We had an outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable time. It was a perfectly balanced week and Shilpa, Riccardo and the rest of the team made us all very welcome and gave us a wonderful, hands on cooking experience set in the magnificent Tuscan countryside. What rounded off the week was the fantastic mix of fellow cooks enjoying cooking and socialising together.

Where do we start? Prior to our week, communication between Riccardo and us regarding trip details was superb. The week was magical! We learned so much and enjoyed every moment! Shilpa and Riccardo are terrific hosts. Sere, and Arturo were so helpful in our understanding of Tuscan food, cooking, all things olive oil and wine of the region. Our hearts are full and we are forever grateful

My wife and I and another couple spent a week this May at the Organic Cooking School. We can't say enough about the wonderful time we had. Ricardo, Shilpa and there staff were great! . There hospitality was A1 . The villa is very comfortable, and the views were fantastic. The cooking lessons were very enjoyable and the results were fantastic. They even supplied guides for tours of some of the surrounding medieval towns! We would highly recommend the Organic Tuscany Cooking Classes to anyone wanting a unique vacation!

Thanks to Shilpa, Riccardo, and the whole team, we had the best vacation ever! Everything was so well organised, every detail so perfectly taken care of, we were astounded every time we were carrying out each step of the weekly itinerary. The food and wine was delicious, especially when eating with such a wonderful view. The house was lovely, rooms were clean and equipped with everything we needed. The only thing that bothered me a little bit was low pressure of water in the shower, but I can understand that, in an old villa like this, it's probably normal. Overall, we can recommend this experience to each person who loves to eat and cook, and to whom quality of food and wine, as well as good organisation, is very important.

What an amazing week we had! From the moment we arrived at the villa we were transported into a world of cooking, sightseeing and camraderie. Every detail was arranged with a personal touch.The rooms at the villa are well appointed and comfortable, having cooking classes and meals with other couples offered an international touch that enriched our experience, and the staff, especiall Shilpa and Riccardo, were there for each and every need. Special note: you will not see a frozen vegetable or ingredients from a can or bread from a bag - every morsel that is offered up is made locally or in the villa kitchen with love and attention to detail. We would do this trip again in a heartbeat.

This was a terrific experience. Everyone was wonderful, kind, and generous, and the setting beautiful. The cooking instruction was top notch. I felt I got a glimpse into how professional chefs think differently than folks like me, who like to cook but are self-taught. The hands on instructions were great, and the meals we prepared were delicious. I really enjoyed and learned so much from the tour of the vineyard and organic farm, and the tours of Certaldo and San Gimignano were fun and very interesting. I didn't get much out of the tours of Siena and Florence; I'd been to Florence several times before. I would have traded the Siena tour for another cooking day. But these are mild critiques and don't diminish the overall experience. I highly recommend this!

Our week here was amazing and memorable . The villa was beautiful with comfort in every room . The view was stunning . The classes were well organized with attention to every detail of the recipes and techniques . The staff were charming , helpful and so knowledgeable. We laughed so much while learning how to prepare wonderful local food . The wine and olive oil tastings at the villa and the field trips to towns and wineries were top notch and well organized . Ricardo and Shilpa were the best hosts ! This was one of our all time favourite vacation destinations .

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!

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.

My partner and I recently returned from an amazing week at Organic Tuscany. My favorite part was meeting all the interesting, kind and genuine people who work together to make this experience so special. We learned so much - not just about cooking (although that was so fun!), but about the land and the people and the history that make this region so magical. I felt like we were immersed for a short time in their community and I so appreciate being welcomed as family through Organic Tuscany. It’s truly a special experience.

We loved it!I I was a little worried that my daughter (21) might feel out of place due to her age, but we both loved our week at Organic Tuscany. Riccardo, Shilpa and all the staff were wonderful, as were the other guests during our week there. The week is a nice balance of cooking and sight seeing, with opportunities to relax poolside if you wanted to. I would highly recommend this experience to others. It was the highlight for me during our 5 weeks in Europe. - Cathy Shilpa and Riccardo were very welcoming and accommodating hosts, they even helped us to print our voting papers so that we could vote from overseas! The food was exceptional and I probably ate twice as much as I normally do because of this. I throughly enjoyed the cooking classes and the staff were friendly and helpful. We visited Florence and Siena and the tour guides (who were organised by Organic Tuscany) were very passionate about their cities and gave engaging tours. I particularly liked the tour that our guide gave of Florence where we saw a local market and she got us some samples of cheese and truffle dishes. The other guests were friendly and we all got along really well. The villa has a spectacular view and it was nice to call Il Pino home for a week! Overall it was a wonderful vacation and my only regret is that we didn’t manage to get a photo of everyone. - Emma

Sucb a fun experience! This was my first trip to Italy (and my first solo trip). I had been wanting to do a destination cooking course and stumbled upon Organic Tuscany. Riccardo and Shilpa were very helpful in answering any questions I had prior to the trip. Upon arrival, Shilpa was extremely welcoming and friendly (even though I arrived a bit early). My stay throughout the week was so much more than I had anticipated. The cooking courses were fun, informative and delicious! The friendliness of all the staff and hosts made me feel at home. At the location..the view...was spectacular. And on top of all that they had great adventures planned for us throughout the week. If you want to explore Tuscany and explore Tuscan cuisine, I highly reccomend this ! I truly look back at this experience as the highlight of my trip to Italy. Thank you so much Riccardo, Shilpa, and the whole Organic Tuscany team!

Meal Times on the Expansive Terrazza Were an Endless Source of Delight If you are at all considering this experience, do not hesitate to treat yourself to a unique Tuscan cooking, cultural, and just plain fun week staying in a picturesque and comfortable villa in Il Pino/Certaldo. The food you will learn to make is simple, yet sumptuous and made in a non-fussy fundamental way that honors the locally sourced fresh ingredients and Italian techniques. Under the excellent and caring oversight and humor of your hosts, Richard and Shilpa, as well as a cadre of local family members and friends, you will make memories to last a lifetime while learning some serious food, olive oil, and wine chops along with your group, who will become your best friends for your week together. Meal times on the expansive terrazza overlooking the Tuscan countryside were an endless source of delight.

A Tuscany Culinary and Cultural Adventure Organic Tuscany Cooking School was a one of a kind experience. The setting of the rural Tucany landscapes are breathtaking. The villa Il Pino was a spacious and welcoming setting for the cooking school. The week of activities in addition to the cooking classes provide an expansive selection of historic and cultural information. The days are planned to include cooking, site seeing, socializing or just relaxing. The menu design used the best of the local organic products. The Organic Tuscany staff are patient with all the participants and the various levels of cooking skills of the group. Enjoyed the time and would recommend the Organic Tuscany Cooking School to anyone that loves the food and people of Italy.

Satisfying, Sumptuous, Serenity Shilpa, Ricardo, and their caring, enlightened Team were the catalyst to an endearing week of warm camaraderie, and serenity in the bucolic Tuscan hillside amongst olive groves and vineyards. Daily hands on authentic Tuscan cooking classes still left plenty of time to visit amazing medieval hilltop towns and villages. Sitting down outside with an international group of keen, enthusiastic classmates (who became fast friends), to raise a glass and dine on remarkable but simple well taught culinary creations was the highlight of our highly recommended time at Organic Tuscany. This is an experience you don’t want to miss!Dr Timothy and Victoria Bayley

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!

We picked the perfect Cooking School Shilpa ,Riccardo and their staff were perfect hosts. The whole week was so well planned from Day one. The side trips were perfect for seeing more of Tuscany. The food we made together was delicious. We came home and have made several dishes. The villa was beautiful with amazing views. We can't rave enough about Organic Tuscany and plan to return. We just need more time in Italy. Two weeks is not enough.

Excellent trip This was on my bucket list. Best trip ever! We will be back. Everyone working at Organic Tuscany were incredible. Food, fun and friends!

If you have one week in Italy, go here! My mum and I finally got to our Organic Tuscany week in May 2022 and it was the best part of our month long European holiday (Italy and Spain). And it was so much more than you even imagine reading the website and the schedule. We had an amazing and diverse group of 10, from Canada, US, UK and Australia - newlyweds, old friends, married couples, and two sets of mums and daughters! The cooking lessons were so much fun and the food was delicious. My biggest revelation - I never really "got" gnocchi, but it was sublime at Villa il Pino and once in Rome I purchased all the instruments to make them at home! Plus the exact same pasta machine that I ordered on Amazon. I also adored the risotto and the tagliolini con asparagus - divine! Shilpa and Riccardo were such wonderful hosts, caring, funny, organized, relaxed, just lovely lovely people, in their element. The side trips - olive oil tasting, ceramics, Siena and San Gimignano, old town Certaldo, dinners, all were super fun and interesting, and the guides were great. If I was to do another cooking week in Italy, I would go back again to Organic Tuscany without hesitation! I hope I get the chance! Mum too!

Amazing week! My wife and I had absolutely the BEST week at Organic Tuscany! After postponing for 2 years due to Covid, we went the end of May 2022 (great weather at that time of year). We arrived a day early, spending the evening in Florence to help get over the jet lag. The next day we took the train to Certaldo, where our rented (automatic, as I don't drive a stick shift) car was waiting for us. We had excellent instructions to drive to the Villa, and were put into a beautiful room with an AMAZING view of the pool and the rolling Tuscan hills (in the distance we could see San Gimignano!).There is too much to describe, so I will just go over the highlights. Riccardo and Shilpa were excellent hosts, and helped with the cooking. We were a group of six lovely people, and the main cook Saranella was an excellent teacher. There was another woman who didn't speak english but aptly demonstrated what we had to do. There were 4 intense cooking sessions, and in each we learned how to make an appetizer, first and second course with sides, and dessert. If you already cook, there are good tips and recipes (as a dessert guy, I especially enjoyed the Tiramisu and Cantuccini), and even if you don't cook as much, it was a lot of fun! They even made allowances for my wife who doesn't eat pork, so that she would still be able to participate in cooking without touching the two pork things we prepared (she made the same dishes, just without adding the sausage). Of course we ate the delicious meals we prepared (and we already bought a Gnocchi board and potato masher, so we can make these at home!).But the week wasn't all about cooking. It was also about learning about the land, the people, and the culture. We went to a gorgeous winery in the hills near Certaldo, and learned about making wine from Cesare, the son of the owner. We sampled some of his products, had a wonderful lunch, and even got to tour his family villa, which is a treasure and looks like a museum.On another day, also had a nice guided tour of an olive oil production grove, and additionally a private wine and olive oil tasting back at the Organic Tuscany villa by Christina, who had previously taken us to the olive grove. While on one day the rest of the group took a tour of a local ceramics studio, my wife and I took the opportunity to rest for the afternoon at the villa (every day was so busy!). During the time we had to ourselves, I took a nice walk into the countryside on my own, while my wife hung out at the pool and caught some rays (the weather was perfect, and fyi there is air conditioning in the rooms when it gets too hot).Trips included a guided tour of Certaldo and Siena, and a trip on our own to San Gimignano (easy driving instructions). Instead of taking the included guided tour of Florence on the last day (we had already been there on a past trip), my wife and I drove to Volterra, yet another gorgeous medieval city located only an hour away and surrounded by the amazing Tuscan hills. Surprisingly, driving was pretty easy in Italy, all on local roads with beautiful views at every turn.On our last night at the Villa, Saranella prepared a special meal for us. After dinner, as we did all week, we hung out around the table drinking wine and enjoying the conversation and evening breeze. As a special treat, on the last night we were treated to a special concert of Italian folk music from a local guitarist and his son. We left the next day for Rome, and stayed over so we could get our flight home without rushing to catch our flight.In addition to all the meals we prepared (which may vary from group to group) there is a link they give for other recipes that they teach, so you can make so much more once you get home!One thing about Covid. It wasn't an issue anywhere we went. You need to wear a good mask on the buses and trains. We ate outside at every restaurant, and I put on my mask when I went inside a store/church.To summarize, this was one of the best trips we have ever taken! Thank you Riccardo and Shilpa for helping to make this such a memorable trip!