saraspaige

Hi all,

I am hoping to take a trip to Italy at the end of the month/early October. I would love to stay on the coast and do culinary school for about a week (days somewhat flexible). I am on somewhat of a tight budget...

I would love to go somewhere small/local. I don't need a fancy culinary institute. I think it would be great to be in a small villa on the coast, learning from a local. Time to hang out, read, explore, etc., but lots of cooking classes.

Maybe this is unrealistic! But I feel like there should be something out there that isn't 2k for a week... something cute and local and wonderful.

Your help is greatly appreciated!
Many thanks,
Sara

vespacurves

Do you speak Italian? If not, usually cooking courses that are given in English are done around the major tourist centers.

There is a well-regarded cooking school near Salerno/Paestum, where week-long courses are given in English, but I don't know the prices

http://www.agriturismoseliano.it/751/Cooking-classes

Ordinarily, cooking schools are "expensive" by most people's standards because you pay for all the ingredients you cook plus the your teacher's salary. However, you do get to eat what you've cooked and accommodations are sometimes offered as part of the deal which actually cost less than what you would pay if you weren't at the school.

Italy has several thousand miles of coast, and some areas are cheaper than others. Puglia, Basilicata and Abruzzo tend to be inexpensive compared with Venice or the Amalfi. But be sure you know the regional cuisines of these places before booking so you don't end up learning to cook food you like less than the food of some other Italian region.

jubilada

There are courses at several masserie in Puglia, generally a less expensive part of Italy and with many miles of coastline.

saraspaige

Thanks! I don't speak Italian, but will check out your suggestions.

Patricia22

I highly recommend Chef Isa any time in Padova, near Venice Italy. Not many chefs would cater to 3 jet-lagged ladies from the USA, who hardly knew anything about Italian/Venetian cooking except for pasta in a box. She was extremely accomodating and flexible; she was not only great in lesson but was like preparing dinner with a family member.
Despite having the class at her home, space is professional and charming, while maintaining a homey comfortable glow. Not only did I learn useful pointers and definitely new techniques (the pasta/tagliatalle-fettucine and panzerotti making was a blast; I learned how easy it was and how much of an arm workout kneading is), the real value of this class for me (besides the great conversations - in English - with Chef Isa, who loves food & family; travel & sharing her experience and knowledge) was the creative jumpstart I felt toward creating new kinds of food at home. From prep to finish - panzerotti, pasta & sauce, preparing rabbit & polenta, whipping up tiramisu for dessert - were taught with easy and practical techniques from Chef Isa. We so enjoyed the surroundings and her stories of her cooking experiences, and before we knew it we were reminiscing about our own!
Chef Isa's whole philosophy and approach is centered around something very authentic and humble; so if you're looking for an "iron chef" experience or to be smacked for holding a knife wrong, look elsewhere. She will, however, give you gentle pointers and plenty to walk away with, especially if you inquire about all the interesting accoutrements and ingredients in her kitchen. The class is an incredible value- like others have said you will eat (fashionably late) until you simply cannot, and then you will have dessert and grappa. Chef Isa selects simple ingredients and obviously prepared the class with much care and attention. It was a unique, so much fun experience I sincerely hope to do again! Chef Isa website http://isacookinpadua.altervista.org

ekscrunchy

I think you should think outside the box and avoid formal cooking classes offered in English which will carry a large premium, as you suspect.

If I wanted to learn to cook, and had a tight budget, I would write letters to several rural agriturismi that do not necessarily offer "cooking classes," but where the cook or cooks might be persuaded to let you into the kitchen to observe. A friend of mine, who is a professional chef, did this at an agriturismi in rural Basilicata; the room was very inexpensive and the welcome from the proprietor was very warm.

This is the place she recommended to me, but it is merely one of a multitude of choices; if it interests you, I will try to give more information here.

AGRITURISMO ACACIA, Piano Martorino | 85030 SAN COSTANTINO ALBANESE (PZ)
Tel. Fisso: 0973 91084 Cell: 340 0952976


There is another place that I've noticed in my online meanderings. This one is in the Cilento region of Campania:


http://www.baiaditrentova.com/

yorkshire

You said coast, so not sure if Sicily would fit into your plan, but I've seen a few mentions of this class on food blogs.
http://www.annatascalanza.com/