Cookies! They are not just something we eat. This site uses cookies so we can provide you the best user experience and deliver advertising and offers that are relevant to you. To read more about our cookie policy, including how to change your cookie settings, please read our Privacy and Cookie Policy. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our cookie policy.
I accept
VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Viviana

Asti, Italy

USD
$120-$149 per person

Traditional Italian cooking on a sustainable farm, using foraged wild herbs

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Viviana

Vivi has a PhD in Natural Sciences and has incredible know-how on the functioning of biological systems in the fields of health and the environment. As a woman-of-the-earth, her heart is committed to doing things in a sustainable way and is known as an expert in the field of herbs. She grows her own herbs, fruits and vegetables and uses organic ingredients that nature provides us with. Vivi was raised in the Piemonte region, where she learned to cook northern Italian cuisine, and her mother who hails from Sicily taught her the flavors of the south. She has a special eye for identifying what the land can provide us, and Vivi will teach you to identify the things around you that provide you vitamins, and rich flavors in your diet. Everyone who cares about the earth and sustainable practices, should visit Vivi!

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: (1-4 guests) Vivi’s beautiful home is located on the hills of Piemonte, surrounded by vineyards and farms in every direction. Your experience will start with a welcome drink and an introduction to the location ‘la casa delle erbe’ - the house of herbs! Then walk around the house and the garden to collect ingredients that you will use in your cooking class - wild herbs and home grown vegetables. Later cook with the ingredients you foraged from the farm, before sitting at the dining table to enjoy a few dishes from Siciliano e Piemontese. Vivi teaches you how to start the consumption process while you're looking for the plants, breathing in their deep perfumes, then you chop them and chew them with attentiveness to enjoy the energy provided from the land. You will try a mix of rich salad greens foraged from Vivi's land along with a main dish.

Cooking experience: (1-4 guests) Learn to cook northern Italian food during this cooking class on Viviana's farm. During your cooking class, you will have the opportunity to learn how to cook herbs in the most appropriate way, highlighting their flavor and properties. Some herbs are good eaten raw, others boiled or simply cooked in a pan; it all depends on their taste (bitter or sweet) and consistency (tender or fibrous). You will also learn about the health benefits of all the ingredients used in the cooking process! This class can be enjoyed by all - experienced or novice cooks, adults or children.

Market visit: (1-4 guests) You will not be going to a local market, but will visit Vivi's sustainable farm and forage for ingredients for your meal together with her. This will be an hour and half-long tour, where Vivi will show you her chickens, wild plants, vegetable gardens and fruit trees - hazelnut, cherry, apricot etc. She will introduce you to all the sustainable practices she employs on the farm, like enriching the soil through replanting. You will also learn how she creates a healthy ecosystem that fosters growth. Then you will forage wild herbs and vegetables, as Vivi explains the properties and traditional uses of the plants you encounter. By the end of the tour you will learn a lot about wild herbs and how to forage them. Vivi will teach you to easily recognize wild herbs, using all five senses.

Notes: Please note that it is a little bit chilly in Vivi's house, but a warm sweater does the trick! Also, the bathroom is upstairs, so it's important for anyone who goes on this experience to be able to climb a flight of stairs. And as you'll be foraging wild herbs and vegetable on the farm, it is preferable if you wear comfortable shoes.

Languages spoken: English, French, 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.
  • Main: Homemade pasta 'alla chitarra' or gnocchi with natural and healthy ingredients
  • Side: Fresh vegetables and wild herbs
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Vivi! She's a bright light of sunshine and has incredible energy. She is a free spirit who is generous in sharing. Her smile and enthusiasm are infectious and her passion for the earth's natural systems gets you thinking in a whole different way about agriculture. Vivi generously shares her passion and knowledge. She helps you to appreciate the power and health in the land. She teaches you the importance of the steps, of textures and colors, and helps you to slow down and chew every mouthful. Not only is her food delicious, but it has a magical aura to it. From the tea and cookies that she welcomes you with, the fresh eggs that we picked from under her hens, the delicious risotto filled with so many delicious vitamins! We learned so much, had a blast getting to know Vivi and enjoyed the flavors of the earth with her. Thanks for teaching us to listen to the land and to our bodies a little bit more.

Alex and Mike, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (4)
My boyfriend and I decided to take a cooking class and when we saw the words "sustainable farm" and "forage" we knew we had found the right one. Vivi was such a wonderful host and so passionate about what she does. We met the animals around the farm and got to work identifying and foraging our herbs (definitely make sure to wear pants and t shirt, you're going to be on your hands and knees plucking the perfect herbs from the dirt). Once we finished collecting our herbs, Vivi explained all the different properties and uses of each. She assigned us various tasks-homemade bread, herb and egg salad (this might have been my favorite dish), vegetable soup, and pasta with a delicious, light tomato sauce- everything except the flour came from her farm! The class is supposed to last about 4 hours or so, but we were all having such a wonderful time enjoying each others company, that we must have spent 6-7 hours just talking and eating. This is not your conventional cooking class, but we had the most amazing experience. Vivi even sent us home with some seeds to plant in our own garden back home. Definitely recommend for anyone looking to do something off the beaten track!
- Alek K February 16, 2024
It was such a great experience. One thing was the philosophy of Vivi how she is gardering. If you're interested in a sustainable way to live and work in your garden, Vivi is an expert. Secondly, we liked her passion for herbs and cooking. We collected almost all the ingredients for our dinner in the garden. While collecting the herbs and vegetables she was sharing a lot of useful information to all the plants in the garden. Then we cooked together. Easy style, Italian way and healthy. Very much in touch with the nature. We learned a lot. And then there is Vivi as a person... very unusual, very, very kind and full of intersting ideas. Thank you, Vivi. You are an inspritation!
- K9279Z November 11, 2023
Viviane is very enthusiastic and really committed to her ambition to live her life in a different and sustainable way. And very much sharing her ideas and practice with others.
- Hans_v February 23, 2023
Bring an open mind, an open heart, and an open stomach - Vivi will feed all three. Vivi, as her name describes, imbues life in her garden of Eden. Her quaint home is extremely welcoming and a wonderful place to have a home-cooked meal with an old friend that it feels you haven't seen in a long time. Not only will you connect with Vivi but with the Italian countryside - even the taste of familiar foods will feel new and you will gain an understanding of your relationship with food. We consider ourselves to be richer for the experience we had with Vivi and would highly recommend to anyone.
- danielle January 02, 2023
51ee57fd 8210 4be4 bb89 76bfd755d133

Viviana

$120-$149 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+ ppl
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $149 $120 Not offered
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $149 $120 Not offered
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-2:30pm 3:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Viviana

Vivi has a PhD in Natural Sciences and has incredible know-how on the functioning of biological systems in the fields of health and the environment. As a woman-of-the-earth, her heart is committed to doing things in a sustainable way and is known as an expert in the field of herbs. She grows her own herbs, fruits and vegetables and uses organic ingredients that nature provides us with. Vivi was raised in the Piemonte region, where she learned to cook northern Italian cuisine, and her mother who hails from Sicily taught her the flavors of the south. She has a special eye for identifying what the land can provide us, and Vivi will teach you to identify the things around you that provide you vitamins, and rich flavors in your diet. Everyone who cares about the earth and sustainable practices, should visit Vivi!

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: (1-4 guests) Vivi’s beautiful home is located on the hills of Piemonte, surrounded by vineyards and farms in every direction. Your experience will start with a welcome drink and an introduction to the location ‘la casa delle erbe’ - the house of herbs! Then walk around the house and the garden to collect ingredients that you will use in your cooking class - wild herbs and home grown vegetables. Later cook with the ingredients you foraged from the farm, before sitting at the dining table to enjoy a few dishes from Siciliano e Piemontese. Vivi teaches you how to start the consumption process while you're looking for the plants, breathing in their deep perfumes, then you chop them and chew them with attentiveness to enjoy the energy provided from the land. You will try a mix of rich salad greens foraged from Vivi's land along with a main dish.

Cooking experience: (1-4 guests) Learn to cook northern Italian food during this cooking class on Viviana's farm. During your cooking class, you will have the opportunity to learn how to cook herbs in the most appropriate way, highlighting their flavor and properties. Some herbs are good eaten raw, others boiled or simply cooked in a pan; it all depends on their taste (bitter or sweet) and consistency (tender or fibrous). You will also learn about the health benefits of all the ingredients used in the cooking process! This class can be enjoyed by all - experienced or novice cooks, adults or children.

Market visit: (1-4 guests) You will not be going to a local market, but will visit Vivi's sustainable farm and forage for ingredients for your meal together with her. This will be an hour and half-long tour, where Vivi will show you her chickens, wild plants, vegetable gardens and fruit trees - hazelnut, cherry, apricot etc. She will introduce you to all the sustainable practices she employs on the farm, like enriching the soil through replanting. You will also learn how she creates a healthy ecosystem that fosters growth. Then you will forage wild herbs and vegetables, as Vivi explains the properties and traditional uses of the plants you encounter. By the end of the tour you will learn a lot about wild herbs and how to forage them. Vivi will teach you to easily recognize wild herbs, using all five senses.

Notes: Please note that it is a little bit chilly in Vivi's house, but a warm sweater does the trick! Also, the bathroom is upstairs, so it's important for anyone who goes on this experience to be able to climb a flight of stairs. And as you'll be foraging wild herbs and vegetable on the farm, it is preferable if you wear comfortable shoes.

Languages spoken: English, French, 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.
  • Main: Homemade pasta 'alla chitarra' or gnocchi with natural and healthy ingredients
  • Side: Fresh vegetables and wild herbs
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Vivi! She's a bright light of sunshine and has incredible energy. She is a free spirit who is generous in sharing. Her smile and enthusiasm are infectious and her passion for the earth's natural systems gets you thinking in a whole different way about agriculture. Vivi generously shares her passion and knowledge. She helps you to appreciate the power and health in the land. She teaches you the importance of the steps, of textures and colors, and helps you to slow down and chew every mouthful. Not only is her food delicious, but it has a magical aura to it. From the tea and cookies that she welcomes you with, the fresh eggs that we picked from under her hens, the delicious risotto filled with so many delicious vitamins! We learned so much, had a blast getting to know Vivi and enjoyed the flavors of the earth with her. Thanks for teaching us to listen to the land and to our bodies a little bit more.

Alex and Mike, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (4)
My boyfriend and I decided to take a cooking class and when we saw the words "sustainable farm" and "forage" we knew we had found the right one. Vivi was such a wonderful host and so passionate about what she does. We met the animals around the farm and got to work identifying and foraging our herbs (definitely make sure to wear pants and t shirt, you're going to be on your hands and knees plucking the perfect herbs from the dirt). Once we finished collecting our herbs, Vivi explained all the different properties and uses of each. She assigned us various tasks-homemade bread, herb and egg salad (this might have been my favorite dish), vegetable soup, and pasta with a delicious, light tomato sauce- everything except the flour came from her farm! The class is supposed to last about 4 hours or so, but we were all having such a wonderful time enjoying each others company, that we must have spent 6-7 hours just talking and eating. This is not your conventional cooking class, but we had the most amazing experience. Vivi even sent us home with some seeds to plant in our own garden back home. Definitely recommend for anyone looking to do something off the beaten track!
- Alek K February 16, 2024
It was such a great experience. One thing was the philosophy of Vivi how she is gardering. If you're interested in a sustainable way to live and work in your garden, Vivi is an expert. Secondly, we liked her passion for herbs and cooking. We collected almost all the ingredients for our dinner in the garden. While collecting the herbs and vegetables she was sharing a lot of useful information to all the plants in the garden. Then we cooked together. Easy style, Italian way and healthy. Very much in touch with the nature. We learned a lot. And then there is Vivi as a person... very unusual, very, very kind and full of intersting ideas. Thank you, Vivi. You are an inspritation!
- K9279Z November 11, 2023
Viviane is very enthusiastic and really committed to her ambition to live her life in a different and sustainable way. And very much sharing her ideas and practice with others.
- Hans_v February 23, 2023
Bring an open mind, an open heart, and an open stomach - Vivi will feed all three. Vivi, as her name describes, imbues life in her garden of Eden. Her quaint home is extremely welcoming and a wonderful place to have a home-cooked meal with an old friend that it feels you haven't seen in a long time. Not only will you connect with Vivi but with the Italian countryside - even the taste of familiar foods will feel new and you will gain an understanding of your relationship with food. We consider ourselves to be richer for the experience we had with Vivi and would highly recommend to anyone.
- danielle January 02, 2023
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $149 $120 Not offered
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $149 $120 Not offered
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-2:30pm 3:00pm-8:00pm
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.