7 Cooking Classes in Florence to Try

In 2010, I took my mom to Italy for the first time and a cooking class was on her bucket list. I spent a lot of time researching cooking classes in Florence. And, after having such a great experience making pizza and gelato, I kept adding more classes to my list. Taking cooking classes abroad has opened the world up to me in so many meaningful ways. It’s not always about the food you learn to make, though that makes for a great souvenir. It is about the people you meet along the way. For me, travel is about connection, and cooking experiences allow me to connect with culture through food.

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links for tours and products I love at no additional cost to you.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Who Takes Cooking Classes in Florence?

In the first cooking class in Florence that I took with my husband, we met a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary, a CERN physicist, an American running a food truck in Switzerland, honeymooners, and a high school senior celebrating her graduation. All of these interesting people had different experiences and backgrounds that I wouldn’t necessarily run across on my daily life. I loved hearing about the things they had experienced, loved, and wanted to share.

Though it might be intimidating to take a cooking course with a professional chef, you really can learn from each other and create something delicious. One of my fondest memories of the first week I spent at the Ritz Paris pastry school is not what I made each day, but the professional pastry chef who made me laugh, helped translate for me, and made me feel welcome when I felt like I was out of my league. Those moments are what I love about taking cooking classes abroad. When the hard work is done, there is time to share stories and something delicious.

We’ve taken multiple cooking classes in Florence over the years. Sometimes Tom and I take them together. Sometimes they are part of a family Italian itinerary. And sometimes I will just take them on my own because I really want to learn something new.

Tips for Taking Florence Cooking Classes

As we walked across the Ponte Vecchio to our first pasta-making class I had ever taken, I started to feel nervous.  I couldn’t remember the last time I made anything from scratch.  

I felt like an imposter when I was handed a plastic apron, but I dutifully suited up.  Will everyone be a master chef?  What if I forget an ingredient?  Will I look like an amateur?  How do they decide what we are going to make?  Why didn’t I check on that ahead of time?  Those fears weren’t exactly quelled when I found out our cooking partner had her own food truck.

But, she kept her camera out… so I kept mine out, too.  

Custom Private Cooking Class in Florence

Without being completely biased, I do think that this is one of the best cooking classes in Florence. It’s definitely one of my favorite cooking classes in Florence. And… it’s not just because it’s taught by one of my former students-turned-chef-and-teacher, Sara Cagle. It’s because it’s truly that delicious. She attended an Italian culinary school after graduating from college and ended up staying in Florence! Not only does Sara teach cooking classes, but she also organizes monthly fusion dinners through Saporita supper club in Florence. This fusion of flavors allows Sara to find blend cultures and cuisine in a unique way, and it brings people together. (She also does pop-up collaborations with other chefs and restaurants in Florence!)

But, let’s talk about her cooking classes. Sara offers cooking classes in her home for 125 euro per person (or less for more people). This includes 3 courses (tailored to you and what’s in season) and drinks! Forour first cooking class with Sara, I knew a couple things I wanted to make: aracini (not Florentine, but one of my favorite Italian snacks) and pici al fumo (Cortonese). From there, Sara recommended a poached pear with chianti sauce because pears were in season. (IT WAS UNREAL. I love a poached pear.)

We had such a great experience with Sara that I decided to take another class independently with her. From there, I let her make the recommendations. We ended up making a Sardinian malloreddus with tomatoes, sausage, and saffron (perfect for a rainy day). We also made a braised chicken with leeks and mushrooms because that’s what looked best at the Sant’Ambrogio market that morning.

What I loved about cooking with Sara is that she did a great job of explaining what could be prepped ahead of the time. She also showed techniques that I could easily replicate at home. While I was definitely dubious about whether I would be able to recreate the arancini, I have been able to do it multiple times! (I’ve never burned nor undercooked the risotto!) She makes truly complex dishes feel more manageable. She also gave me very explicit instructions on the best ingredients to buy.

If you’re an adventurous eater and love “real” Italian food (not the Americanized version), I would start with Sara Cagle’s cooking classes. The recommendations that she’ll make because she knows what’s in season are unparalleled. She’s happy to do traditional Tuscan dishes or contemporary takes on your favorites.

BOOK THIS:  Sara Cagle’s Custom Cooking Class in Florence

Fresh Pasta Making Class in Florence

If you are new to Italian cuisine and want to start with the basics, this is the first fresh pasta-making class we took in Florence. The set up was far less intimidating for my husband who wasn’t sure about this cooking class business. He loved it because it was limited to 12 students and was taught by a master chef who had a great sense of humor. It was the perfect introduction to Florence cooking classes. The Italian recipes were also very easy to take home and replicate. It takes place in a small culinary school in the Oltrarno, so if you’re nervous about being in someone’s home… this is a great option.)

In this particular class, we learned to make three pastas and three sauces. We learned to make an egg-based pasta, a water-based pasta, and a potato tortelli. Potato tortelli is a very specific type of ravioli from the Mugello region outside of Florence.  In addition to pasta, we learned to make a traditional Italian desert, panna cotta. It surprisingly takes less than 10 minutes to prep, so it is very easy to do at home.

Both water-based pasta and egg-based pastas must rest, but there is never any down time in cooking classes. While the pasta is resting, you’ll make the sauces. The sauces in this class are all very light and fresh, especially if you are used to Italian food in the US.  Everything we made started with olive oil and was enhanced by tomatoes, herbs, or seasonal produce. We took as class in early spring, so the chef chose some tasty mushrooms for us.  Once the sauces were simmering, we learned to roll the pasta using a hand-crank pasta machine and various hand tools.  (The Kitchenaid pasta attachments are a lifesaver if you are doing this at home. It’s quite a bit more efficient!)  

One of the things that makes fresh pasta different is how fast it cooks! By the time we were settled in the dining room, our chef had plated served everything family style. We had plenty to eat and drink. The meal never felt rushed, and we enjoyed conversations with people from all over the world.  

Most cooking classes are half-day experiences with a minimum of 3 hours. You really should spend a couple of days in Florence to really enjoy these longer experiences. The cooking school provides all the recipes, so you’ll have the perfect souvenir to celebrate at home. 

BOOK THIS:  Oltrarno Fresh Pasta Cooking Class

Pizza & Gelato Cooking Class in Florence

My mom and I took this pizza and gelato class in Florence – and it’s still going strong!  (Should I give her credit for helping me realize that cooking classes are some of the best travel experiences ever?  Probably so.) This class is taught at the same cooking school in Oltrarno as the fresh pasta class above.  It is also limited to 12 students, so you get plenty of hands-on experience. My mom was even brave enough to attempt tossing our pizza like a professional!

Similar to the pasta class, the master chef will teach you how to make pizza dough from scratch. While the dough rests, you learn to make the gelato.  And, as Italians always recommend, we used seasonal ingredients. In mid-September, we made a peach sorbetto and a cream gelato.  Once the gelato is in the freezer, you return to the pizza.  We used fresh ingredients to finish off the pizzas before putting them in a wood-fired oven.  (Italians say that’s the mark of a truly good Italian pizza. It’s also why it’s so hard to find good pizza in Venice.)      

Like the pasta class, we headed to a community table to enjoy wine, pizza, and conversation with our fellow travelers.

Tip: If you wanted to create your own one day cooking school immersive experience, you could book the fresh pasta class for the morning and the pizza and gelato class for the evening.  You would have a slight break between the classes to wander the Oltrarno and walk off your meal.  If you’re really into learning more about the basics of Italian cooking, I would recommend this!

BOOK THIS:  Oltrarno Pizza and Gelato Class

Biscotti and Gelato Class in Florence

In November 2025, we took a multi-generational family trip to Florence over Thanksgiving. My cousin really wanted to learn how to make gelato. The class that best fit our schedule was a gelato and biscotti class at Mama Florence. This is probably the best cooking class in Florence for families with children. The space is large and modern. And, it was probably the least intense class we’ve taken. (There’s only so much you have to do once you get the mixture in the the gelato freezer.) We had a mother-daughter-duo in our class, and the instructor did a great job of catering to the child. He did a truly outstanding job keeping the child involved and having fun.

We made a raspberry sorbetto, a vanilla bean gelato, and a chocolate chip biscotti. We had so much extra biscotti to take home. (The perfect late night snack for some of us…)

Note: Mama Florence is a little outside the traditional tourist area of Florence. It’s an easy walk, but you’ll want to double check the time it will take to get there. They do offer an extremely wide range of classes, including gluten free cooking classes. If you’re looking for family-friendly cooking classes in Florence, I’d start here.

BOOK THIS:  Family Gelato Class in Florence

Gnocchi and Fresh Pasta Cooking Class in Florence

Once you start getting the basics of Italian food and cooking down, it’s time to level up!  Tom, my mom and I spent Thanksgiving in Florence and focused on food and wine experiences. We celebrated by Thanksgiving by taking multiple Florence cooking classes, which I think is the perfect way to celebrate.  

This gourmet fresh pasta class goes beyond the basics of pasta making. It truly celebrates the use of seasonal ingredients in Italy. If you’re an adventurous eater and enjoy trying authentic Italian cuisine, this class is perfect for you. The recipes are less rote with interesting ingredients and flavors.

In addition to gnocchi, we made egg-based fettuccine and pumpkin ravioli. You will make the pasta dough by hand before rolling it out using a manual pasta machine. It’s a great workout since it is a four-hour cooking class.  My mom was very into throwing the gnocchi dough! She told another woman in our group to “throw it like you mean it.”  (Absolutely hilarious.)  We made a meat sauce for the gnocchi, an eggplant sauce for the fettuccine, and butter-sage sauce for the ravioli.

Dessert was an easy recipe for individual cups of tiramisu.

We were fortunate to be in a group where everyone enjoyed flavor. The other group had someone who didn’t like garlic. Literally.  Someone was taking a cooking class in Italy and didn’t want to use garlic in the food!  (Imagine our disappointment when they mixed all of our pasta and sauces together.)

What I loved about this class is how adaptive the chef was to dietary considerations. There was a couple that couldn’t use coffee in their tiramisu. (The instructor showed how to use a berry substitute.) One of my favorite restaurants in Florence offers a berry tiramisu, so it’s totally a thing. The cooking school staff was incredibly adept and resourceful in how they were able to navigate different dietary requirements on the fly!  I was really impressed!

As far as recipes, Tom and my mom liked the gnocchi the best.  I preferred the pumpkin ravioli. Let’s be honest: when am I going to eat fresh pumpkin at home?!  (Butter sage ravioli is a Florentine specialty, too.)  

The red wine served with our meal was delicious.

This cooking class is a little outside of the Florence city center. You can certainly walk, but make sure to give yourself enough time to get there!

BOOK THIS:  Gnocchi and Fresh Pasta Cooking Class in Florence

Florence Central Market Tour & Cooking Class

I highly recommend taking a Florence market tour and cooking class as part of your Italy itinerary.  Despite having studied and shopped at the Mercato Centrale regularly, this tour allowed me to try so many new things. The recipes we made after the market tour were absolutely incredible.  I’ve adapted the Bolognese sauce recipe, and I use it most often when cooking for friends and family.

Our guide introduced us to some of the most authentic and popular market stalls in Florence.  We learned more about how to order meats and cheeses, and we were able to try a few things, too.  (Who knew wild boar and truffle could be so good together?  Scratch that – who knew wild boar could be so good?) While the Mercato Centrale has given away to tourism, our guide helped us to navigate to the less touristy parts of it.  

After gathering ingredients at the market, we had a short walk to the cooking school.  We made a bolognese sauce and a tomato sauce to complement our pastas.  This class was less hands on than the others, particularly in preparing the sauces. However, we were able to take plenty of video and photos while the chef prepared the sauce.  

Once he started letting the sauces simmer, we returned to our workstations to start making the tiramisu.  We were in groups of six. The chef led us through the steps and walked around to critique and praise our form.  (Chef was quite feisty. Just go with it.)  Once the tiramisu was chilling in the refrigerator, we enjoyed a light appetizer of bread and cheese with pesto, balsamic vinegars, and olive oil.  The chef took this opportunity to show us how to make the pasta dough.  Again, he made the rounds to check our dough and show people what they were doing wrong.  (It was in good spirits, but he did want us to learn correctly.)  

Unlike previous classes, we rolled out our dough entirely by hand.  (Maybe I could get definition in my arms if I start making fresh pasta by hand as a workout.)  We made a fettuccine and a ricotta ravioli in this class.  The fettuccine was served with bolognese sauce and the ravioli was served with the tomato sauce.  Both were absolutely delicious.    

This class is pretty large, so it is great for groups or families.  We had a couple of kids in our class and they seemed to really enjoy it.

BOOK THIS:  Florence Market Tour and Cooking Class     

Traditional Tuscan Cooking Class

During 2020 and 2021, I took virtual cooking classes from Patrizia Cantini via Curious Appetite. All of her recipes were focused on Tuscan traditions, and everything we made was tasty. She was so engaging on zoom that I knew I wanted to take a cooking class with her in Florence. In November 2023, my mom, my sister, my husband and I all joined her for shopping at the Sant’Ambrogio market. After shopping, we took a cooking class in her home.

When you register for a private cooking class, you can share your preferences. I wanted to learn how to make some of my favorite Tuscan dishes (Pappa al Pomodoro, Peposo, coccoli, etc.), so I shared that on my form.

When we arrived at the market, we couldn’t find very good tomatoes. We, however, did find some porcini mushrooms that were huge. Patrizia helped us navigate what was in season and what would meet our specific preferences. We ended up making a wonderful pasta with the porcini mushrooms and peposo. We paired it with a lovely Chianti wine and enjoyed a leisurely meal around Patrizia’s table.

It’s hard to say what made this class so much more special than the others, but it was truly one of the best experiences we’ve had together as a family. There is a certain authenticity that comes from cooking with someone in their home that can be hard to replicate. If you are looking for a more personalized cooking class in Florence, I can’t recommend this enough!

Other Cooking Classes & Food Tours in Florence

There’s never a shortage of things to do in Florence. Enjoying the culinary delights between tours and resturants are some of our favorites.  These are just a few other foodie experiences in Florence that we’ve enjoyed:  

• Take a Florence Food Tour. We’ve done the sunset food tour in Florence. (If you are going to Rome, don’t miss the Trastevere tour or the Testaccio tour.)  We’ve done a lot of tasty tours in Florence. I’m excited to try a truffle hunt!  
• Curious Appetite’s Florence Cocktail Tours
• Olive Oil Tasting – We’ve done this at a San Gimignano winery. I’m still trying to find the place where we did it in the Oltrarno in 2010.  

I know there are a lot of tours for wine tasting and Tuscan farmhouse cooking classes. And, I think your Italy itinerary should include a few nights in Tuscany.  You can find plenty of Tuscany content on my blog to convince you, I promise. SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave