Find Your Villa

Gourmet Cooking Experiences Tuscany

A Cooking Experience with Lella

The perfect introduction to Tuscan Cooking with your master Lella in the heart of the historical centre of Siena.

Lella Cesari Ciampoli’s Cookery School was the first to be founded in Siena and quickly gained recognition as one of Italy’s top 100 cookery schools. Lella has been teaching for many years, and is a member, among others, of the AICI (Association of Italian Cookery Teachers) and of the International Association of Cooking Professionals of Washington DC. Lella is well known as a passionate researcher into traditional Tuscan and medieval cuisine and has worked with the major Italian culinary publications, as well as publishing her own cook book in Japan, entitled ‘The Pleasures of Italian Cooking’. She is currently working on a cook book in English.

Lella regularly works with numerous country villas and farm holiday agencies (agriturismi) and is known in contrada circles for her popular women’s group cooking lessons, as well as free lessons during the festive season for children, encouraging them to take an interest from an early stage in correct nutrition and the pleasures of cooking. All lessons take half-day and will finish with lunch or dinner accompanied with a Home Made Chianti Wine.

The price includes interpreter service, English book of the school and a final diploma.

Costs:

  • From 1 to 3 people: Euro 664.00 (Interpreter included)
  • From 4 to 6 people: Euro 848.50
  • From 7 to 15 people: Euro 120.00 per person + Euro 110.50 for Interpreter
  • For larger groups: Euro 74.50 per person + Euro 110.50 for Interpreter

Private Cooking Lesson in Chianti

Enjoy a Very Special Introduction to Typically Tuscan Cooking with one of the most famous families in this amazing region followed by a very special Dinner.

The Antinori Family owns the “Osteria di Passignano” in Badia a Passignano, a small village located only 45 minutes from Florence and about one hour from Siena, in the hills of the Chianti region. The view from here is breath-taking, from the magnificent Abbey of Passignano, dating back to the year 1049, to the vineyards and olive trees that surround these hills. The Osteria is a classic country stone house, once used as a cellar. Inside, the big oak casks have been replaced by elegant and cleverly restored tables. Some historical items have been preserved such as the beautiful cartwheels hanging on the walls and some pieces of furniture recovered from the nearby Antinori estates. An English botanic collection of 115 items, photographs from the late 1800s and painting of the surrounding lands are displayed on the walls. An impressive age-old wooden wine press, recovered during the renovation works, now dominates the “wine tasting” area of the hall.

Here we will learn the secrets of the Tuscan cuisine and taste some of the great wines produced in this region. The afternoon starts at 3:30pm with the hands-on cooking class, held in English by the Chef and consisting in the preparation of a typical Tuscan menu as the following example:

  • “ Pecorino Cheese Pudding”
  • Home-made Pasta with Vegetables
  • Stuffed Chicken, Rabbit or Guinea Fowl
  • Dessert like “Zuccotto”

Around 6:15pm we take a break and Maurizio, the restaurant sommelier will guide us through the historical cellars of Badia a Passignano, where you will get the chance to see first-hand where the Antinori’s world-renowed wines age. An aperitif will follow just before sitting down to enjoy dinner, accompanied by matching wines.  (Duration: approx. 5.5 hrs/6 hrs - Minimum 4 persons)

A certificate will be issued to all participants with a recipe booklet.

Costs:

  • Private lesson, visit to Cellars & Dinner accompanied with local wines (per person): Euro 277.00
  • Private lesson, visit to Cellars & Dinner accompanied with “the great Antinori wines” (per person): Euro 369.00

Choice of:

  • Sedan Car with Driver Service: Euro 558.00
  • Mercedes E Class with Driver Service: Euro 609.00
  • Deluxe Minivan (max.8 persons) with Driver Service: Euro 634.50

A Private Wine Tasting & Lunch at the Antinori’s

Enjoy a very special introduction to the finest Tuscan Wines with one of the most important families in the heart of Tuscany.

Our experience here at one of Tuscany’s most beautiful properties starts at 11:15 am with a private visit to one of the Antinori’s vineyards followed by a visit to their Historical Cellars of Badia a Passignano and a tasting of its wines. Following this amazing introduction we will head into the Osteria to enjoy an introduction to some of the local Olive Oils. Soon after, it will be time for lunch with a special menu prepared to accompanied the following wines: Cervaro della Sala, Brunello di Montalcino, Tignanello and Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Passignano. During lunch we will also enjoy a brief introduction to wine decanting, the correct use of the wine glass and the choice of wine to accompany a second course dish. A small brochure on the topics mentioned during lunch will be given to each participant along with a fond farewell as you say goodbye to this amazing property.

Costs:

  • Private visit, wine tasting & lunch per person: Euro 240.00

Choice of:

  • Sedan Car with Driver Service Euro: 406.00
  • Mercedes E Class with Driver Service: Euro 440.00
  • Deluxe Minivan (max.8 persons) with Driver Service: Euro 465.00

*All pricing is in Euros, and is subject to change. Prices listed are based upon tours & services originating in the Siena region only. For clients staying outside of this region, additional charges may apply.