Cooking Classes
4 hours
Taking safety measures
from
$206.67
per adult
Traveling Spoon
Traveling Spoon
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About
Traveling Spoon provides travelers with private, authentic food experiences, from homemade meals to cooking classes and market tours, with local hosts in their homes.
Tours and Tickets by Traveling Spoon
Cooking Classes
4 hours
Taking safety measures
Free cancellation
Free Cancellation up to 3 days in advance
from
$133.34
per adult
Cooking Classes
3 hours
Taking safety measures
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$164.00
per adult
Cooking Classes
3 hours
Taking safety measures
from
$220.00
per adult
Walking Tours
6 hours
Taking safety measures
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$178.00
per adult
Travelers talk about
(4 reviews)
(2 reviews)
(2 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
45 reviews
Excellent
44
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Kate J
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Couples
My husband and I had a wonderful morning/afternoon visiting the market in Florence and then learning how to prepare and make three dishes (ravioli, sausage and beans, and an orange cake). Alessio was a great teacher and we feel like we can take these recipes home and recreate them. The food we made was so delicious. This was a highlight of our trip and we can’t wait to try making the food again at home.
Written June 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Katie H
1 contribution
Nov 2021
I met my guide Alessio at the market, where we decided what to make and shopped for the fresh ingredients. We then went back to begin making lunch- appetizer, main, and dessert. We made fresh ravioli, three types of crostini, and a traditional Florentine cake. Everything was so good and easy to make. I learned so much from the class that I am excited to use in my cooking at home.
Written November 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
hanlegg
9 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
We are so thrilled we decided to do this tour. We have done many food and wine tours, but were a little apprehensive about a cooking class in a strangers home. I am so happy we stepped out of our comfort zone because we now have recipes and memories that are unique to most! Patrizia was a wonderful host with a clean, charming home in a great location. We learned a lot and are excited to attempt to replicate our dinner back home for our family and friends. We shared our dinner together at her dining table over delicious wine. Thank you Patrizia for a great time!
Written February 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JuanDSamp
3 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
The private cooking experience with Patrizia was so memorable and full of laughs, great conversation, and traditional Florentine food. As a food and wine journalist, she provided nuanced perspective of the cuisine and even enlightened us on the rich history of the Tuscany region. Hands down, it was one of the top highlights of our trip. If you’re in Florence, you don’t want to miss out!
Written September 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mikehunt99
New York City, NY3 contributions
This is a total scam. We callled and emailed multiple times prior to the date of the class to no avail.
Once we received the confirmation, it was too late, as they require three days to cancel. The confirmation came past that time period .
On the confirmation, the directions are written crystal clear. They state that the studio for cooking is 5 minute car ride or 15 minute walk. There is also a fake map in the confirmation.
We had our concierge call, as we mapped this distance from the Duomo, which is as central Florence as you get, and it is a 45 minute car ride. It is almost 4km away. We are staying virtually one block from the Duomo.
We also tried to call the operator and he hung up on us and told us he speaks "little English", when confronted with this absolute lie. How can someone teach an English cooking class who self-professed speaks little to no English.
STAY AWAY FROM COOKING SPOON AND THIS TOUR AS IT IS A SCAM.
Once we received the confirmation, it was too late, as they require three days to cancel. The confirmation came past that time period .
On the confirmation, the directions are written crystal clear. They state that the studio for cooking is 5 minute car ride or 15 minute walk. There is also a fake map in the confirmation.
We had our concierge call, as we mapped this distance from the Duomo, which is as central Florence as you get, and it is a 45 minute car ride. It is almost 4km away. We are staying virtually one block from the Duomo.
We also tried to call the operator and he hung up on us and told us he speaks "little English", when confronted with this absolute lie. How can someone teach an English cooking class who self-professed speaks little to no English.
STAY AWAY FROM COOKING SPOON AND THIS TOUR AS IT IS A SCAM.
Written May 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Traveling Spoon R
Dear guest,
Thank you for your feedback. We are always looking to improve and appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I am the founder of Traveling Spoon and was really surprised to receive this review. We pride ourselves in personally vetting and bringing on hosts that provide our travelers with meaningful food experiences. Alessio is one such host and has received several reviews, all of which are five-star ratings, over the past few years. I can personally attest that Alessio is a wonderful host because I myself experienced a delightful meal with him in his apartment in Florence. Alessio speaks English well and I can guarantee you that he is a real Florentine chef who delights in sharing his culture and cuisine and that this is not a scam.
It sounds like you didn't receive a confirmation until you were outside the cancellation window. I looked at our records for your booking on Viator's platform and they indicate that we received your reservation request on May 17 and your experience was confirmed within 48 hours and 10 days prior to your experience date on May 29.
We do apologize that there was confusion about the walking distance to Alessio's home. You also mention that you didn't trust the Google Maps link but we have double-checked it and it is an accurate link that shows Alessio's home on the map. We do not state it in the profile but I see that in the address details you received after receiving a confirmation, it states that Alessio's home is about a 15-min walk from the city center. From the Duomo which is close to where you were staying, it is about a 35-min walk. Alessio mentioned that he informed you of this during the call you had with him through your concierge the day before your experience. We recognize that the city center is not an explicit location, and while he is 15 minutes from many central city points he is further from where you were staying near the Duomo; we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and have updated Alessio's profile to be clearer about the location.
We are so sorry that you weren't able to have an authentic Florentine experience with our host Alessio and hope you might give us another chance to host you in the future.
Sincerely,
Aashi
Written June 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mark S
2 contributions
Our family loved the cooking class with Mirella and Stefano. They welcomed us into their home, and gave us a fun and interactive lesson. The food - clearly thanks to Mirella and Stefano - turned out great. And just as importantly, both were incredible with our kids, aged 11, 10 and 8, who immediately took to them and opened right up. Mirella and Stefano are teachers who know how to connect. It was like a dinner with family friends where we all joined in to cook.
If you will be in the Florence area, this is a must do.
If you will be in the Florence area, this is a must do.
Written August 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
BPS
2 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
After a full day in Florence visiting museums and galleries, we were really looking forward to our personalized dining experience. Our visit to the home of Fabio and Christiane exceeded all of our expectations. In the weeks before we arrived, we communicated with Fabio several times discussing the menu. This allowed us input into our meal and Fabio did the rest, creating a wonderful 3 course lunch. After picking us up directly from our hotel, we drove to their charming home high on a hill, taking in beautiful views of the Tuscan countryside. We were greeted by Christiane and immediately felt right at home. We spent the next 2 1/2 hours in their kitchen sipping Campari, chatting about a host of topics and helping Fabio prepare our meal. We prepared and baked a delicious Apple Tart, then Pappa al Pomodoro, which we had requested and finally learned how to make home made pasta which we used to make our main course of seafood/ricotta stuffed tortelli in a creamed zucchini sauce. The meal was absolutely delicious ( our best in Florence ) and served with a wonderful local wine while seated next to a cozy open fire. Fabio and Christiane even took time between courses to explain all about different olive oils, which included sampling with his own homemade bread. Before we knew it, almost 5 hours had flown by since we started our day. Florence is a beautiful city but to really appreciate Tuscan life and the people there ( not to mention a meal you won’t forget ) we would highly recommend this dining experience arranged through the Traveling Spoon.
Written May 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lee W
Mount Pleasant, SC75 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
Patrizia Cantini is an absolute Tuscan treasure and Traveling Spoon is one of the coolest destination activity companies to come along in a long time.
We met Patrizia in her apartment (built in the 1750s but not "architecturally significant" as she explained it... lol) in central Florence just blocks from the Duomo. Patrizia had been to the market that morning and after introductions we moved to her kitchen and took part in an amazing food and cultural experience.
Everyone chipped in and helped to prepare a wonderful Tuscan lunch of homemade tagliatelle and pomodoro sauce, an herbed pork tenderloin wrapped in fresh pancetta, fried zucchini blossoms (our new favorite thing and what Patrizia calls the ultimate Italian finger food) and tiramisu. She selected a perfect local red wine and prosecco to toast my wife's recent birthday to tie everything together.
Patrizia is a noted food and wine journalist, so her perspective and stories about Tuscan food, cooking and Tuscan life in general were fantastic. From tips about selecting the correct flour for homemade pasta (tipo "00" cut in with Semola) to navigating us through an olive oil tasting, our time with Patrizia was the highlight of our time in Florence.
As you can probably tell, I can't recommend the experience highly enough.
Insider notes: (1) Booking was very easy through the Traveling Spoon site and pre-event communications were timely and thorough. (2) If you are traveling by hired car, make sure they have an NCC license - it's required to be able to drive into central Florence's smaller residential areas. Our car had one and dropped us off at the front door.
We met Patrizia in her apartment (built in the 1750s but not "architecturally significant" as she explained it... lol) in central Florence just blocks from the Duomo. Patrizia had been to the market that morning and after introductions we moved to her kitchen and took part in an amazing food and cultural experience.
Everyone chipped in and helped to prepare a wonderful Tuscan lunch of homemade tagliatelle and pomodoro sauce, an herbed pork tenderloin wrapped in fresh pancetta, fried zucchini blossoms (our new favorite thing and what Patrizia calls the ultimate Italian finger food) and tiramisu. She selected a perfect local red wine and prosecco to toast my wife's recent birthday to tie everything together.
Patrizia is a noted food and wine journalist, so her perspective and stories about Tuscan food, cooking and Tuscan life in general were fantastic. From tips about selecting the correct flour for homemade pasta (tipo "00" cut in with Semola) to navigating us through an olive oil tasting, our time with Patrizia was the highlight of our time in Florence.
As you can probably tell, I can't recommend the experience highly enough.
Insider notes: (1) Booking was very easy through the Traveling Spoon site and pre-event communications were timely and thorough. (2) If you are traveling by hired car, make sure they have an NCC license - it's required to be able to drive into central Florence's smaller residential areas. Our car had one and dropped us off at the front door.
Written May 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jim P
1 contribution
Mar 2023 • Couples
AMAZING!!!! Would give this 10 stars if we could!!
My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Mirella and Stefano. It started with the both of them taking us on a tour of the Sant’Ambrogio food market, where they told us fascinating details about the market and vendors. This is where they picked up the ingredients for the menu we were to cook a bit later in the day.
This market tour was a fascinating & entertaining way to start the experience!
After the market, they drove us to their BEAUTIFUL home and gave us a tour of their home & lovely garden. This was such a thrill and further immersed us with Italian authenticity.
We then got to cooking, during which my wife and I could not stop smiling. It started with two different forms of bruschetta, both of which turned out DELICIOUS. Then, we made handmade tagliatelle pasta with Tuscan ragu. WOW, just wow. The next thing we prepared for the menu was chicken cacciatore. Sooooo wonderful, tender, and flavorful. Finally, we prepared homemade tiramisu. It was every bit as tasty & amazing as it sounds!
Throughout the food prepping and cooking, Mirella & Stefano gave us the perfect combination of talking us through it, assisting hands-on if needed, and informing us about the fascinating history behind each dish. The time passed so quickly, as we were having the time of our lives!
When it came time to eat, Stefano served us each course. The food all came out INCREDIBLE and it was amongst the best meals we had throughout our entire week in Florence!
Stefano & Mirella’s kindness and courtesy made us feel like we were family. This was our first full day in Italy (our first experience in all of Europe, in fact!) and we can’t stop talking about this experience. We get so welcomed & appreciated by Stefano and Mirella.
We would highly recommend this experience to just about anybody, regardless of culinary interest. For all of the fascinating things you’ll learn about Tuscan food & history, you’ll also feel like you just had an amazing get-together with new friends!
Thank you, Stefano & Mirella. The next time we make it out to Florence, we will absolutely sign up for another class. Oh, and one more thing: Mirella handed us a printout of our entire menu, with detailed instructions of how to prepare each item! We’ve already recreated the bruschetta with Tuscan bread, sausage & stracchino cheese - DELICIOUS!!!
Grazie mille,
James & Christa
My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Mirella and Stefano. It started with the both of them taking us on a tour of the Sant’Ambrogio food market, where they told us fascinating details about the market and vendors. This is where they picked up the ingredients for the menu we were to cook a bit later in the day.
This market tour was a fascinating & entertaining way to start the experience!
After the market, they drove us to their BEAUTIFUL home and gave us a tour of their home & lovely garden. This was such a thrill and further immersed us with Italian authenticity.
We then got to cooking, during which my wife and I could not stop smiling. It started with two different forms of bruschetta, both of which turned out DELICIOUS. Then, we made handmade tagliatelle pasta with Tuscan ragu. WOW, just wow. The next thing we prepared for the menu was chicken cacciatore. Sooooo wonderful, tender, and flavorful. Finally, we prepared homemade tiramisu. It was every bit as tasty & amazing as it sounds!
Throughout the food prepping and cooking, Mirella & Stefano gave us the perfect combination of talking us through it, assisting hands-on if needed, and informing us about the fascinating history behind each dish. The time passed so quickly, as we were having the time of our lives!
When it came time to eat, Stefano served us each course. The food all came out INCREDIBLE and it was amongst the best meals we had throughout our entire week in Florence!
Stefano & Mirella’s kindness and courtesy made us feel like we were family. This was our first full day in Italy (our first experience in all of Europe, in fact!) and we can’t stop talking about this experience. We get so welcomed & appreciated by Stefano and Mirella.
We would highly recommend this experience to just about anybody, regardless of culinary interest. For all of the fascinating things you’ll learn about Tuscan food & history, you’ll also feel like you just had an amazing get-together with new friends!
Thank you, Stefano & Mirella. The next time we make it out to Florence, we will absolutely sign up for another class. Oh, and one more thing: Mirella handed us a printout of our entire menu, with detailed instructions of how to prepare each item! We’ve already recreated the bruschetta with Tuscan bread, sausage & stracchino cheese - DELICIOUS!!!
Grazie mille,
James & Christa
Written March 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Alexis C
3 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
My husband and I had the most wonderful time with Fabio and his wife Christiane. Fabio picked us up in Florence and we had a beautiful scenic drive in the country to his home. He even stopped at an overlook so we could get out and see Florence below us.
Once at their home, Fabio and Christiane we're so warm and friendly. We felt as if we were old friends. We loved hearing stories of how they met and their lives together.
Fabio provided us with a welcome drink as we learned how to prepare a traditional Florentine meal. We made ricotta cheese and spinach gnudi (my personal favorite), peposo (my husband's favorite), stewed artichokes, and for dessert, castagnaccio. We were there on Valentine's day and Fabio put his own special touch on the cake to make it extra special. We stayed much longer than the tour time designated just eating, drinking, and having lovely conversation.
Prior to coming, Fabio communicated frequently with us to make sure the menu he had planned was something we would enjoy and he had no trouble changing things that we were unsure of. Afterwards, he sent us the recipes so we could make them at home as well. We did so many wonderful things in Italy, but this was by far our favorite!
Once at their home, Fabio and Christiane we're so warm and friendly. We felt as if we were old friends. We loved hearing stories of how they met and their lives together.
Fabio provided us with a welcome drink as we learned how to prepare a traditional Florentine meal. We made ricotta cheese and spinach gnudi (my personal favorite), peposo (my husband's favorite), stewed artichokes, and for dessert, castagnaccio. We were there on Valentine's day and Fabio put his own special touch on the cake to make it extra special. We stayed much longer than the tour time designated just eating, drinking, and having lovely conversation.
Prior to coming, Fabio communicated frequently with us to make sure the menu he had planned was something we would enjoy and he had no trouble changing things that we were unsure of. Afterwards, he sent us the recipes so we could make them at home as well. We did so many wonderful things in Italy, but this was by far our favorite!
Written January 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
No questions have been asked about this experience