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Host: Patrizia

Florence, Italy

USD
$162-$180 per person

Learn to Cook Fresh Pasta and Traditional Tuscan Dishes in Central Florence

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

Meet Patrizia

Patrizia is a cookbook author and wine and food journalist who is an expert on traditional Italian food products. She writes for three National Magazines and has traveled all around Italy and Europe to discover the highest quality food products. Patrizia’s mother was from Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s most important region for traditional home made pasta, and she learned to hand-make pastas such as tagliatelle as a young child. Patrizia’s passion for food and cooking led her to start teaching cooking lessons in her home. She says, “I love to teach cooking classes and I love to meet new people. I'm curious about different ways of living and different cultures.”

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: (2-4 guests) Join Patrizia at her family’s apartment located in the center of Florence in a traditional building of the area built in 1759. In your hands-on lesson, Patrizia will teach you traditional Italian dishes from Florence and Italy’s Emilia Romagna Region. You will prepare an appetizer, a first course, typically a fresh pasta like tagliatelle, ravioli, or gnocchi, a second course of meat, and dessert. Patrizia specializes in seasonal dishes that bring out the flavors of the region – in the summer you might enjoy sauces with fresh tomatoes, or in winter months you might enjoy seasonal winter vegetables like artichokes. Your cooking lesson will last about 2 ½ hours; after you finish cooking, sit down together to enjoy your meal and some delicious Italian wine in a local home. Patrizia’s 23-year old daughter may join you for your meal, when she is back home, as she lives in Pisa where she is studying at the University. Patrizia is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Florence. She can also accommodate vegetarian diet in her Italian cooking class.

Market visit: (2-4 guests) Meet your host Patrizia at a coffee bar near the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Walk together through this lively market in the historical center of Florence. Patrizia will walk you through the market pointing out some of her favorite vendors and food products and you will select fresh products that you will bring home together to use during your cooking lesson. Your market tour will last about one hour, after which you will walk about 15 minutes back to Patrizia’s home to begin your cooking lesson and meal.

Notes: Please note the market is closed on Sundays, and market tours are not offered on this day. Please also note that if you select a market tour there will be a small amount of walking, about 15 minutes, back to Patrizia’s home, so you should wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for some light exercise. Patrizia lives on the second floor of an apartment building so you will need to climb some stairs to enter her home. The price includes alcohol (up to two glasses of local wine).

Languages spoken: Italian English, French

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.
  • Artichoke and Parmigiano Reggiano Salad
  • Pasta Course: Tagliatelle with Porcini, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Butter and Sage, Gnocchi with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil, or other seasonally appropriate pasta course
  • Main Course: Chicken Cacciatore (traditional Tuscan dish with tomato sauce and black olives), Scottiglia (traditional Italian meat stew with vegetables) or leek flan
  • Dessert: Tiramisu or Strawberry Mousse
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Patrizia was lovely and, like any true Italian, very easy to talk to. We covered a wide variety of topics beyond just cooking during our morning together. I have been to the markets in Florence many times – I even give tours to students – and I learned SO much from her. She really REALLY knows her stuff. The market people knew her and let us try some of the items and it felt very authentic to basically decide what we were going to eat on the spot, based on what looked good, and then head home with our bounty… I LOVED making the pasta. I really so enjoyed that. I have seen it done so many times and realized I never really got to do it myself. The whole process is so satisfying and as Patrizia said, which I now completely agree with, there’s cooking and then there’s making pasta. They really are two different things. Making pasta is like knitting. It is therapeutic and relaxing. We talked about cooking but in the way you do with your favorite aunt, mixed with life lessons and little Italian sayings and tid-bits – one of my favorite things Patrizia told me is that when you make pasta there is a certain flour/egg ratio and you almost always make an amount that uses 4 eggs. That is just a good standard size, not too little and not too much. So people used to say instead of “Oh I am making fresh pasta tonight for dinner” they would say, “I am making 4 eggs of pasta!” Patrizia was just lovely. I am now fully invested in getting a pasta maker at home!

Kellin, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (6)
Patrizia was a wonderful host! She had many interesting stories to entertain my daughters while we cooked a delicious meal. Highly recommend this experience!
- Pam_L June 24, 2023
We went to Patrizia's apartment in Florence for a wonderful evening of cooking and eating. She guided us through all of the preparations for Tiramisu, fresh pasta and a delicious chicken and vegetable dish. Patrizia was delightful to spend time with and she gave us so many great tips for making fresh pasta and selecting the right ingredients. We all sat down together to enjoy the wonderful meal.
- jodic708 April 28, 2023
My husband and I had our honeymoon in Italy this past spring and were lucky enough to book Patrizia's Tuscan cooking class. The class began by meeting her at her local farmer's market and picking out the food we would use for our recipes. The produce was the freshest produce we had ever come across, everything fruit and vegetable was vibrantly colored and smelled amazing. We ended up making three different courses and she had appetizers for us to munch on while we cooked and wine to pair with our meal. Patrizia was such a gem to learn from, she was friendly, inviting, and so knowledgeable of everything culinary. My husband and I agree that this was one of our favorite things we did while in Italy and would absolutely dine with Patrizia again. Upon leaving she sent us an email that included recipes for each of the dishes we made and even included recommendations for some of the olive oils and cooking utensils we used with cooking with her. We loved Patrizia and will forever remember this cooking experience.
- Jesus December 27, 2022
My husband, parents and I very much enjoyed this cooking experience. Patrizia was wonderful and we had so much fun learning from her and cooking in her apartment. Dinner was delicious and it was really nice to have this opportunity to interact with a local resident of Florence and to have a break from museums and restaurants. This was a highlight of our trip and I would absolutely recommend adding this to your Florence itinerary.
- Sarah G October 07, 2018
Patrizia Cantini is an absolute Tuscan treasure and Traveling Spoon is one of the coolest destination activity companies to come along in a long time. We met Patrizia in her apartment (built in the 1750s but not "architecturally significant" as she explained it... lol) in central Florence just blocks from the Duomo. Patrizia had been to the market that morning and after introductions we moved to her kitchen and took part in an amazing food and cultural experience. Everyone chipped in and helped to prepare a wonderful Tuscan lunch of homemade tagliatelle and pomodoro sauce, an herbed pork tenderloin wrapped in fresh pancetta, fried zucchini blossoms (our new favorite thing and what Patrizia calls the ultimate Italian finger food) and tiramisu. She selected a perfect local red wine and prosecco to toast my wife's recent birthday to tie everything together.Patrizia is a noted food and wine journalist, so her perspective and stories about Tuscan food, cooking and Tuscan life in general were fantastic. From tips about selecting the correct flour for homemade pasta (tipo "00" cut in with Semola) to navigating us through an olive oil tasting, our time with Patrizia was the highlight of our time in Florence.As you can probably tell, I can't recommend the experience highly enough.Insider notes: (1) Booking was very easy through the Traveling Spoon site and pre-event communications were timely and thorough. (2) If you are traveling by hired car, make sure they have an NCC license - it's required to be able to drive into central Florence's smaller residential areas. Our car had one and dropped us off at the front door.
- lowcountryvoyager May 29, 2018
Patrizia is AMAZING!! Great food, conversation, authentic experience! Patrizia is amazing. We are in love! She was so charming, smart, well spoken, opinionated (in a good way!), well educated on food / Italian culture / everything, and an absolute joy to be with. The meal was amazing and we really had a wonderful time. Also, her apartment is perfectly located in Florence.
- Emily P May 07, 2018
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Patrizia

$162-$180 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • No waiting! Booking confirmed instantly
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $162 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $180 $180
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 $162 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $180 $180
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-3:00pm 5:00pm-10:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-3:00pm

Meet Patrizia

Patrizia is a cookbook author and wine and food journalist who is an expert on traditional Italian food products. She writes for three National Magazines and has traveled all around Italy and Europe to discover the highest quality food products. Patrizia’s mother was from Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s most important region for traditional home made pasta, and she learned to hand-make pastas such as tagliatelle as a young child. Patrizia’s passion for food and cooking led her to start teaching cooking lessons in her home. She says, “I love to teach cooking classes and I love to meet new people. I'm curious about different ways of living and different cultures.”

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: (2-4 guests) Join Patrizia at her family’s apartment located in the center of Florence in a traditional building of the area built in 1759. In your hands-on lesson, Patrizia will teach you traditional Italian dishes from Florence and Italy’s Emilia Romagna Region. You will prepare an appetizer, a first course, typically a fresh pasta like tagliatelle, ravioli, or gnocchi, a second course of meat, and dessert. Patrizia specializes in seasonal dishes that bring out the flavors of the region – in the summer you might enjoy sauces with fresh tomatoes, or in winter months you might enjoy seasonal winter vegetables like artichokes. Your cooking lesson will last about 2 ½ hours; after you finish cooking, sit down together to enjoy your meal and some delicious Italian wine in a local home. Patrizia’s 23-year old daughter may join you for your meal, when she is back home, as she lives in Pisa where she is studying at the University. Patrizia is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Florence. She can also accommodate vegetarian diet in her Italian cooking class.

Market visit: (2-4 guests) Meet your host Patrizia at a coffee bar near the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Walk together through this lively market in the historical center of Florence. Patrizia will walk you through the market pointing out some of her favorite vendors and food products and you will select fresh products that you will bring home together to use during your cooking lesson. Your market tour will last about one hour, after which you will walk about 15 minutes back to Patrizia’s home to begin your cooking lesson and meal.

Notes: Please note the market is closed on Sundays, and market tours are not offered on this day. Please also note that if you select a market tour there will be a small amount of walking, about 15 minutes, back to Patrizia’s home, so you should wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for some light exercise. Patrizia lives on the second floor of an apartment building so you will need to climb some stairs to enter her home. The price includes alcohol (up to two glasses of local wine).

Languages spoken: Italian English, French

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.
  • Artichoke and Parmigiano Reggiano Salad
  • Pasta Course: Tagliatelle with Porcini, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Butter and Sage, Gnocchi with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil, or other seasonally appropriate pasta course
  • Main Course: Chicken Cacciatore (traditional Tuscan dish with tomato sauce and black olives), Scottiglia (traditional Italian meat stew with vegetables) or leek flan
  • Dessert: Tiramisu or Strawberry Mousse
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Patrizia was lovely and, like any true Italian, very easy to talk to. We covered a wide variety of topics beyond just cooking during our morning together. I have been to the markets in Florence many times – I even give tours to students – and I learned SO much from her. She really REALLY knows her stuff. The market people knew her and let us try some of the items and it felt very authentic to basically decide what we were going to eat on the spot, based on what looked good, and then head home with our bounty… I LOVED making the pasta. I really so enjoyed that. I have seen it done so many times and realized I never really got to do it myself. The whole process is so satisfying and as Patrizia said, which I now completely agree with, there’s cooking and then there’s making pasta. They really are two different things. Making pasta is like knitting. It is therapeutic and relaxing. We talked about cooking but in the way you do with your favorite aunt, mixed with life lessons and little Italian sayings and tid-bits – one of my favorite things Patrizia told me is that when you make pasta there is a certain flour/egg ratio and you almost always make an amount that uses 4 eggs. That is just a good standard size, not too little and not too much. So people used to say instead of “Oh I am making fresh pasta tonight for dinner” they would say, “I am making 4 eggs of pasta!” Patrizia was just lovely. I am now fully invested in getting a pasta maker at home!

Kellin, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (6)
Patrizia was a wonderful host! She had many interesting stories to entertain my daughters while we cooked a delicious meal. Highly recommend this experience!
- Pam_L June 24, 2023
We went to Patrizia's apartment in Florence for a wonderful evening of cooking and eating. She guided us through all of the preparations for Tiramisu, fresh pasta and a delicious chicken and vegetable dish. Patrizia was delightful to spend time with and she gave us so many great tips for making fresh pasta and selecting the right ingredients. We all sat down together to enjoy the wonderful meal.
- jodic708 April 28, 2023
My husband and I had our honeymoon in Italy this past spring and were lucky enough to book Patrizia's Tuscan cooking class. The class began by meeting her at her local farmer's market and picking out the food we would use for our recipes. The produce was the freshest produce we had ever come across, everything fruit and vegetable was vibrantly colored and smelled amazing. We ended up making three different courses and she had appetizers for us to munch on while we cooked and wine to pair with our meal. Patrizia was such a gem to learn from, she was friendly, inviting, and so knowledgeable of everything culinary. My husband and I agree that this was one of our favorite things we did while in Italy and would absolutely dine with Patrizia again. Upon leaving she sent us an email that included recipes for each of the dishes we made and even included recommendations for some of the olive oils and cooking utensils we used with cooking with her. We loved Patrizia and will forever remember this cooking experience.
- Jesus December 27, 2022
My husband, parents and I very much enjoyed this cooking experience. Patrizia was wonderful and we had so much fun learning from her and cooking in her apartment. Dinner was delicious and it was really nice to have this opportunity to interact with a local resident of Florence and to have a break from museums and restaurants. This was a highlight of our trip and I would absolutely recommend adding this to your Florence itinerary.
- Sarah G October 07, 2018
Patrizia Cantini is an absolute Tuscan treasure and Traveling Spoon is one of the coolest destination activity companies to come along in a long time. We met Patrizia in her apartment (built in the 1750s but not "architecturally significant" as she explained it... lol) in central Florence just blocks from the Duomo. Patrizia had been to the market that morning and after introductions we moved to her kitchen and took part in an amazing food and cultural experience. Everyone chipped in and helped to prepare a wonderful Tuscan lunch of homemade tagliatelle and pomodoro sauce, an herbed pork tenderloin wrapped in fresh pancetta, fried zucchini blossoms (our new favorite thing and what Patrizia calls the ultimate Italian finger food) and tiramisu. She selected a perfect local red wine and prosecco to toast my wife's recent birthday to tie everything together.Patrizia is a noted food and wine journalist, so her perspective and stories about Tuscan food, cooking and Tuscan life in general were fantastic. From tips about selecting the correct flour for homemade pasta (tipo "00" cut in with Semola) to navigating us through an olive oil tasting, our time with Patrizia was the highlight of our time in Florence.As you can probably tell, I can't recommend the experience highly enough.Insider notes: (1) Booking was very easy through the Traveling Spoon site and pre-event communications were timely and thorough. (2) If you are traveling by hired car, make sure they have an NCC license - it's required to be able to drive into central Florence's smaller residential areas. Our car had one and dropped us off at the front door.
- lowcountryvoyager May 29, 2018
Patrizia is AMAZING!! Great food, conversation, authentic experience! Patrizia is amazing. We are in love! She was so charming, smart, well spoken, opinionated (in a good way!), well educated on food / Italian culture / everything, and an absolute joy to be with. The meal was amazing and we really had a wonderful time. Also, her apartment is perfectly located in Florence.
- Emily P May 07, 2018
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $162 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $180 $180
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 $162 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $180 $180
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-3:00pm 5:00pm-10:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-3:00pm
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.