Average rating Cooking Holiday in Italy

If you want to learn how to make authentic Italian food, then one of these cooking holidays in Italy will be right up your street! Set in a stone farmhouse in the central Italian region of Le Marche, you will be taught the secrets of a traditional Italian kitchen. All of the Ingredients used in are local and in season and depending on the time of year, you may even get involved with foraging for berries, truffles and fruit!

Since honeymooning in the region, Jason and Ashley Bartner have never looked back and now make Le Marche their year-round home. Le Marche is situated in Central Italy on the Adriatic coast and close to the Apennine Mountains, next to Tuscany and Umbria. The region is said to provide a glimpse of the “real” Italy as its neighbours receive much more attention from tourists. The prevailing cuisine in Le Marche is called cucina povera, literally translated as “poor cooking” as it was created by local peasants. This philosophy incorporates hearty ingredients from the Earth to create simple, rustic dishes using truffles, homegrown vegetables and even day-old bread.

As Jason and Ashley practice cucina povera and a cooking philosophy called “slow food”, your cooking holiday's featured ingredients will depend on the time of year. In Italy practically every food has its own festival so you can time your visit to feature your favourite dish – bread festival in June, wine and Easter festival in March, black truffle festival in July, mushroom festival in September or why not go for the sea snails festival in April? Your trip can last from a few days to a few weeks and beyond as Jason, a former professional New York City chef, and local guest cooks lead you in creating Italian cuisine. The flexibility of La Tavola Marche is a plus as you can add such adventures as vineyard tours, a wild boar roast and even sausage making. If you need some time to digest all of your edible creations take a trip to a local spa, go for a hike or visit the mineral springs. Jason and Ashley are passionate about Italy and former guests rave that they will do everything in their power to make you feel comfortable and give you your perfect visit. The vibe is definitely Italy – laid back but serious when it comes to eating.

If you don’t really care about food or cooking then this isn’t for you, but you probably already figured that out from the tour description. If you like to cook, even just a few things, and want to learn more then this could be a great way to expand your culinary horizons. Even if you’re a regular Delia or Nigella or Jamie, you can still learn plenty on these cooking holidays. Guests and locals come and go and cooking lessons are done in groups so if privacy is your number one criteria you might want to re-think this one. The farmhouse is rustic but has all the modern conveniences and you’ll be in heaven if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and roaming the countryside looking for your ingredients.

Getting there

Ancona is the closest airport and you can fly there direct from the UK with Ryanair. The airport is about 109km away from Sant'Angelo in Vado. If you hire a car, the journey from the airport will only take about an hour and a half.

Price includes

3 Nights Accommodation
Welcome Aperitivo
Breakfast Daily
Morning Seasonal Activity
Half-day Cooking Class
Four Course Feast with Wine

Price details

Price varies according to the season and the activity on offer.

Available

Jan—Dec

Typical Duration

2 days - 6 days

Comfort level

Refined (boutique or luxury accommodation and food)

Experience required

A reasonable interest is all that is needed

Travellers should bring

A healthy appetite!