Four classics. One unforgettable morning.

This VIP cooking class in Florence starts at Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio (morning only), where you pick quality ingredients with your chef before stepping into a real kitchen lesson. You’ll then cook a full menu from scratch: Lasagne with Bolognese ragù and béchamel, Carbonara with eggs and bacon, gnocchi with homemade pesto, and Sicilian cannoli you fill yourself.

I particularly like the ingredient-first approach. Seeing what goes into great Italian food matters, and it also makes the cooking steps click once you’re back at the stations. My other favorite part is the hands-on pesto moment, where you crush ingredients the traditional way with a mortaio mortar and make it your own.

One consideration: this experience is not recommended for people with celiac disease, so if gluten is a hard no for you, you’ll want to choose a different option.

Key things to know before you go

• Sant’Ambrogio market ingredient hunt (included only for morning departures)
• Small group (max 8) so you actually get help while you cook
• Four iconic dishes plus a cannoli filling you customize
• Unlimited wine with lunch or dinner, depending on your departure time
• Digital recipe booklet and a graduation diploma to take home
• English-only instruction for a smooth, no-miss-the-details day

Sant’Ambrogio Market: The ingredient shopping part that makes the rest easier

The experience begins at Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, Florence’s beloved food market. If you book the morning slot, you’ll go there with your chef and focus on quality. This is not a quick “walk past stalls” moment. You’ll handpick ingredients, which means when you later cook your Lasagne ragù or build your Carbonara sauce base, you’re not guessing.

Markets also teach you the practical stuff you can use later in Italy: what “good” looks like, how different items smell, and why seasonality matters. Your chef will guide you as you choose products, then that same ingredient logic shows up in the kitchen where you learn traditional techniques.

If you choose a pm departure, or if your dates fall on Sundays or bank holidays, the market visit isn’t included. That doesn’t ruin the class, but it does remove the shopping-and-selection step that helps everything feel more authentic.

Inside the kitchen: how the menu is built around technique

After the market, you head to the kitchen at Cucineria La Mattonaia (Via della Mattonaia, 19R, 50121 Firenze FI). The class is designed as a guided, step-by-step cooking masterclass. It’s hands-on, and it’s paced so you can follow along and not feel lost.

Here’s how the menu fits together, and why each dish is a smart choice for a first Florence cooking class:

Lasagne al Ragù (Bolognese sauce) with béchamel

Lasagne is the dish that rewards patience. You’ll make it with classic components: a ragù based on meat (beef and pork) and a creamy béchamel sauce. This gives you a full lesson in two key Italian skills: building flavor through simmering meat sauce, and getting béchamel smooth instead of lumpy.

Because this lasagne is built from traditional elements, it’s also one of the easiest dishes to recreate at home. Once you have the basic sauce texture and layering rhythm in your hands, you’ll be able to repeat it later without needing fancy equipment.

Fettuccine alla Carbonara: eggs, bacon, and timing

Carbonara sounds simple until you try it. The key is understanding how eggs create a silky sauce without turning into scrambled bits. Your chef guides you through the method using eggs and bacon.

In a class like this, you’re not just learning the ingredients. You’re learning the “when” of cooking: when to combine, how to manage heat, and how to keep the sauce creamy. That matters because the difference between great and merely okay Carbonara is usually timing, not taste.

Gnocchi with homemade pesto (and the mortaio experience)

This is the fun part. You’ll make gnocchi with home made pesto, and you’ll create pesto using a traditional mortar and pestle setup (mortaio). The class specifically calls for basil, pine nuts, and garlic.

If you’ve had pesto that tastes bitter or sharp, you’ll appreciate why this method helps. Crushing and blending ingredients by hand changes how flavors release. It also makes the pesto feel like a craft, not a blender recipe. Plus, this is the moment you can really slow down and enjoy the smells as you work.

Sicilian cannoli: fill-your-own dessert

Cannoli is the grand finale. You’ll learn how to assemble and fill the iconic Sicilian dessert with ricotta and a topping of your choice, such as pistachio, chocolate, chopped hazelnuts, and more.

What I like about including cannoli is that it’s interactive. You don’t just watch the dessert happen. You customize it, so you can match it to your preferences and still learn the core cannoli idea.

The food, the pace, and the people: what small-group really means

This is a small group tour with a maximum of 8 travelers, which is a big deal for cooking. In bigger classes, one person tends to become the “watcher.” Here, you can expect more back-and-forth with the chef and staff as you work.

The class also includes unlimited wine and water while you cook and then sit down to eat. Depending on your departure time, you’ll have lunch or dinner. That means the day has a complete arc: ingredient picking, active cooking, and then real time at the table with what you made.

The practical benefit is that you’re not racing to finish before the meal time starts. You cook as a group, eat together, and you get a chance to talk about what you’re doing while it’s still fresh in your mind.

What you take home (besides a full stomach)

You don’t just leave with a meal. You leave with materials and proof you learned something.

Included items:

• Digital recipe booklet so you can recreate everything at home
• Graduation diploma
• The full skill set behind Carbonara, Lasagne, pesto, and Sicilian cannoli

The digital booklet is especially useful because these dishes have details people forget once they’re back home. The booklet helps you recreate the flow and quantities more accurately, even if you’re not exactly timing your Carbonara sauce the same way every time.

You’ll also have a clearer sense of substitutions and technique. For example, you’ll understand why pesto isn’t only about basil, but also about how the ingredients are combined. Same with ragù: it’s texture and simmering, not just the list of ingredients.

Vegetarian, allergies, and dietary limits: plan smart

Vegetarian options are available, and you should inform the operator in advance about allergies or food intolerances. The experience states they’ll do their best to accommodate you.

Two key safety notes:

• This experience is not recommended for people with celiac disease.
• It’s also not recommended for children under six years old.

If your dietary needs are complex, message ahead early rather than assuming it can be handled on the day. Cooking classes can often adjust ingredients, but gluten cross-contact and kitchen logistics can’t always be changed safely.

Price and value: why $119.21 can make sense in Florence

At $119.21 per person, you’re paying for more than a cooking session. You’re paying for:

• a chef-guided masterclass
• all ingredients needed for the menu
• unlimited wine and water
• the market visit when you book the morning slot
• a digital recipe booklet
• a small-group format (max 8)

In Florence, restaurant meals add up quickly, especially when you factor in wine. This class gives you a planned meal plus instruction, and the “instruction cost” is often where the real value sits. You’re not just eating; you’re learning how to reproduce these dishes later, which turns the payment into something you can use after your trip.

Also, unlimited wine changes the vibe of the afternoon. It makes the table part more relaxed and celebratory, and it helps keep the day feeling like an experience rather than a rushed class.

Where this class fits best (and who should skip it)

This VIP class is a strong match if you:

• want hands-on cooking instead of watching someone else do it
• like the idea of an ingredient-first market start (morning departures)
• care about learning the “how” behind classic Italian dishes
• enjoy dinner with wine as part of the plan
• want English instruction without translation gaps

You might skip it if:

• you need a gluten-free setup (especially for celiac disease)
• you’re traveling with small kids under six
• you only want a very short, light activity (this is about 5 hours)

FAQ

FAQ

What dishes will I cook?

You’ll learn four dishes: Lasagne al Ragù with béchamel, Carbonara spaghetti with eggs and bacon, gnocchi with homemade pesto, and Sicilian cannoli. The cannoli can be filled with options like ricotta plus toppings such as pistachio, chocolate, or chopped hazelnuts.

Is the Sant’Ambrogio Market visit included?

It’s included only for the morning tour. If you book a pm shift, or if your date falls on Sundays or bank holidays, the market visit is not included.

How long is the experience?

It’s about 5 hours (approx.).

Is this class only in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English only.

Is it a large group?

No. The tour has a maximum of 8 travelers, so it stays small.

Is wine included?

Yes. Unlimited wine is included, along with water.

Are vegetarian options available?

Vegetarian options are available. You should inform them in advance if you want a vegetarian menu.

What about allergies or food intolerances?

Inform them in advance of any allergies or food intolerances, and they will do their best to accommodate you.

Is it suitable for people with celiac disease?

No. For safety reasons, it’s not recommended for people with celiac disease.

What is the cancellation window?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Should you book this Florence cooking class?

If your goal is to understand classic Italian food through real technique, this is a smart booking. The market start (on morning departures), the small-group size, and the full menu—especially the pesto you make by hand and the cannoli you fill—make the day feel like more than a single meal.

I’d book it if you’re excited by hands-on cooking and you’re comfortable with gluten. If gluten is an issue, or you’re traveling with a young child under six, look for a different class format that matches your needs.