A3 . GROUP special cooking classes 2026 at Rita’s farm
AT MY TUSCAN KITCHEN COOKING SCHOOL
Join our special cooking classes at My Tuscan Kitchen cooking school in the countryside. This is a shared event. Meet a local cook and an English story teller and prepare the best dishes ever!
DOWNLOAD DETAILS OF CLASSES, NEW 2026 CALENDAR & BOOKING FORM HERE
The best way to celebrate special occasions is preparing and enjoying delicious Tuscan recipes together with us at our Rita’s farm. Our cook and story teller will be waiting for you to share with your all the secrets of the Tuscan cuisine in a familiar and cozy atmosphere. Our cooking classes are all hands-on and it is like cooking together. Join us for our special cooking classes!
Our Special cooking classes
Valentine’s day cooking class available on Saturday 14th February2026 starting at 3:30 pm with dinner. 130 euro per person
Carnival-themed cooking class available on Tuesday 3rd March2026 starting at 3:30 pm with dinner. 120 euro per adult, 90 euro per kid/teen
Andrea Bocelli week cooking class with Bocelli wines available on Tue. 21st, Wed. 22nd, Fri. 24th, Su. 26th July 2026 starting at 3:30 pm with dinner. 130 euro per person
Halloween masquerade cooking class available on Saturday 31st October 2026 starting at 3:30 pm with dinner. 130 euro per adult, 90 euro per kid or teen
Truffle cooking class available on Tuesday 3th and 17th November2026 starting at 10:00 am with lunch. 140 euro per adult, 100 euro per teen, 70 euro per child
Christmas cooking class available on Tuesday 15th, 22nd and 29th December2026starting at 10:00 am with lunch. 130 euro per adult, 90 euro per teen, 60 euro per child
MENUS FOR THE SPECIAL THEMED COOKING CLASSES
in case of food restrictions, we will adjust the menu accordingly. Please inform us in advance
Valentine's day romantic cooking class with dinner, Saturday 14th February 2026 at 3:30 pm, € 130/adult
• Prosecco with Parmesan shavings and honey and balsamic vinegar
• Ravioli filled with ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, ginger, and nutmeg, served with a saffron béchamel sauce,
crispy guanciale, and almond flakes. Paired with a rosé wine
• Pork fillet with mushrooms and truffles. Paired with a red wine
• Chocolate and chili mousse with strawberries. Paired with a Moscato wine
Carnival-themed cooking class Tuesday 3rd March 2026 at 3:30 pm € 120/adult, € 90 teen/kid
• Multicolored tagliatelle (saffron, tomato, spinach) with a white sausage ragù
• Meatballs in tomato sauce
• Rice fritters
Andrea Bocelli week cooking class with wines from Bocelli family – prosecco, white wine and red wine on 21st, 22nd, 24th & 26th July at 3:30 pm €130/person
Halloween masquerade cooking class, Saturday 31st October 2026 at 3:30 pm, € 130/adult, € 90 teen/kid
• Bruschetta with new olive oil of the season
• Pumpkin gnocchi with a white sausage ragù and sesame seeds
• Pork fillet with porcini mushrooms
• Halloween biscuits with icing and decorations
• Boiled or roasted chestnuts
White truffle cooking class Tuesday 3rd and 17th November at 10:00 am, € 140/adult, € 100/teen, €70/kid
• Typical fried egg with truffle on bread fried with truffle butter
• Risotto with truffle and burrata OR Fresh pasta with truffle sauce OR Potato gnocchi with truffle sauce
• Chicken scaloppine with truffle sauce
• Pecorino cheese with truffle honey
Christmas cooking class with lunch, 15th, 22nd and 29th December at 10:00 am, € 130/adult, €90/teen, €60/kid
• Mushroom crostini, crostini with stracchino cheese and walnuts, liver pâté crostini, chef’s pickled veggies
• Ricotta and spinach cannelloni with tomato sauce
• Roast pork with traditional peas
• Ricciarelli, a traditional Italian almond cookie
This is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this class. Please, note that the specialties of the menu prepared at the class may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the class.
A plate of mixed bruschettas, topped with fresh tomatoes, cheese and sausage, arucola and lemon juice or simply extra virgin olive oil. Bruschettas are very common appetizers in all Italy and in Tuscany they are commonly called crostini. You can top grilled bread with almost anything that comes to your mind and served varied and […]
Cantuccini biscuits in Tuscany are one of the most common desserts. They are made of sugar, butter and eggs and they are refined with almonds. In some versions they have other dry nuts or chocolate. Outside of Italy they are also called “biscotti”.
The most common coffee ordered at Italian bars is espresso. Its quantity is very small and it is supposed to be nicely creamy on the top. Many Italians sip it quickly while standing at a bar, so not sitting or longly debating around it.
Pecorino cheese is the most famous cheese from Tuscany. It derives from sheep milk, from which the name comes: in Italian sheep is “pecora”. It can be fresh or long-aged and its taste can vary from mild to very sharp.
Boscaiola sauce is a very tasty topping for every kind of pasta. A base of Tuscan sausage, tomato paste and vegetables added with pine nuts, mushrooms and olives.
A delicious meat dish based on local free range chicken stewed in a base of several fresh vegetables and extra virgin olive oil, refined by seasonal tomatoes and finally dressed by Tuscan black olives. A nice and juicy serving which is ideal for the famous “scarpetta”…
Fresh hand-made ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta, topped with butter and sage and finished with parmesan cheese and black pepper! A masterpiece of Tuscan cuisine with the simplest and yet so delicious ingredients.
Ricciarelli are delicious cookies originated in Siena based on almonds and sugar. They are particularly appreciated by the Italians during the Christmas festivites and they are often gifted in decorated plates with a lovely layer of powdered sugar on top. They shall be refined with a little bit of liquor and they are served at […]
Delicious fresh tagliolini topped with a delicate butter topping and shaved fresh white or black truffle, depending on the season, and a bit of black pepper. One of the best way to appreciate truffles is by pairing them with egg-based pasta like tagliolini or tagliatelle. Often the addition of raw eggyolk makes them even creamier.
One of the best recipes to enjoy fresh truffles is on fried eggs. Truffles have a limited range of foods to be paired with and certainly eggs are among the best matchings for this rare underground mushroom. The ideal serving is on top of bruschetta bread fried in truffle butter.
A rich plate with several cold meats, cheese, bruschettas with assorted sauces and other Tuscan specialties, all finely flavored by black or white truffles of local production. It is a mixed appetizer typically served as part of our truffle-based lunch during the truffle experience tours we arrange in Tuscany.
The best extra virgin olive oil is made with fresh Tuscan olives immediately squeezed after the harvest at an oil mill. The most common olives for Tuscan olive oil are frantoio, leccino, frantoio and madremignola. EVOO is produced every year in October and November.
Tuscan white wines are often based on a typical grape called Vermentino, which provides strong minerality and freshness to the wines made with it. The area of San Gimignano provides the one and only white wine DOCG in Tuscany: Vernaccia. Other very common grapes for white wines in Tuscany are Trebbiano and Malvasia.
The Tuscan soil provides a wide variety of red wines, from easy-to-drink young table wines to full-body and robust riservas. Tuscan red wines are often based on Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo or Colorino grapes and sometimes on international grapes like Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah. The most curious experiements are recently involving Alicante and Tempranillo!
In our cooking class we like telling you a lot about Tuscan farms and farmers' cooking traditions, introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters.
You will have one of our guides as a language assistants and coordinator with you during the whole class. Please, see below all the guides and language assistants who can be with you.
During this experience you will also meet one of our Tuscan cooks who give you the cooking class. Please, see below which cooks you are likely to encounter.
Rita
guide
Rita
Manager at Rita's farm
Olá amigos! I am Rita, an enthusiastic collaborator of Arianna and Friends for many years now. I was born and raised in Porto (Portugal), but I have spent many years living in Tuscany. I got in love with Italy and especially with this region for several reasons. Many of them are the ones that make you visit it: healthy environment, good food and wine, magic sceneries...but let's be honest... I majorly got in love with a handsome Italian man! Together with my husband Aronne, pursuing our passion for nature and animals, I manage a small organic farm in the countryside of Montefoscoli, a little typical village 15 min far from Arianna and Friends' office, surprisingly full of history. Our most important production is organic extra virgin olive oil, which we use in every cooking class. You will also be enjoying some of our wine, vegetables and herbs. You can visit us not only for a cooking class, but also for an olive harvest and olive oil tasting, a picknick in our oakwood or just as a brief stop during your tour. Whenever you visit us my family will be welcoming you with joy! But most probably the first ones saying hello to you will be Elsa, our very friendly dog, hens, chicks and roosters, a donkey, and two cats! You will go back in time and learn how it was back here almost 200 years ago. I am looking forward to meeting you at Rita’s farm.
Cristiano
guide
Cristiano
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
My name is Cristiano, and I live just outside the walls of Pisa, not far from the Leaning Tower. When I was a child, I lived in Mexico with my family, where I attended an international school in English. I graduated from a linguistic high school and speak English, Spanish, and French. I also worked for many years as a travel agent and managed tourist reception activities in Morocco.
Since 2024, I have been part of the Arianna & Friends team. Passionate about traveling the world, I love meeting new people and exchanging experiences and stories with them. I’ve been told I am a very charming and fun person, and many of the cooking classes where I act as the story-teller end with me singing traditional Italian songs alongside the chef, and sometimes even with our guests! I’m energetic, love sharing entertaining stories, and enjoy laughing with our guests while introducing them to Tuscan recipes, culture, and lifestyle.
My role here also includes being a tour leader for e-bike and Vespa tours, and my favorite activity to lead, beyond cooking classes, is the hands-on cheese-making experience
In my free time, I play tennis, love traveling to Asia, and enjoy hiking through the Tuscan hills with my friends and my dog, Ciccio.
I look forward to welcoming you in Tuscany and sharing unforgettable moments together!
Alessandro
guide
Alessandro
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Buongiorno! My name is Alessandro. I was born and raised in a charming village near San Miniato, and I’ve spent my life immersed in the beauty of Tuscany. After traveling to England and Spain, I returned home to share my passion for my region. With years of experience in the hospitality industry, including roles in restaurants, hotels, and pubs, I’ve honed my skills in providing exceptional guest experiences. My sommelier training has deepened my knowledge of Tuscan wines and cuisine.
I am a thoughtful and patient person, always ready to solve problems and ensure every guest feels cared for and well looked after. Now, as a proud member of the Arianna & Friends team, I’m thrilled to share the stories and traditions of my homeland with visitors from around the world. Join me on a journey through the heart of Tuscany, where history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes come together.
Yvonne
guide
Yvonne
Tour leader and wine expert at Arianna & Friends'
Dé – people smile at me, when I say it
But this is what Livorno, my beloved port town at the Tuscan sea, did to me – it placed itself into my heart. My name is Yvonne, and I have been living in several places on the world, but Tuscany kept calling me …
and here I am.
I love the wind, the sea, good wine and nature. In one word: Tuscany.
I love to share my passion and expertise about wine as a gift of nature with people. It makes me happy, when I hear people laugh while they enjoy a stunning E-bike ride through the rolling Tuscan contryside. And I love seeing their eyes shine when they discover the fascinating transformation of olives into delicious extra virgin olive oil.
Let’s enjoy it together – as your travel companion and tour guide, I am happy to make you discover the hidden gems and dive into the vibes of Tuscany.
Luca
guide
Luca
Tour leader and websites content manager at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao Amici!! My name is Luca. I’m in my 40s and I’m probably one of the most energetic and fun-loving guides at Arianna & Friends
Like some of my colleagues, I have a multi-tasking role in the company. I am one of the content managers of our websites, especially during the winter, and when the season starts, I work as a tour leader.
Sometimes I also take care of bookings directly, and I often carry out site inspections to meet new collaborators and service providers, so we can be sure that every year the company offers new and interesting tours. From March to October, I lead almost all types of wine & food tours and cooking classes at Arianna & Friends. My favorites are truffle, olive oil, e-bike, and Vespa tours. Riding a Vespa through our wonderful hills is a must-do while in Tuscany, of course, only if you know how to ride a scooter!
When I started working for Arianna & Friends back in 2011, I was only able to prepare a very simple pasta al pomodoro (pasta with tomato sauce). Now, after so many years of cooking classes and thanks to our wonderful cooks, I am a very good chef (but please, don’t tell my wife!).
My motto is “Smile, you are in Tuscany.” I’m happy and very proud when I see people enjoying my country and having fun in Tuscany. Join us! Join me! Let’s have fun together!!
Ester
friend
Ester
Ciao, I'm Ester, one of the cooks of Arianna & Friends'. I've been working with them since the beginning of their adventure in 2007.
I love cooking together with people from all over the world, especially with young kids.
What I prefer to cook is pasta dishes, pizza and desserts, like for example the stunning cake I made to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary.
I live, like Davide (my nephew), in the little village of Lajatico, birthplace of Andrea Bocelli and from my home I can hear his voice and see something when Teatro del Silenzio takes place in July.
I live on a farm and I have chickens, rabbits, a large vegetable garden. I make my own olive oil and wine together with my family.
I hope to be able to cook with many of you in the years to come and teach you a lot of our typical Tuscan food.
Silvia
friend
Silvia
Ciao, I'm Silvia, one of the youngest cooks at Arianna & Friends'. Cooking is my real passion and I like to prepare any traditional dish both for visitors and for my family. I also love baking pizza as well as trying innovative food and special contemporary techniques, especially in my kitchen at home. When I started working for this company in 2018, I met an incredible team of collaborators and with them I finally feel joy and serenity in what I do. Any time I work as a cook I can breath freedom and this makes me happy.
As I really love the sea, in my free time I like being at the beach. I have a passion for travelling and being in the company of my friends. I could define myself as a "free spirit" with a big attraction to ... hats !!!
Looking forward to meet you all!
Paola
friend
Paola
Hi everybody! I am Paola, a talented cook who is never tired. I have been cooking all my life both privately and in the kitchens of a series of restaurants in the area I live in, near the central town of Empoli. I joined Arianna & Friends in early 2022 as the whole world was recovering from the difficult years of the pandemic and as the company was quickly restarting its operativity. I was very glad that I could join such a dynamic and friendly team and share with them all my knowledge and passion. I deal with cooking classes and chef services in all the region together with the various story-tellers and chef assistants who participate in the service. In my free time I enjoy cycling in the spectacular Tuscan hills that surround my home town. I can't wait to cook for you an unforgettable meal!
Carlo
friend
Carlo
Mi chiamo Carlo, the only "boy" among the chefs of Arianna & Friends. I am a cousin of Lorena, who has worked with the company for long now and who introduced me to them back in 2022. I live in Pontedera, home of Vespa, and I have been cooking all my life, since preparing delicious food has always been my great passion. In my working age I was an operator for an insurance company, so I know plenty of local people and I am very friendly and talkative. I then retired and decided to dedicate myself to the things I like the most: cooking and joining friends. I have limited English but miraculously all our guests can easily understand me through my body language and face expressions. I will be waiting for you for great barbecue dinners and traditional dishes of all kinds!
Margherita
friend
Margherita
Eccomi! My name is Margherita, mother of 2, who lives in Santa Croce sull'Arno. I was born and raised in the fantastic wine region of Fiano, Greco and Taurasi, namely some the best wines from the South of Italy. I have been living in Tuscany for decades and I have always cooked both for my families and for several restaurants. My very mild and sweet personality is able to create a very relaxed working ambience and my guests really appreciate this atmosphere. I am a curious person who likes learning and I am ready to share my knowledge with all visitors who take on a cooking class or a chef service. Grazie a tutti!
Mariagrazia
friend
Mariagrazia
Maria Grazia, in our team called MG, is a very positive thinking lady who works as a sous-chefs at Arianna & Friends, when she is not busy helping children get born. In fact she is also a professional
obstetrician! A nice irony in her character, combined with an intrinsic calm when working, create
an incredible effect during the services provided.
ACCESSIBILITY:
This activity does not present any particular physical challenges. However, if you have any accessibility needs — whether mobility-related, sensory, cognitive, or any other requirements — please let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you. LOCATION OF THE COOKING VENUE:
This cooking class takes place on a farm near the village of Peccioli, in central Tuscany, among Pisa, San Gimignano and Volterra. MEET-UP LOCATION:
Unless differently specified, the meeting point with the language assistant directly at the premises of the cooking school. Detailed information and road instructions will be provided at the booking stage. DURATION:
Our programs take from 2 to 3 hours for cooking and the rest for lunch/dinner and relaxation. Time for transportation not included. AVAILABILITY:
For the special cooking class see the details in the offer LANGUAGE:
This class is available in English DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Easy CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children CLOTHING:
No particular clothing required. FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The foods served during this cooking class might contain gluten, lactose, nuts and alcohol. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process. TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car or a scooter in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
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