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Host: Mirella (Personal Chef) Florence, Italy
USD
$174-$313 per person

Private Cooking Lesson in your Tuscan Villa

Host offerings
  • House
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Mirella (Personal Chef)

This is a unique opportunity to have a local chef introduce you to traditional Italian cooking in the comfort of your own villa or rental in Tuscany or its surrounding areas. Your host Mirella lives in the south of Florence but can drive within 80 kms to your villa or vacation rental to offer you a private cooking class and dinner. Mirella conducts a hands-on cooking class that lasts about 2 hours. Learn to make a four-course Tuscan meal that includes a variety of bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, pasta sauce, a main, and other seasonal side dishes, all enjoyed over wine local Italian wine. Mirella's cooking is greatly influenced by Renaissance cooking, and she offers a different menu for every season, as she prefers using fresh, seasonal ingredients in her cooking. Some of the dishes you might try are bruschetta with sausage and stracchino cheese, penne with meat ragù sauce, peasant meatballs with seasonal vegetables, and tiramisu or cioccolatissimo (rich chocolate cake) for dessert. Mirella is happy to accommodate your dietary requests and personalize your menu. If you are interested in a meal only and not the cooking class, please choose the 'Dinner only' option during booking.

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: (2-20 guests) Enjoy an authentic Italian meal in your villa that Mirella caters. Mirella offers a variety of Tuscan menus to choose from based on your dietary preferences. Below is only one of many. The cost of your meal includes wine, prosecco and limoncello.

Cooking experience: (2-20 guests) Enjoy a private and authentic cooking class in the comfort of your own residence in Tuscany! This is a perfect experience for anyone looking to connect with local culture over food. Mirella, your warm and wonderful personal chef, learned to cook from her grandmother (nonna), a highly skilled top chef. Mirella decided to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and received an education in culinary skills. She has been cooking ever since and is an expert in the history of Florentine cuisine from the Renaissance period! The aim of Mirella’s cooking class is to share her knowledge about food, its preparation and its Florentine and Tuscan history. Mirella prefers conducting a hands-on class, where you will learn how to make 3-4 Tuscan dishes such as various bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, a main, pasta sauces and other seasonal recipes. Mirella is happy to accommodate special dietary needs such as gluten or lactose intolerance, vegetarian or vegan.

Notes: Please note if the villa is located outside the 50km radius of Florence, you will be charged extra. Please include the location of the villa at the time of booking, so Mirella knows if she can accept it or not.

Languages spoken: English, Italian

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tuscan Coccoli (pillowy fried dough) with stracchino cheese and ham & fried zucchini flowers and sage
  • Gnudi (ricotta cheese and semolina dumplings) with spinach in a butter and sage sauce
  • Risotto with Asparagus and Taleggio cheese
  • Chicken Cacciatore or Beef in a Chianti reduction
  • Vegetable ratatouille or rosemary potatoes
  • Cioccolatissimo (special chocolate cake), carrot cake with chantilly cream, pistachio cheesecake or several other options

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
AMAZING!!!! Would give this 10 stars if we could!! My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Mirella and Stefano. It started with the both of them taking us on a tour of the Sant’Ambrogio food market, where they told us fascinating details about the market and vendors. This is where they picked up the ingredients for the menu we were to cook a bit later in the day. This market tour was a fascinating & entertaining way to start the experience! After the market, they drove us to their BEAUTIFUL home and gave us a tour of their home & lovely garden. This was such a thrill and further immersed us with Italian authenticity. We then got to cooking, during which my wife and I could not stop smiling. It started with two different forms of bruschetta, both of which turned out DELICIOUS. Then, we made handmade tagliatelle pasta with Tuscan ragu. WOW, just wow. The next thing we prepared for the menu was chicken cacciatore. Sooooo wonderful, tender, and flavorful. Finally, we prepared homemade tiramisu. It was every bit as tasty & amazing as it sounds! Throughout the food prepping and cooking, Mirella & Stefano gave us the perfect combination of talking us through it, assisting hands-on if needed, and informing us about the fascinating history behind each dish. The time passed so quickly, as we were having the time of our lives! When it came time to eat, Stefano served us each course. The food all came out INCREDIBLE and it was amongst the best meals we had throughout our entire week in Florence! Stefano & Mirella’s kindness and courtesy made us feel like we were family. This was our first full day in Italy (our first experience in all of Europe, in fact!) and we can’t stop talking about this experience. We get so welcomed & appreciated by Stefano and Mirella. We would highly recommend this experience to just about anybody, regardless of culinary interest. For all of the fascinating things you’ll learn about Tuscan food & history, you’ll also feel like you just had an amazing get-together with new friends! Thank you, Stefano & Mirella. The next time we make it out to Florence, we will absolutely sign up for another class. Oh, and one more thing: Mirella handed us a printout of our entire menu, with detailed instructions of how to prepare each item! We’ve already recreated the bruschetta with Tuscan bread, sausage & stracchino cheese - DELICIOUS!!! Grazie mille, James & Christa
- V9821T March 14, 2023
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Mirella (Personal Chef)

$174-$313 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $209 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $313 $278
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $209 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $313 $278
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 4:30pm-4:30pm

Meet Mirella (Personal Chef)

This is a unique opportunity to have a local chef introduce you to traditional Italian cooking in the comfort of your own villa or rental in Tuscany or its surrounding areas. Your host Mirella lives in the south of Florence but can drive within 80 kms to your villa or vacation rental to offer you a private cooking class and dinner. Mirella conducts a hands-on cooking class that lasts about 2 hours. Learn to make a four-course Tuscan meal that includes a variety of bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, pasta sauce, a main, and other seasonal side dishes, all enjoyed over wine local Italian wine. Mirella's cooking is greatly influenced by Renaissance cooking, and she offers a different menu for every season, as she prefers using fresh, seasonal ingredients in her cooking. Some of the dishes you might try are bruschetta with sausage and stracchino cheese, penne with meat ragù sauce, peasant meatballs with seasonal vegetables, and tiramisu or cioccolatissimo (rich chocolate cake) for dessert. Mirella is happy to accommodate your dietary requests and personalize your menu. If you are interested in a meal only and not the cooking class, please choose the 'Dinner only' option during booking.

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: (2-20 guests) Enjoy an authentic Italian meal in your villa that Mirella caters. Mirella offers a variety of Tuscan menus to choose from based on your dietary preferences. Below is only one of many. The cost of your meal includes wine, prosecco and limoncello.

Cooking experience: (2-20 guests) Enjoy a private and authentic cooking class in the comfort of your own residence in Tuscany! This is a perfect experience for anyone looking to connect with local culture over food. Mirella, your warm and wonderful personal chef, learned to cook from her grandmother (nonna), a highly skilled top chef. Mirella decided to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and received an education in culinary skills. She has been cooking ever since and is an expert in the history of Florentine cuisine from the Renaissance period! The aim of Mirella’s cooking class is to share her knowledge about food, its preparation and its Florentine and Tuscan history. Mirella prefers conducting a hands-on class, where you will learn how to make 3-4 Tuscan dishes such as various bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, a main, pasta sauces and other seasonal recipes. Mirella is happy to accommodate special dietary needs such as gluten or lactose intolerance, vegetarian or vegan.

Notes: Please note if the villa is located outside the 50km radius of Florence, you will be charged extra. Please include the location of the villa at the time of booking, so Mirella knows if she can accept it or not.

Languages spoken: English, Italian

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tuscan Coccoli (pillowy fried dough) with stracchino cheese and ham & fried zucchini flowers and sage
  • Gnudi (ricotta cheese and semolina dumplings) with spinach in a butter and sage sauce
  • Risotto with Asparagus and Taleggio cheese
  • Chicken Cacciatore or Beef in a Chianti reduction
  • Vegetable ratatouille or rosemary potatoes
  • Cioccolatissimo (special chocolate cake), carrot cake with chantilly cream, pistachio cheesecake or several other options

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
AMAZING!!!! Would give this 10 stars if we could!! My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Mirella and Stefano. It started with the both of them taking us on a tour of the Sant’Ambrogio food market, where they told us fascinating details about the market and vendors. This is where they picked up the ingredients for the menu we were to cook a bit later in the day. This market tour was a fascinating & entertaining way to start the experience! After the market, they drove us to their BEAUTIFUL home and gave us a tour of their home & lovely garden. This was such a thrill and further immersed us with Italian authenticity. We then got to cooking, during which my wife and I could not stop smiling. It started with two different forms of bruschetta, both of which turned out DELICIOUS. Then, we made handmade tagliatelle pasta with Tuscan ragu. WOW, just wow. The next thing we prepared for the menu was chicken cacciatore. Sooooo wonderful, tender, and flavorful. Finally, we prepared homemade tiramisu. It was every bit as tasty & amazing as it sounds! Throughout the food prepping and cooking, Mirella & Stefano gave us the perfect combination of talking us through it, assisting hands-on if needed, and informing us about the fascinating history behind each dish. The time passed so quickly, as we were having the time of our lives! When it came time to eat, Stefano served us each course. The food all came out INCREDIBLE and it was amongst the best meals we had throughout our entire week in Florence! Stefano & Mirella’s kindness and courtesy made us feel like we were family. This was our first full day in Italy (our first experience in all of Europe, in fact!) and we can’t stop talking about this experience. We get so welcomed & appreciated by Stefano and Mirella. We would highly recommend this experience to just about anybody, regardless of culinary interest. For all of the fascinating things you’ll learn about Tuscan food & history, you’ll also feel like you just had an amazing get-together with new friends! Thank you, Stefano & Mirella. The next time we make it out to Florence, we will absolutely sign up for another class. Oh, and one more thing: Mirella handed us a printout of our entire menu, with detailed instructions of how to prepare each item! We’ve already recreated the bruschetta with Tuscan bread, sausage & stracchino cheese - DELICIOUS!!! Grazie mille, James & Christa
- V9821T March 14, 2023
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $209 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $313 $278
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $209 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $313 $278
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 4:30pm-4:30pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.