Hello: We will be in Florence in October and are interested in the one-evening only cooking class with dinner, held in a Tuscan home, with a short walking tour, that is done by Viator tours. Does anyone have any familiarity with this? We like that it is short (just one evening) and central. The price isn't too bad either ($78 USD).

i can't help, but am also interested.

topping for any comments

Can anyone help with advice, please?

I am re-upping this in the queu in hopes someone has taken this tour or a similar tour and can advise???

Well, no one seems to be replying so here's something for comparison - when we're in Tuscany, on at least on one day (usually more) we call in Elisa Berghi for a lesson and we get to eat the results. She can organise a Tuscan farmhouse for your lesson and the resulting meal if your accommodation doesn't come with a kitchen. http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/elisa.htm

Also check out www.accidentaltoourist.com

For anyone who is interested, we went, and now we're back. We liked this very much, had a lot of fun. It was not actually in a chef's home, as I'd thought, but instead in a cooking school. Check it out if you are interested.

RNSuzanne,

My husband and I will be in Florence in 3 weeks and we are actually considering doing the evening cooking class through Viator. Can you tell me a little more about your experience? Did you enjoy the "cooking school"? Is it worth the expense or not? Any info would be great. Thanks!

Hi...I've been considering the same thing and have found a few options. Try www.artviva.com and initaly.com

If you can do without the class and just want to have dinner in the home of a local, you can look into the homefood organization...the price will be much much lower than $78 per person..

If you do decide to take a class, I would make certain that the class will be hands on, rather than merely a cooking demonstration..


www.homefood.it

Actually, the class was hands-on. We cooked a four-course dinner; rice-stuffed tomatoes, homemade gnochi, chicken peasant style, and the best tiramisu I'd ever had. The three chefs were very personable, and we had a lot of fun with the other participants. Afterwards, we drank wine and ate the fruits of our labor in the wine cellar, which was very cool. I enjoyed the experience very much.

In case I wasn't clear in the above post, WE (the students)made everything ourselves, with the chefs there to help.

Hi RNSuzanne...I may be missing something but I'm not clear on who you did your cooking class with. I've read this post a few times and don't see the specifics???

Was it an evening class and where was it.

Thanks!

Sorry... on the first post, I mentioned it. It was Viator tours. Just google that and tuscany cooking class, or something of the like, and I'm sure it will pop up. For those of you who would like more details on the class itself: The cooking school consisted of a main room, with perhaps four or five working stations, a separate work station at the rear, and a basement “wine cellar” where the meal was eaten. Perhaps thirty of us gathered there (first meeting at Piazza S. Trinita for a brief walk). With our newly-minted friends, we made rice-filled tomatoes (pomodori ripieni riso), potato gnocchi, chicken peasant (pollo alla contadina), and tiramisu. Our food was fabulous! Both my husband and I thought it was the best tiramisu we’d ever tasted. It all went down so easy with the Chianti wine (one bottle of wine per couple, I believe; if you wanted more there was a charge).