook amazing Italian dishes, sample and taste great Tuscan wines, and even learn what olive oil you should be using. Best of all you eat what you cook. You also meet... read more others that have the same interests in Italian cooking, and along with the staff this really makes it an unforgettable week. There's time to explore the area from Florence to San Gimignano, and even hike the vineyards around the villa. There's also a special trip to visit a local winery hosted by Pietro, with a superb lunch paired with several of his wines. It's Italy at its best. read less

Authentic Italian Experience My husband and I spent an entire week in September of this year with Shilpa, Ricardo and their excellent team. This was our first experience in the Tuscan countryside and it sure lived up to all the expectations and exceeded them in many ways. The villa was well equipped and the views spectacular. We did the vegetarian cooking classes - which by itself is wonderful for non-meat eaters like us. There are not many cooking classes that offer a week... read more long vegetarian cooking classes in the area. Plus, learning from local and most experience home cooks was truly amazing. We made and ate some excellent dishes - simple and excellent recipes. Big shout out to Manuela and Serenella as well for being such patient and amazing teachers.... The wine at each meal was outstanding - special thanks to Cristina for her expertise on wine and olive oils. Overall a joyful experience - not just for the food and wine but the people and the stories :) read less

Unforgettable experience and immersion in Italian culture and cuisine! We had an absolutely marvelous stay at the Organic Tuscany Cooking school in September 2016. Everything was extremely well-planned by the organizers, all of the small details that count. They thought of everything possible to make our stay enjoyable and to introduce us to the Italian culture, not only the Italian culinary culture, but also the Italian historical culture, local Tuscany culture, etc. I'd do it again anytime. And the food was excellent, and it was Great to be able... read more to cook without buying ingredients or cleaning up afterwards! It's a TO DO. read less

"So special, a unique experience!" My best friend and I spent a simply amazing week in May with Shilpa, Ricardo and their fantastic team. Its hard to sum up what we experienced as it was a week full of experiences, learning from amazing local chefs, eating and drinking fantastic local wine everyday, guided tours of Florence and Sienna (loved the guides; charismatic and very knowledgeable and accommodating), and meeting and staying friends with wonderful people we met on the course. We both found Shilpa, Ricardo... read more and their team to be so helpful, they all went the extra mile to make sure we had a great time and an enjoyable experience. Thank you for the wonderful memories. read less

Peak Experience!!! Wow--what can I say! This week with Shilpa, Riccardo, and their talented and wonderful colleagues far exceeded my expectations. Organic Tuscany is an intimate experience where our hosts shared with us all the things they love about Tuscany--the food, the wine, the history, the landscape, the aromas, the flavors, the friendships.... This is not a mere cooking school, but an opportunity to experience the richness of Tuscany. If you like to eat, drink wine, laugh, learn, and establish new friendships,... read more this is the week for you! read less

Amazing experience under the Tuscany sun! My wife and I had the pleasure of an amazing week (June 2016) at Shilpa's and Ricardo's school. They both exceeded our expectations, from the pre trip planning to the rental cars, agenda for the week, food, classes, wine, day trips and even the final dinner and evenings entertainment. That really knocked the ball right out of the park! Location was perfect, the small classes were fun and educational and the various meals we cooked were just so delicious. We... read more were fortunate to share this week with 6 other totally wonderful people, all strangers at first, but we all quickly became friends. The workshops on olive oils, wine and organic viticulture were extremely interesting and added a nice change of pace. It was a full week, but a nice balance of activities, lots of laughs and relaxation. We would love to go back with a group of close friends or family members. We highly recommend this school for an unforgettable week. Thank you Ricardo, Shilpa and all the other wonderful chefs, who made our week with you just Amazing!! read less

Outstanding experience! This was one of the best vacations I have ever had (and I have traveled quite a bit overseas). It was perfectly planned out -- from the cooking classes and meals, the setting, the trips to Tuscan towns, and the behind-the-scenes look at a vineyard and olive estate. Most of all Shilpa, Riccardo, and the whole team were delightful to learn from and get to know. They not only shared their expert knowledge but also their joy in what they... read more do. I hope to go back again one day. read less