Small Group Market tour and Cooking class in Lecce

This cooking class was so unexpected in all of the best ways. From the moment we arrived to the meetup spot (this gorgeous cafe in Leece), to us getting to know each other as we walked around the local market, to the tour of the surrounding area (including this amazinggggg bakery that I can still smell when I think of it) and getting to know the genuine history and culture of Lucia's home... And that was only the START!!! All before we even arrived to her beautiful home for our cooking class! It was such a beautiful introduction and made us more excited for what was to come. Once we arrived to her home and began cooking she was so patient, kind, helpful, and NON judgemental - I felt 1000% comfortable and supported and honestly encouraged the entire time! I learned how to make two types of beautiful pasta (orecchiette and macaroni) but also the most amazingggggg tiramisu! I went into this class not knowing we were going to make tiramisu and honestly, was not excited when I found out because I'm not a fan of it at all but when I say.. we learned to make it the RIGHT way - I mean it. I left her home feeling confident in my new cooking abilities and loving a dessert I walked into the room hating. She set the table and we had a lovely local wine, some super yummy appetizers that were local to the area (my fav were these potato sticks - similar to hush puppy type of texture but not spicy soooo good!!) followed by the pasta we made ourselves and dessert! We spent the entire time laughing, bonding, talking - building a genuine connection! No kidding like our souls had all met before. It really felt like we (Lucia our host, Paolo our translator, my brother and myself) knew each other for years!! The most amazing moment of the entire experience that I will never forget is when they serenaded us with a song of their culture, a freedom song of sorts, it was so beautiful that it genuinely brought my brother and I to tears. Not cute tears, but full on ugly crying. Having them open their doors to their culture and share something so intimate with us was amazing and we felt honored. It was something out of a movie. If you're looking for an experience that will move you from start to finish and to be hosted by someone who's heart shows through their actions and their cooking, I could not recommend Lucia's AMAZING cooking class enough. You will leave with your stomach and your heart full and memories that will last a lifetime.

Lovely experience w Katia and her family! I felt like a guest in her home. She met me with her lovely son Angelo in lecce’s historic center, took me to some local markets there to sample some local Leccese treats, and then she drove us to her amazing town (15ish min away?) where we first stopped by the sea, then to her local fishmonger, where we picked up some mussels. We then went to her amazing house and got to know each other over aperitivos and Prosecco. Between her broken English, my broken Italian, her son’s very good English, and google translate, we had a very fun conversation 😄 Her husband shucked the mussels, which we ate raw (the most delicious I have ever had!) and then she showed me how to make pasta. I learned so much, including some very helpful tips that only someone who has been making pasta for years can share with you. She made the sauce from tomatoes, onion, and basil, from a garden steps away from her kitchen and enjoyed the delicious meal together. She then drove me back to the train station. I just wish I had more time with Katia and her family! It was a great experience.

Carlo and Giusy were amazing! They have such a beautiful home and their cooking is exquisite. A true Italian experience. A must

Fantastic! Giasey and Carlo were warm and welcoming. They have a lovely home and I felt very at ease with both of them. The food was delicious and the company top notch. Highly recommend!!

The local Italian couple were so warm and welcoming, teaching and demonstrating us how to make gnocchi, tagliatelle and tiramisu. We enjoyed all of this along with wine and appetisers in their beautiful Italian home and B&B. We were lucky enough to be a small group with just ourselves. Would recommend to anyone wanting a traditional experience and delicious food, we rolled out of there!

We shared an afternoon with Francesca and her two girls, Camilla and Vittoria. We had an amazing afternoon tasting the local foods of Lecce and Puglia and learning how to make the most amazing tiramisu and pasta. They feel like part of the family and it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Would highly recommend this tour and class. Thanks again ladies!