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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Mariella

Catania, Italy

USD
$132-$214 per person

Sicilian cooking class in Catania in a local home

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

Meet Mariella

Mariella was born and raised in Catania, and after working in the confectionery and gift sector for 35 years, she has now decided to dedicate herself to her family and to cooking. She is so excited to share her passion for food with travelers visiting Italy, who are curious to learn about the culture through food. At Mariella’s home you will get glimpse into Sicilian cuisine, an expression of art influenced by the historical, cultural and religious events that have taken place over centuries on the island. From the Greeks - with their passion for fish, olives and pistachios, to the Romans - with their cultivation of wheat and grapes and to the Arabs - for introducing couscous. Gastronomy has always been an integral part of the Sicilian identity and through this experience you will learn all about the local ingredients, cooking techniques, cultural traditions and family recipes.

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.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Mariella’s home is located in the historic center of Catania, with beautiful sea views from her kitchen. It is walking distance from the main squares in the historic center. During your 3-hour Sicilian cooking class, learn to prepare two dishes from scratch. Your Catania cooking lesson will be hands-on, and you will cook together a pasta dish and an appetizer or a dessert. You might learn to cook linguine with mussels or spaghetti with cuttlefish or pappardelle with clams or pasta alla norma and aubergine parmigiana or caponata or dessert. The dishes you will prepare will depend on the season and what is available in the market, as Mariella likes to use fresh, local and seasonal produce. She will share her family recipes and the tips and tricks to cook a traditional Italian meal, that you will later enjoy with some local Sicilian wine.

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Meet Mariella at Piazza Duomo and then walk to the neighborhood fish market in Catania. Visit Mariella's favorite vendors and help her buy fish and other ingredients needed for your cooking class. She will introduce you to the local ingredients and also teach you how to choose fresh produce. After the market tour walk through the historic district before getting back to Mariella's home for your cooking class and meal experience.

Notes: Maria speaks limited English but she will have a friend or guide present who can speak English, French and Spanish. The cost of your experience includes two glasses of local Sicilian wine.

Languages spoken: English, Italian, French, Spanish

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.
  • Appetizer: Caponata with eggplant (salad) or Parmigiana (baked dish with sauce and cheese)
  • Main Course: Pasta alla norma (eggplant pasta) or Pasta with fish
  • Dessert: Cannoli with ricotta or Biancomangiare (milk pudding)
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Mariella

$132-$214 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
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $148 $132
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $214 $198
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $148 $132
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $214 $198
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:30am-3:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-2:30pm

Meet Mariella

Mariella was born and raised in Catania, and after working in the confectionery and gift sector for 35 years, she has now decided to dedicate herself to her family and to cooking. She is so excited to share her passion for food with travelers visiting Italy, who are curious to learn about the culture through food. At Mariella’s home you will get glimpse into Sicilian cuisine, an expression of art influenced by the historical, cultural and religious events that have taken place over centuries on the island. From the Greeks - with their passion for fish, olives and pistachios, to the Romans - with their cultivation of wheat and grapes and to the Arabs - for introducing couscous. Gastronomy has always been an integral part of the Sicilian identity and through this experience you will learn all about the local ingredients, cooking techniques, cultural traditions and family recipes.

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.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Mariella’s home is located in the historic center of Catania, with beautiful sea views from her kitchen. It is walking distance from the main squares in the historic center. During your 3-hour Sicilian cooking class, learn to prepare two dishes from scratch. Your Catania cooking lesson will be hands-on, and you will cook together a pasta dish and an appetizer or a dessert. You might learn to cook linguine with mussels or spaghetti with cuttlefish or pappardelle with clams or pasta alla norma and aubergine parmigiana or caponata or dessert. The dishes you will prepare will depend on the season and what is available in the market, as Mariella likes to use fresh, local and seasonal produce. She will share her family recipes and the tips and tricks to cook a traditional Italian meal, that you will later enjoy with some local Sicilian wine.

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Meet Mariella at Piazza Duomo and then walk to the neighborhood fish market in Catania. Visit Mariella's favorite vendors and help her buy fish and other ingredients needed for your cooking class. She will introduce you to the local ingredients and also teach you how to choose fresh produce. After the market tour walk through the historic district before getting back to Mariella's home for your cooking class and meal experience.

Notes: Maria speaks limited English but she will have a friend or guide present who can speak English, French and Spanish. The cost of your experience includes two glasses of local Sicilian wine.

Languages spoken: English, Italian, French, Spanish

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.
  • Appetizer: Caponata with eggplant (salad) or Parmigiana (baked dish with sauce and cheese)
  • Main Course: Pasta alla norma (eggplant pasta) or Pasta with fish
  • Dessert: Cannoli with ricotta or Biancomangiare (milk pudding)
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $148 $132
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $214 $198
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $148 $132
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $214 $198
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:30am-3:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-2:30pm
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.