This is a 5 star experience through and through! Everything about this 1/2 day class is unbelievable. Host and cooking lead, Manuela is a gem. She is friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable but most of all knows how to take your trip to Italy to another level! She immerses you in a full on sensory experience to cooking. Smelling ingredients, touching and understanding textures, seeing the freshness of ingredients and the rich colors, and finally tasting the fruits of your labor. Mmmmm. We opted for a regional class that featured Sicilian recipes and it was fantastic! We made a four course meal. One of the freshest meals I've ever had. Our food was down right mouth watering! You must must must go here when visiting Florence for a truly rich cultural and culinary experience. Loved this day more than I can capture in a review. read more

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OMG!! This review is long overdue!! We had the best time with Manuela and Simon. Was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!! Manuela was patient, informative, and humorous. Everything we made was explained very well, and best of all was delicious. I will forever remember this time, and look forward to utilizing the recipes back home. Highly recommend taking a class with them!! read more

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What a fun experience for the everyday American that thinks he/she is a cook. :) we can always be better. Manuela (Simon and Sophie) were fantastic hosts who brought us to this little farm, let us pick fresh from the garden ingredients and the help make/cook the lunch we ate later. Lunch was obviously fantastic with vineyard owner pairing wines with each course. Thank you Manuela! read more

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It's about a 20min bus ride to Cook Eat Italian from the city center of Florence. Imagine a cute little apartment kitchen but what cranked out of this quaint Italian kitchen was a whole lot of delicious homemade Italian food. 5 course meal with wine. Manuela was so patient with our group which included children and teens. Although at the end of the day I think we exhausted her. The food was amazing. Simple yet so much flavor and we helped make it. This was the best part of our trip to Italy and I would do it again when I come back! read more

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In 2018 we took the trip of my lifetime and traveled all throughout Italy, from Venice all the way down through Sicily. While in Florence we were fortunate enough to secure a last minute spot with Manuela. She had purchased the freshest ingredients from the farmers market the day before we arrived. We prepared spaghetti and ravioli, as well as three delicious sauces! Hands down not only one of the best experiences of the entire trip but what she so expertly and patiently taught us, will stay in use forever! Fast forward to 2020, we are still using the same recipes Manuela taught us in her kitchen. We try to make the time to make fresh pasta as she taught us at least every few months so we do not forget! I am now able to pass this instruction on to my daughter! It was an amazing experience and it was wonderful to meet Manuela, her husband, daughter and Mother. :-) read more

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I was not sure what we would be getting into when I booked cooking classes off the internet a couple of weeks in advance of our family's trip to Italy. Yes, the online testimonials were positive, but what else would they be? The classroom is actually the owners' home, a three story walk-up apartment in Florence's east end, about 2 KM from the Ponte Vecchio and pedestrian district. Manuela is the chef and lead instructor, and her husband Simon operates a great touring company (Slow Day in Tuscany... see my other Yelp review) that goes from town out into the Tuscan countryside. Manuela is an accomplished chef who specializes in many different varieties of Italian cuisine. We chose Tuscan for our lesson. The menu is only set the day of the lesson, as Manuela uses only fresh local ingredients bought that morning. We made tiramisu, a rosemary pork loin roast, pasta with mushrooms and Tuscan kale, and of course, plenty of chianti wine while we cooked. We sat down and ate the meal after 2 hours of hands-on lesson. The food was fantastic. At the end of the meal, we were presented certificates and print outs of the recipes. What made the experience special wasn't Manuela's expertise, or the great food and wine, but it was the intimate experience of cooking in Manuela's home. This isn't a staged kitchen, and the stove top and range aren't state of the art. It is a traditional Italian kitchen and home, complete with Nona and baby Alice in the other room. After spending four hours together, we felt like part of their family. The class limit is six, do mostly to space constraints. My girlfriend and three kids (19, 17 and 12) and I were the only customers. This was a special day that none of us will soon forget. read more

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I'm traveling with my daughter and she wanted to do a cooking class on our trip. I found Cook Eat Italian on Yelp and fortunately we were able to attend on short notice. Manuela is an excellent instructor and cook. My daughter is a vegetarian and two of the other people attending the class had food allergies. Manuela was able to alter the dishes to meet everyone's dietary needs. We made spaghetti with asparagus, gnocchi with tomato sauce, and three types of ravioli. After we finished making everything Manuela did the final preparations and served us an excellent lunch. read more

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If you're in Florence and have a few hours- TAKE THIS COOKING CLASS!! Manuela is so friendly and she really goes out of her way to make you feel comfortable and involved. My boyfriend and I took the pasta making class and we made 3 different pasta dishes: tagliatelle, ravioli, and spaghetti. And 3 different sauces: butter/gorgonzola, bolognese, and pancetta/artichoke. It was so much fun making pasta from fresh dough and using the different pasta machines. It was a lot of fun because we would talk about food, but also things about Florence and Italy in general. Her husband was also great to talk to and very welcoming! Our pasta dishes were SO DELICIOUSSS!! She sends you the recipes via e-mail, so I can not wait to try them here in the US. I am so happy that we found this class and decided to spend a day cooking with Manuela! read more

One word- INCREDIBLE. From beginning to end it was perfect. We did the classic cooking class which included fried zucchini blossom, spaghetti with sauce both from scratch, chicken cacciatore, tiramisu. There were only 4 of us in the class so we did most of the actual cooking which was nice. It's in her home/ kitchen which makes it a really fun experience to explore another neighborhood outside the city center. We even met her 2 daughters and husband who came home in the middle of the class. I feel like I left with a full belly and much more knowledge not only about cooking in Italy but the Italian culture. Highly highly recommend! read more

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We loved Manuela's cooking class! She was wonderfully friendly, a delightful teacher, and a talented chef. We also loved getting to eat the meal we made and sampling delicious wine choices from the vineyard with each course. This class was one of our favorite parts of our trip to Italy. Highly recommend! read more

My friend and I were on holiday in Florence and wanted to do a cooking class. After extensive research, we landed on Cook Eat Italian and reserved a 10am-2pm class with Manuela. This cooking class was night and day from a clinical, classroom-setting like a traditional cooking school. Instead, the class is held in the kitchen of Manuela's apartment in Florence with a cute little balcony off the kitchen. The experience was so authentic and homey. Manuela takes care of all of the details, from color-coordinated aprons and water glasses to locally sourced ingredients. Her English is excellent and there were no language barriers whatsoever. The class was limited to 6 guests and we had a great time getting to know our fellow classmates. Before the class, she inquired about dietary restrictions and tailored the menu accordingly. In my class, we cooked beer-battered zucchini flowers, chicken, fresh-made pasta with meat sauce, green beans, and tiramisu. Manuela instructed us to start with the meat sauce, which takes the longest, and maintained control over the pacing of the cooking. When it was time to eat, she poured us glasses of prosecco and we dined in her kitchen. The food was out of this world. Truly. After experiencing some of the best restaurants in Italy during my holiday, I can say that this meal was a standout. Plus, I had a hand in cooking it :) I highly recommend this class to anyone in Florence! The best day ever! read more

My daughter and I traveled to Italy to learn to cook as well as eat our way through. This class was one of many and the best overall experience by far. I wish it would have been one of the first we took, as I wouldve cancelled all others and taken all the classes she offers! We did the Tuscan Meal, it was AMAZING! Manuela's hospitality was a10+, her cooking skills 10+, the overall was exactly what we were looking for and more! read more

We had such an amazing time! We did the Day at the Farmhouse in Tuscany. First, it's at a farmhouse and vineyard that dates back to the 1300's (but only takes 20 mins to get there from downtown Florence). Then, we got started making 4 courses that included us picking fresh ingredients from the garden, learning to make pasta, changing the courses up to match what was in season (fig tiramisu anyone?!) and everyone getting a hand in the cooking. As the meatballs were simmering Simon (her husband) gave us a tour of the cellar, the fermentation room, and the surrounding area. Once we sat down to eat each course was paired with a wine from the farmhouse vineyard. I can not express how awesome this experience was - even my husband who views himself more as a chef than a cook thought it was awesome! read more

Hard to beat learning to cook Italian with Manuela in her kitchen with fresh ingredients. She was great with our 6, 12 and 14 year old kids. And the finished product was delicious. Just the experience we were after. I would strongly recommend her to anyone looking for an authentic experience in a personal and relaxed setting. read more

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An absolute MUST! This was one of our favorite memories from our honeymoon. A truly authentic experience to be in Manuela's home and learn her recipes. Not to mention the final result was an abundance of absolutely amazing pasta. We can't wait to test out the recipes at home and bring back to life all we experienced that wonderful afternoon in Florence. read more

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Manuela's class was one of our best experiences in Italy! It is organized and inclusive for everyone in the family. We made fried zucchini flowers, homemade spaghetti and tomato sauce, chicken cacciatore and tiramisu. We were five weary travelers who had just finished a whirlwind tour of two major Florence museums on a hot July day, but Manuela's kitchen was an oasis of sights and smells that melted away a busy day. Before we knew it, we were mixing, stirring and chopping our way to a delicious Italian four-course meal. The best way to describe Manuela is gently instructive and actively encouraging. Find your way to her tiny kitchen and enjoy big Italian flavors! read more

We had a wonderful experience during the Italian classics class. Manuela was very patient and helpful during our class. Her English is wonderful. We had a lot of delicious food to eat at the end of class. All the recipes were straightforward and could be used again at home. I can't wait to try out the recipes for my family! I highly recommend this class! read more

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One of the highlights of our Recent Italy trip. If you do one thing in Florence other than see David, take a cooking class with Manuela! Took a short bus ride out to the country where Manuela met us and walked us up the road to the delightful farmhouse vineyard. She taught us how to make pasta, meatballs (never to be served together!) tiramisu and more, I finally know how to cook an artichoke The delightful winemaker showed us his cellar, abut too wet to go to the vineyard itself. Suffice it to say we had fun, ate very well, enjoyed the wine so much that we each bought 4 bottles and some olive oil! This is a must do experience! read more

Our family had a wonderful time cooking with Manuela. The experience provided us with a nice alternative to daily sightseeing and gave us an opportunity to learn some new recipes! As you're planning your trip to Florence, I would certainly schedule some time to cook with Manuela. It was the highlight of our trip. read more

Cook Eat Italian - Cooking Schools Near Me - Florence, FI

I, my husband and our twin 6 year old sons attended Manuela's pasta making class. We wanted to experience a class that taught us about fresh pasta making that was not boring for our small children. Upfront communication and coordination with Manuela was simple-she was extremely responsive to email and gave us clear instruction on where she was located. Parking was also easy...free, street parking right by her apartment was very convenient! Manuela was really great at explaining the different recipes and methods to pasta making, while making it into a fun experience for the kids. She had the freshest ingredients available which of course made the food absolutely delicious!! Her recipes were classic pasta recipes that were easy to follow, we felt confident we could immediately duplicate what we learned at home. Manuela was thorough, patient, and very good about explaining what we were doing , why and how. She also explained each of the tools we were using (we immediately ordered a Chitarra pasta maker for ourselves!) Overall, an incredible experience for our family...we highly recommend taking classes with Manuela. I also have to mention we met her husband, Simon, and enjoyed a wonderful lunch and conversation together. Thank you for everything, Manuela and Simon! read more

Definitely take a class from Manuela. One of the highlights of my trip. Take a break from the museums and enjoy being in a real Italian kitchen. Learn how to cook an authentic Italian meal with Manuela who is very professional yet very warm & fun. Can't what to share what I learned from her with family & friends. read more

This was an incredible and unforgettable experience while in Florence! Manuela was a great instructor - and helped us create a delicious and fresh meal including fried zucchini blossoms, artichoke pasta, chicken cacciatore, and tiramisu. The entire evening was well executed, the food turned out incredible, and we all learned a lot of cooking tricks for the future. Thanks for such a great culinary experience! read more

This was one of our most memorable meals and experiences while in Florence. My husband, and two teenagers (16 and 18) cooked in Manuela's lovely kitchen. She has small cooking groups and that particular day, two people did not show so we had a private cooking lesson! We lucked out!! The four hours flew by. She was informative, patient and the pacing was perfect! At the end, we made ravioli, tri-colore pasta and spaghetti along with three delicious sauces. We enjoyed a meal together with a bottle of prosecco. I highly recommend this class as it is personalized, very hands-on and so practical. We left her home feeling like we could cook these meals at home. We were right; since we've been back, we have made fettuccine, tomato basil sauce and meat sauce. I would not hesitate to book her class. It is well worth it! We will be back to take her other classes one day soon! Thank you Manuela!! Note: we are from San Francisco and we are foodies- her recipes will not disappoint! :) read more

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My family spent a wonderful day with Slow Day. Half of us wanted to cook, and half wanted a wine tour, and Manuela and Simon graciously made that work for us. At mid day, after our wine tour, we went back to the farmhouse in beautiful Tuscany where our family members had spent the morning cooking, and we all enjoyed a delicious and unusual lunch together. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Italy, and is highly recommended. read more

This was one of my family's favorite memories from our recent trip to Italy. I have two young daughters (5&8) and Manuela was so wonderful with them and included them in every step of the process too. The recipes are simple and so delicious. Manuela is a great teacher and had so many tips to go along with the recipes. We will be making these recipes for years to come. Thank you so much, Manuela! read more

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Amazing dinner in Florence! It was my favorite in all of Italy. She was super accommodating to both mine and my bf's food preference. Initially we were suppose to make roasted pork but since I don't eat pork, she changed her menu around so I would be able to eat and enjoy the food we prepared as well. We made amazing meatballs and made our own fresh pasta as well. Since one of the sauces had pancetta in the dishes she helped me learned how to make this amazing gorgonzola sauce with pistachios! If you have time in Florence, please book a class with Manuela. You will not be disappointed. read more

Awesome class! Truly a small group experience! Some of the other "small-group" classes had up to 25-30 people in it. No more than 6 I believe for this and we got lucky and were the only two for our class so we got private lessons!! She's great to learn from and you get hands on experience with everything instead of sharing it with a larger table group. Great authentic experience. One of our favourite things we did in Florence! read more

This was hands down / hands on one of the best things we did in Italy! We loved our fresh pasta cooking class in Manuela's kitchen. From the fresh tomatoes to her Sicilian secrets, the class was amazing and eating what we cooked was even better. I certainly recommend this for anyone looking to feel that you had a local connection in Florence. This is not an industrial, professional, stainless steel kitchen. She teaches in her home, picks fresh basil from her balcony and shows you the kitchen secrets of a passionate Italian chef. When we returned to the States, one of the first things we did was go to the local market, get fresh asparagus, find 00 flour and semolina and make her pasta with asparagus cream. Fantastic. She and her family are amazing. Highly recommend. read more

Cooking with Manuela was such a joy! I understood so much more about sauce and pasta pairings and the details of pasta-making.

My wife and I had an incredible experience with Manuela's cooking class. We lucked out and were the only two enrolled for the class we did. We not only made an incredible meal (the best we had during our trip to Italy), but also had a great time talking with Manuela. She is extremely professional and was great to talk with. She shared her home with us and really made sure we had a great experience. We think doing a cooking class with her is a MUST if you're planning a trip to Florence. It was the best cooking class we have done. A truly authentic meal and experience. read more

A rainy day in Firenze spent in Manuela's kitchen was the best memory of our trip to Florance. Manuelas thoughtful class was a perfect intro to making pasta. Our day was so ideal I actually teared up watching my husband and son rolling out sheets of pasta and cutting them as a team. In her lovely apartment kitchen we made 4 types of pasta and homemade sauces for lunch. The delicious leftovers were lovingly packed up for us and we enjoyed them for dinner in our bnb. If you miss taking a class with this wonderful chef you are missing a totally authentic Italian experience. We continue to use the instructions provided by Manuela to create pasta in our own home together. I dream of returning to Florance and cooking in the warmth of Manuela's kitchen again very soon. read more

We had the best experience this summer at Cook Eat Italian. Manuela taught our family of 5 and 1 other person to make 3 types of pasta and the delicious sauces to go with them. We each had "jobs" of helping make the dough, cutting the pasta, as well as, putting the tomatoes through a food mill for the authentic marinara sauce. With this hands on experience, it will help us make the yummy recipes at our home. Manuela's cooking class was one of our most favorite parts of our trip to Italy. This is the class for you, so book it today! :) read more

My husband and I did a cooking class with Manuela a few days before Christmas. It was the most wonderful experience and the perfect time of year to cook up warm, delicious Italian food with the cool weather outside. Manuela's home is so incredibly charming! The experience was so authentic and wonderful, we decided this class was our favorite part of our whole 3 week trip to Italy! We made spinach and ricotta ravioli, spaghetti with pancetta and chocolate cannolis. The food was to DIE for and was the most fresh tasting Italian food we have ever had. Making the spaghetti noodles was the best part! Manuela is the absolute sweetest woman and so patient and thorough. We enjoyed prosecco together with Manuela while we waited for the noodles cook up and then we all enjoyed our delicious dinner together. We HIGHLY recommend taking a cooking class with Manuela if you want a true, authentic, cozy experience! We cannot wait to take another trip to Florence, we will definitely be back to visit Manuela again! read more

My mom and I had a wonderful pasta making lesson wth Manuela on our trip to Florence. Manuela is a wonderful teacher--patient and knowledgeable, and a true lover of food and people. Her warm and inviting kitchen and her manner put us at ease immediately and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as we got to "work" cooking with incredibly fresh ingredients and all the tools and gadgets necessary. She also graciously offered to invite my niece (who is a student studying abroad in Florence) to join us to eat the bounty of pasta dishes we had cooked. I highly recommend Manuela's cooking class to anyone visiting Florence as an experience not to be missed. read more

My husband and I did a private pasta making class with Manuela while on our honeymoon. It was a magical experience that we will always remember! I actually booked this class as a surprise for my husband, who loves to cook. He had never been to Florence and wanted a local connection to the city and its residents. Manuela certainly delivered. My husband was smiling ear-to-ear during the entire class. She taught us how to make several different types of pasta and sauces from scratch, which we enjoyed for lunch after the cooking was done. She surprised us with a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate our marriage and served us some tiramisu for dessert! I cannot say enough good things about our experience or Manuela. She is wonderful teacher and someone we will always remember. Thank you, Manuela, for making our honeymoon so special. read more

There's no place like home. Being in Manuela's own home and learning to cook in her kitchen was truly a highlight of our trip. We got some great cooking tips, had a delicious meal and enjoyed spending time with Manuela. We got to meet her husband and kids too. Felt like family, which is wonderful as a tourist. We will make these recipes now in our own home and fondly think back to our Tuscan cooking class! read more

Before we left for Italy, we found Cook Eat Italian and signed up for the most wonderful cooking experience!! It was a hands on class as she walked us thru the various steps. We can't wait to put our cooking skills to work now that we have gotten home and invite family & friends. Thanks Manuela for the wonderful experience!! read more

Attending this class was the best decision my wife and I made during our time to Firenze. We love to cook and experiment with different cuisines. We were pleasantly surprised that the class was held in the instructor's actual home. Manuella was so warm and inviting. All the ingredients were on the table as we arrived, so we snapped a few photos while waiting on the last guest to arrive. She enthusiastically walked us through the dishes, making sure that we understood the importance of each little step. She was also perceptive. If I appeared to have a question about a subtle step (but maybe a tad reluctant to ask), she picked up on it immediately and explained the rationale. The dishes were very tasty, and I'll never forget the little tips she taught us. Because of this class, my wife and I will attend cooking classes in every country we visit from now on. read more

We were in Florence celebrating my 50th birthday and decided it would be great fun to do a cooking class. We were a little last minute, but Manuela was extremely accommodating. We had an absolute blast--and we learned a ton. There were 2 other couples with us, and we all had a lot of fun while watching, learning and TASTING all of the AMAZING dishes Manuela helped us prepare. Don't hesitate--she is great. read more

I am such a fan of Manuela!! I have taken her class two times now. 3 years ago and last month and I would not hesitate to take it again when I am in Florence. I love the experience of being in a home kitchen with a genuinely nice person who loves to cook and share her love of cooking. I have made her tiramisu recipes many times and it is loved by all. read more