Extra Virgin Cooking Classes / Countryside Mill location

A cooking class in a former olive press feels like a time machine. You start with Tuscan ingredient shopping and tastings, then cook (for real) in Chef Giuseppe’s family home—stone, hearth, and all—before sitting down to a 4-course meal with wine pairings. It is built for beginners and home cooks who want confidence, not just photos.

Two things I especially like: the market-to-menu flow (you pick ingredients before cooking), and the way Chef Giuseppe teaches technique you can repeat later. One thing to consider: this is hands-on, but it is not a full cooking boot camp, and some steps may be done in advance—plus it is not a pasta-dough class unless you ask.

Key highlights you will feel immediately

• Market tour first: shop with the chef and taste what you’re buying
• Ancestral olive-press setting: stone, a brook nearby, and a 12th-century bridge close by
• A real 4-course lunch: gnudi, roast and peposo, plus two classic Florentine desserts
• Wine, prosecco, and tastings included: olive oil, honey, local cheese, and pairings
• Small group limit: up to about 12 travelers for a more personal day

Meet Giuseppe in Montecatini Terme, then head for the countryside

The day starts at 9:00 am at Via Garibaldi, 62, 51016 Montecatini-Terme PT, Italy. Plan for about 5 hours total, and you end back at the same meeting point.

Why this schedule works: you avoid the late-morning chaos that makes markets stressful. You also get your cooking and eating done early, which leaves room to enjoy the town afterward. This tour runs in English, and it is a small group experience with a maximum of 12 travelers (and the booking cap is 14).

If you are traveling by train, the countryside stop is described as being a short ride from the area, and the start is set near public transportation. Also, service animals are allowed, which is worth knowing if you travel with one.

The market tour: learning what to buy (and why)

One of the best parts of the whole experience is that it does not start with an apron and a recipe. It starts with shopping—a weekly market stop led by Chef Giuseppe, plus ingredient tastings along the way.

Here is what this changes for you: once you’ve picked ingredients with guidance, the cooking feels less like following steps and more like making choices. You learn what the chef is looking for and how those choices affect flavor. It also helps you understand the difference between Tuscan cooking that tastes simple and Tuscan cooking that actually has balance—salt, fat, acid, herbs, and slow simmered depth.

You should expect to see local staples and regional products, and you’ll also get tastings that set the tone before the meal. The day includes tastings of olive oil and honey, along with prosecco and local cheese.

Practical tip: wear comfortable shoes. Markets and short walks add up fast when you are carrying small purchases back through stone streets.

Cooking in a family olive press: hearth, stone, and a brook nearby

After meeting in town, you travel to Chef Giuseppe’s ancestral countryside home—described as a former olive oil mill—about a 10-minute drive from the center of Montecatini. The setting is the kind of place you remember later: stone buildings, an outdoor feel, and nearby water (a babbling brook is mentioned), plus a 12th-century stone bridge close by.

On-site, you cook with traditional touches like hearthside cooking and a pizza oven. You are not just cooking in a kitchen that happens to be old. The place shapes the day: the pacing feels slower, the cooking smells better, and the atmosphere keeps you from rushing.

From a value standpoint, this matters. A class in a bland commercial kitchen can teach technique. This one also teaches the rhythm of real Tuscan meals—start with ingredients, build flavor, and then sit down while everything is still warm and tasting at its best.

Also, it’s not a silent museum stop. Expect wildlife and an outdoorsy countryside vibe. If you like seeing real places used for real life (not staged), you’ll enjoy it.

The 4-course lunch menu: what you’ll actually eat

You get a full four-course lunch—starter, two main courses, and dessert. The menu below is the sample set described for the experience, and it centers on classic Tuscan comfort food.

Starter: Florentine gnudi

Gnudi are like tender ricotta dumplings—lighter than heavier pasta. The starter is described as Florentine gnudi made with handmade ricotta and Swiss chard gnocchi, served with either a classic Tuscan ragu or a seasonal tomato sauce.

What to expect: you are learning how to treat delicate ingredients. Gnudi are forgiving, but they still require good handling and timing.

Main course #1: Tuscan pork roast

Next comes Tuscan pork roast with a blend of herbs and garlic. This is classic Tuscan flavor built on aroma and salt-forward satisfaction.

Main course #2: Beef Florentine peposo

You then get Beef Florentine peposo, described as a heritage Tuscan countryside dish with Mediterranean flavors. Peposo is all about slow, steady flavor.

For many people, this is the moment the class clicks. You stop thinking only about how good it tastes and start thinking how you’d recreate the method at home.

Dessert: Florentine trifle with Alkermes (plus a grandmother’s version)

Dessert is Florentine trifle with Alkermes, lemon custard, and sour cherries. There is also Grandmother’s special, made with ladyfingers soaked in liquor created at the Santa Maria Novella old Pharmacy, layered with custard and sour cherries.

Why this is worth paying attention to: it is not just sweet. The sharpness from sour cherries and the complexity from Alkermes make the flavors feel very Italian, not generic dessert-shop sweet.

Drinks and pairings

You get Prosecco, plus local wine pairings with the meal, along with bottled water and Nespresso. Tastings are part of the flow too—olive oil, honey, and local cheese—so you’re not only drinking with dinner. You’re learning the flavor map as you go.

How hands-on is it, really? Get to work, but not like a TV show

This is a hands-on cooking class, and you’ll wear an EVCC apron (adults). You should expect real participation: you help with preparation and you assist in different parts of cooking.

That said, here’s the honest consideration. Some steps may be prepped in advance, so you might not do everything from scratch. In particular, it is not presented as a pasta-making class. If you are hoping to learn how to make dough, you may need to ask—otherwise you’ll focus on the dishes and techniques planned for the day.

In practice, that usually means you’re doing tasks that make the meal happen without turning the day into a marathon. Think: chopping, assembling, shaping, and cooking assistance, plus lots of tasting.

Good to know for mobility and family travel: the chef/guide is described as accommodating at least one guest with mobility issues, and the experience is positioned as suitable for a wide range of ages and skill levels. The minimum age is 16, so it is not aimed at very young kids.

Learning something you can cook again at home

One reason people love this class is that the chef does more than hand you a finished dish. You get practical instruction aimed at how to recreate flavors later.

You also leave with takeaways:

• a recipe booklet written by Giuseppe
• an achievement certificate
• an apron (adults)
• and a day that includes plenty of tasting, so you start learning what adjustments do to the final plate

If you cook at home, you’ll appreciate this. A recipe book helps, but the real win is when you understand the why: when to build flavor, how herbs and garlic carry in Tuscan cooking, and how to balance rich ingredients like ricotta with sauces and acidity.

From the sample menu, you can also see the teaching intent:

• Gnudi teach delicate handling and sauce matching
• Pork roast and peposo teach herb profiles and slow flavor building
• The desserts teach layering and how liquor and fruit create complexity

Value check: is $199.62 per person a smart use of time?

At $199.62 per person for about 5 hours, this is not a cheap activity. But it can still feel like good value because of what’s included.

You are getting:

• a guided market tour and tastings
• prosecco, local cheese, olive oil and honey tasting
• a hands-on cooking class
• a four-course meal (not samples—actual lunch)
• regional wine pairings
• bottled water and Nespresso
• take-home materials: recipe booklet, apron, and certificate

When you add it up, the price is covering chef time, the ingredient sourcing experience, the setting (a historic mill home, not a generic studio), and the meal plus drinks. In places like Tuscany, food tastings and a market-guided lunch can easily become expensive by themselves—so the class fee is also paying for structure and coaching.

The other value lever is group size. With a maximum around 12 travelers, you’re less likely to get lost in the crowd. That makes it easier to ask questions and get technique tips.

Don’t rush afterward: spend time in Montecatini Terme

One of the smart parts of booking this is what you can do after you finish eating. The experience recommends exploring Montecatini Terme, described as a heritage spa town with:

• iconic pastry shops
• an original wood funicular
• excellent shopping

Because you finish early, you are not stuck with an empty afternoon. You can wander, snack, and shop while your day still feels connected to the cooking theme.

If you want to make this extra useful, ask the chef for suggestions before you go. The experience materials mention a recipe booklet plus chef notes in some formats, and reviews often point out personalized restaurant and café recommendations. Even if that list is brief, it gives you a local starting point.

Who this cooking class fits best (and who should choose something else)

This class fits you best if:

• you want a small-group day with a real chef in a real Tuscan home
• you care about ingredients as much as recipes
• you like the idea of a market tour + cooking + wine-paired lunch
• you want technique you can use later, not just a one-time meal

You might want to skip (or manage expectations) if:

• you want to learn fresh pasta dough from scratch as the main lesson
• you’re hoping for nonstop hands-on every minute—some steps may be done ahead for timing
• you’re looking for a strict, high-paced cooking workshop style rather than a hosted day with tastings and meals

Also check your timing. The tour is 9:00 am, so plan your transport and breakfast accordingly.

Should you book Extra Virgin Cooking Classes in Montecatini Terme?

I’d book it if you want Tuscany that feels lived-in. The biggest pull is the combination: market shopping, cooking in a historic olive press setting, and then eating what you make with wine pairings. It’s a full day with real food value, not a short demo.

If you are the type who likes to understand how a dish is built—gnudi texture, slow-beef peposo depth, pork roast herb flavor—this is a great match. And if you’re traveling with a mix of skill levels, it’s designed to work for beginners without boring experienced cooks.

The only reason I would hesitate is if you specifically want a pasta-making workshop or you’re very sensitive to the idea that not every second is hands-on. If that’s you, ask in advance what skills are covered most heavily.

If the idea of cooking lunch in a family olive press and pairing it with Tuscan wines sounds like your kind of day, this one is a strong yes.

FAQ

What time does the class start, and how long is it?

It starts at 9:00 am and runs for about 5 hours.

Where do I meet the group?

You meet at Via Garibaldi, 62, 51016 Montecatini-Terme PT, Italy. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

What is the group size limit?

The tour lists a maximum of 12 travelers (and up to 14 per booking).

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 16 years.

What food is included in the lunch?

You get a four-course meal: Florentine gnudi as the starter, two main dishes (including Tuscan pork roast and beef Florentine peposo), and dessert (including a Florentine trifle with Alkermes, plus a grandmother-style version with Santa Maria Novella liquor).

Are drinks and tastings included?

Yes. The experience includes Prosecco and local cheese, plus olive oil and honey tasting, and regional wines with the meal. Bottled water and Nespresso are also included.

Does the experience include a market tour?

Yes. The included experience includes a market tour and tasting, where you also shop for ingredients with the chef.

Can I cancel and get a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.