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Reviewed June 12, 2016

I've been planning this trip for years and at the end of May my two girlfriends and I embarked on a 7-day Italian cooking course which exceeded all our expectations!

If you love food, love to eat and want to learn more about cooking this is the place, but you won't leave with only those lessons learned! You'll also come home with an appreciation for all that you have and do and the beauty of the world around you.

Casa Ombuto is hidden up in the hills of Tuscany and everywhere you look the view is beautiful and tranquil. When not cooking, my favourite past time was simply sitting pool side, looking at the beautiful gardens and beyond to the hills in the distance. If you want to explore, my friends and I walked down to Poppi, the nearest town 5KM down the hill. It's a great walk (takes about 1 hr one way) which can end with a cappuccino or gelato in town. Just watch for cars!

Our Chef Paola, with her bigger-than-life and fun-loving personality has a passion for cooking, food, and sharing that knowledge with others. Her passion is infectious especially as you hear her talk not only of cooking but her family, and life overall. At 3PM each day we joined Paola to review recipes and then off to the kitchen. Paola expertly managed us all in the kitchen providing tips along the way ensuring a great meal every time.

Casa Ombuto was home away from home as Chef Paola, Jeanine in guest services and all the kitchen staff in the Cantina made us feel like family. And like with every family gathering there was food and drink and lots of it! It was all amazing!

I highly recommend a trip to Casa Ombuto and cooking with Chef Paola!!!

Date of stay: May 2016
  • Trip type: Traveled with friends
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank martinag192
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed June 7, 2016

We booked a week long Italian Cookery course in May 2016, not really knowing what to expect but wanting to experience the life, culture and cuisine of Tuscany. Well, this experience will blow you away!

Firstly, the location is divine. It is everything (and more than) you would hope for if you dream of lush Tuscan hills, medieval towns and hideaway villas. We chose to drive from the UK taking a couple of stops in France and Italy either side of the course, but others had flown in to various parts of Italy and had hired cars or been collected from the nearby town of Poppi by the ever attentive Casa Ombuto staff. When I say it is tucked away in the hills I really mean it! Take a good map or Sat Nav if you are driving yourself but you'll love the scenery along the way.

The Staff at the Villa are so welcoming - they make every thing easy and really couldn't do enough for you. Our guest manager was Janine and she was delightful and so helpful. There are no language barriers.

The Villa itself is intimate but spacious at the same time. Rooms are large, clean and decorated empathetically. The amenities and ambience are superb but what really swings it is the cooking. I cannot describe how fabulous the food is. Our instructor was Paola - incredibly vibrant, and absolutely passionate about food. Whilst some of the dishes use meat, fowl or fish, if you are vegetarian you will not be disappointed (not even slightly!) and the course will be tailored for you. Paola is amazing, inspirational and a wonderfully gregarious person.
Every evening (lunchtime and breakfast too for that matter) is a feast. All your senses are activated - sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. You get to know the other guests very quickly and they are all delightful - everyone just wants the same experience.

Cooking starts at 3pm so you have the mornings to chill out, explore, swim, walk, relax or have a massage. But then the food craziness starts. It's a little piece of magic.

You will not believe how great this is - you don't have to be a confident cook - Paola has plenty of confidence to go around you'll be amazed at what you can do under her guidance.

There is 1 day in the week where all the guests (between 7 and 14 in total) are taken on a local tour - don't miss this - its great: olive oil mills, cheese tasting, wine tasting, linen factories and a trip into beautiful Arrezo (of 'Life is beautiful' fame). All small local businesses with passionate people running them. You have one other free day and we chose to explore nearby Siena by ourselves which was another treat.

If you love food - this holiday is for you. We adored it and whatever the weather nothing dims the brilliance of this holiday.

Room tip: Top floor rooms have a balcony with spectacular views
Date of stay: May 2016
  • Trip type: Traveled with friends
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Service
1  Thank JoEvered
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 28, 2016 via mobile

Driving down the unpacked road, my wife and I were uncertain what we would find. Rounding a bend, the gates of Casa Ombuto appeared before us late Saturday afternoon. We were met by the cheerful 'hostess' Janine, who ensures that all guests needs are taken care of efficiently and with a warm smile. She immediately offered us wine, bread and cheese and suggested we not eat too much as the chef had special treats in store.

Casa Ombuto is a lovely classic Tuscan villa with beautifully appointed rooms, a stunning pool, and close access to Poppi and Arrezzo. The kitchen is world class- perfect for a cooking class.

By 6pm the other 5 participants in the class arrived. And then Chef Paula Bachetti drove up. She is a dynamo in red hair and big glasses with a big personality, an ever present smile, an infectious laugh, and a vast knowledge ofItalian cuisine. She has a passion for cooking and a love of teaching. She was the perfect person to usher us through the subtleties of the marvelous cuisine of this region. She brought in fresh meat from a butcher she has known for decades, and sumptuous veggies and fruits from local farmers. She arranged for the perfect wines for each course.

At the end of the week, we were no longer 7 strangers and a teacher. We were 8 members of an extended family. Chef Paula emphasized the importance of knowing your ingredients, cooking them with pride and passion, and taking the time to cook slowly, and build and revere friendships. And always laugh and enjoy the things in life we are so privileged and blessed to be able to experience.

This cooking class will do more than enhance our cooking skills- it will provide lifelong memories and new friendships. We recommend it with the greatest enthusiasm to both novice and experienced cooks.

Date of stay: May 2016
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Thank Geoff W
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 25, 2016

My girlfriend and I signed up for a week of Italian Cooking classes in early May - a most beautiful time to be in Tuscany!! Casa Umbuto was beyond our expectations. Tucked away in the hills - it's a dream-like setting from the large Villa with first class accommodations to the Cantina where we cooked and dined. The property is extremely well maintained and very green with solar panels and recycling a priority. Potted herbs line paths, wisteria and a rose vine (with blooms the size of your hand) adorn the Villa - there's a beautiful pool area surrounded by lounging chairs - and outdoor dining areas that are picturesque. Chef Paola made our classes so much fun - and the the results were astonishing! There were 6 of us in class - and one guest who did her own thing but joined us for meals. We spent mornings touring the area - one day is a group field trip to a winery, olive press operation and linen factory. Classes started at 3pm and we prepared that night's meal and lunch for the next day stopping at 7pm to give us time before sitting down to dinner at 8:15pm. Paola would introduce the courses and credit the guests who prepared it and of course there was wonderful wine paired with each of the 4 courses. After dinner we sat around the table well into the night sipping a wide variety of liquors from Grappa to Pistachio Cream reliving that day's culinary experience! We prepared rabbit, wild boar, beef, lamb, octopus, sea bass, salted cod, anchovies, several different ravolis, cannolis, spinach souffles, pizza, and lots of vegetables in a variety of ways - and of course delicious desserts!! The week was nicely paced and you leave with a cookbook, apron, and a certificate noting your stay. Thanks to Paola for her patience, her culinary skills and unique personality; to Lars, the friendly owner, who happened to be there our week and joined us for meals; Janine, guest relations director, who saw to our comfort; and the rest of the staff who helped make our time in Casa Umbuto a dream come true.

Room tip: The Villa is two levels and all rooms are most comfortable
Date of stay: May 2016
  • Trip type: Traveled with friends
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Service
Thank TheWuch
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 23, 2016

We went for a mother-daughter cooking class and 'cooked up' memories to last a lifetime. We went in early April knowing that the weather could be bad (and it was), but that didn't matter because we had plenty to do in the kitchen.

And the ambiance at Ombuto is perfect too for rainy days... we had roaring fires, plenty of hot tubs sessions, and cozy movie nights with a vast selection of films. My mom and I snuggled together with our books and wished we could stay forever.

As for the cooking itself, it was divine!!! Paola was hilarious and has an unbelievable ability to gracefully teach and oversee many cooks at the same time. Our best memories were made screwing things up and having her put us back together again...cracking jokes (and a few too many eggs) along the way!

We will definitely be repeat customers.

Room tip: Definitely use GPS to travel there. It's (thankfully) in the middle of nowhere.
Date of stay: April 2016
  • Trip type: Traveled with family
    • Value
    • Rooms
    • Service
Thank megstringer
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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