Italian cooking is among the best in the world, and it is natural that after a trip you will want to continue enjoying it at home. To learn to cook like Italians, during a trip to Italy you can join a cooking workshop where you learn to make pasta, pizza, gelato, and other local delicacies. Here are some recommended cooking workshops in Italy.
There are many good reasons to visit Italy, and one of them is the food. Traveling to Italy is not only about enjoying the amazing cuisine but also about experiencing the food culture. You can explore local markets, harvest olives, search for truffles, visit wineries and taste wines, and even learn to cook. Italy is one of the most popular destinations in the world for short cooking workshops aimed at tourists. It is easy to fall in love with the Italian lifestyle and want to adopt it, and participating in a cooking workshop allows you to bring a small piece of Italy home. You can imagine yourself inviting friends and family to relaxed meals on the balcony with handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza, just like you enjoyed with your hosts.
Cooking workshops in Italy vary and are influenced by the region where they take place. Most workshops focus on regional food, and some specialize in a specific type of food such as pasta or gelato. There are single-day workshops suitable for those who want to cook for a few hours during their trip, and workshops lasting several days, often held in countryside estates including market visits, winery tours, and more. All workshops below are conducted in English and will help you bring the flavors of Italy home.
Venice Cooking School
A renowned chef opened a cooking school in her family palace along a canal in Venice. She leads daily cooking workshops where participants start with a visit to the local market to choose fresh ingredients. From there, the group moves to a local bar to taste wine and appetizers. The workshop continues at the chef’s home, preparing five or six Venetian dishes, including appetizers, pasta or risotto, and a main course with meat or fish. The menu changes depending on what is fresh at the market. Wine tasting accompanies the meals, with explanations of pairing wine with dishes. Short evening workshops focus only on cooking, without the market visit.
Parma Pasta Academy
In northern Italy, Parma is a center of culinary heritage where Parmesan cheese and prosciutto were born. At the Barilla Academy, participants can learn to make handmade pasta. Workshops cover dough preparation, shaping pasta into different forms, making sauces, and everything needed to recreate the experience at home. There are also courses on filled pasta such as ravioli and tortellini and other Italian specialties like risotto, focaccia, and appetizers.
Gelato University, Bologna
Italian gelato is renowned for its soft texture and quality ingredients. At Carpigiani Gelato University near Bologna, you can learn to make authentic Italian gelato. A basic course lasts five days and includes theoretical lessons and practical work. Participants gain all the knowledge needed to open their own gelateria.
Umbria Cooking Holiday
Umbria is a perfect destination for a cooking holiday, combining stays in countryside estates, cooking workshops, gourmet meals, and trips through picturesque hills and vineyards. Daily workshops and multi-day courses teach pasta making, local dishes, and include excursions to nearby towns and wineries. Meals are prepared with fresh estate produce and the menu changes daily.
Roman Cooking
Roman cuisine is simple, made with local, seasonal ingredients. Workshops offer traditional Roman dishes as well as southern Italian specialties. Participants visit local markets before preparing dishes such as chickpea pasta, stuffed zucchini flowers, and fresh ricotta with fruits. Private workshops allow tailoring menus to participants’ preferences, ideal for small groups or couples, including families with children.
Amalfi Coast Cooking School
A cooking school on a cliff in a picturesque coastal village provides ingredients from a beautiful garden with lemons, vegetables, and chickens. Workshops teach southern Italian specialties, including eggplant parmesan, spaghetti with tomato sauce, rigatoni Bolognese, lemon chicken, and desserts made with homegrown fruits. Participants enjoy the meal on a terrace overlooking the sea.
Sicilian Flavors
Sicilian cuisine offers seafood, Mediterranean vegetables, pistachio-based dishes, and treats like arancini and cannoli. Cooking courses at a 19th-century wine estate near Palermo teach Sicilian recipes, wine tasting, garden lessons, cheese making, and include multi-day workshops combining cooking, tours, and meals.
Vegan Cooking Workshops
Vegan cuisine is widely available in Italy. Cooking schools offer vegan and vegetarian workshops, teaching pasta without eggs, olive oil-based sauces, gnocchi, breads, tofu dishes, soups, salads, and desserts. Multi-day courses include stays at organic estates, excursions, and hands-on lessons.