Meet
Cinzia
Cinzia is a warm and welcoming host whose love for cooking began in her childhood kitchen, watching her mother and grandmother prepare traditional meals. She later pursued her passion professionally at a culinary and pastry school in Italy. For Cinzia, cooking is an act of love - a way to nourish others with energy and care. She pours her heart into every dish she creates, infusing her food with meaning and tradition.
A mother of three, Cinzia balances her career in analytics with her true passion for food, which she nurtures through cooking classes, hosting special dinners, and running her own cooking school. She loves connecting with travelers and sharing not only her favorite ingredients and recipes, but also a piece of her culture and history. Deeply interested in medieval and Renaissance cuisine, Cinzia brings the rich history of Florence’s food traditions to life in her experiences. As a delightful bonus, Cinzia is also a soprano in an Italian choir.
What to expect
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal:
(4-8 guests)
Cinzia will welcome you with a glass of prosecco and a Tuscan appetizer. You will then enjoy an authentic seasonal Tuscan meal at the dining table or on the patio. Your meal may include dishes such as brushette or coccoli fritti with salvio fritti or stracchino cheese for an appetizer, a pasta (flat, stuffed or gnocchi) and a main of pollo alla cacciatore or zucchini ripiene (zucchini stuffed with meat) accompanied by wine. Your meal will conclude with a seasonal dessert like tiramisu, panna cotta or cantucci con vin santo. Please note that prosecco and wine are included in the cost of your meal.
Cooking experience:
(2-8 guests)
Join Cinzia for an unforgettable Florence cooking class in her cozy home, where you’ll prepare traditional Tuscan dishes using cherished family recipes. Weather permitting, begin on her sunny patio by picking fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, or sage from her garden. Then enjoy a seasonal appetizer prepared by Cinzia, such as coccoli fritti (crispy fried dough with stracchino or pecorino cheese) in spring or tomato-topped bruschette in summer.
Next, roll up your sleeves for a hands-on Tuscan pasta class, learning to make authentic regional dishes from scratch. This three-hour cooking class and meal can be tailored to your interests. Throughout the experience, Cinzia shares techniques, tips, and stories from her culinary heritage. Finally, sit down to enjoy the delicious Tuscan meal you created together, surrounded by the warmth of Florentine hospitality.
Pasta Menu: Learn three handmade pastas, such as cut pasta (pappardelle or tagliatelle), stuffed pasta (ravioli or tortellini), and gnocchi, each paired with a sauce you’ll also prepare.
Pasta & Main Course Menu: Make one pasta dish and a meat-based main like pollo alla cacciatora (chicken cacciatore), filetto in crosta di carne (herb-stuffed pork loaf), or zucchine ripiene (meat-stuffed zucchini).
Historical Menu: Explore Renaissance-inspired recipes by preparing a historical appetizer and dessert, guided by Cinzia’s passion for Florentine culinary traditions.
Market visit:
(2-6 guests)
Meet your host Cinzia at the Loggia del Bigallo for a guided Florence food shopping tour through her favorite local shops. This walking tour takes you through a charming historic neighborhood, offering a glimpse of Florence's everyday food culture as you pass beautiful city landmarks.
Start with a cup of coffee at one of Cinzia’s favorite cafés, then visit La Pegna, a high-end, historic grocer known for its premium pastas, spices, and specialty Italian products. Cinzia will guide you on the best brands and ingredients to buy.
Stroll down Via dei Cerchi to a small, family-owned grocery store to pick up fresh produce for your cooking class. Depending on your menu and the day, you may also stop at a local wine shop, bakery, chocolate store, or cheese shop where you’ll sample cheeses from one of Cinzia’s favorite purveyors. Before heading to her home for your cooking class, enjoy a small gelato treat and walk to a nearby café while Cinzia retrieves her car from the parking lot.
This unique Florence market tour lasts about one hour and covers less than 2 miles on foot. Unlike a typical single-market visit, this experience offers a curated selection of local food shops focused on high-quality Italian ingredients.
Prefer a traditional market experience? If you’d rather visit the bustling Sant'Ambrogio Market with Cinzia, she’ll meet you instead in front of Teatro del Sale. Please let her know your preference in advance. If no market is specified, she’ll default to the curated neighborhood food shop tour starting at Loggia del Bigallo.
Complimentary transfer from the market to Cinzia’s home is included for up to three guests. For groups of four or more, guests are kindly asked to arrange and cover their own transportation to Cinzia’s home, as her car can accommodate a maximum of three guests.
Notes:
1. For groups of 7 or more, Cinzia hosts the experience either at her home or at a friend’s home in Florence, both of which can accommodate larger parties. Her own kitchen can typically host 6–10 guests, depending on the season.
2. Cinzia is trained in vegetarian, celiac, and macrobiotic cooking and is happy to accommodate dietary requests. Please inform her of any restrictions or preferences when booking, as she plans the menu in advance.
3. Please note that the market-only experience is unavailable in July and August due to high temperatures.
Languages spoken:
English, Italian
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
We had the most wonderful experience with Cinzia! The food was incredible and we felt that
we had the true Italian cuisine experience! Would highly recommend to any and everyone
who wants to slow down and cook a home cooked meal in Italy!
-
julie
June 03, 2026
We had the most incredible experience led by Cinzia!! She brought us on a curated tour of food shops around Florence and provided great recommendations for other places to see and visit around the city. She was sure to ask our preferences at every step as we chose fresh ingredients to cook for dinner at her beautiful home. We made ravioli with pecorino cream and shallot pear sauce, chicken fricassee with asparagus, and panna cotta with brown sugar strawberries. Everything was so delicious and Cinzia was an excellent teacher— we will definitely be revisiting these recipes at home! It was so lovely meeting her and getting to know her on this trip.
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lauren
May 28, 2026
One of the best experiences of our whole trip. Me and my two friends did a class with Cinzia and we had the best time. She took us to her favorite local markets to buy our ingredients and told us about the local history as we went. We then drove to her home where we were going to cook. Her home is beautiful and she was so kind and talented. She is a great teacher and the food turned out so delicious. We had a first course, main course with salad and then dessert, all with wine! It was lovely getting to know Cinzia and experience something so wonderful and learn more about Florentine customs/cooking.
-
emma
May 14, 2026
The BEST place to go for a cooking class! It was so peaceful and it felt so nice to relax and
cook. Miss Cinzia was the nicest lady, very sweet and loving in everything we did. This was
such an experience and it could not ever be replaced.
-
jesse
May 08, 2026
Cinza was wonderful. She took us through all the steps of making 3 homemade pastas,
anda dessert. She is welcoming, warm and a knowledgeable chef. A truly memorable
experience!
-
north
April 26, 2026
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