Roman Holiday™

Join Chef Barbara for one day cooking classes in Rome and outdoor market tour in her private Roman Villa kitchen. Learn the tastes and traditions with our treasured chef, in the heart of Rome. Your fun-filled Rome cooking school day starts off with an early morning visit to the colorful outside marketplace in Rome. Chef Barbara meets you at the Testaccio Market meeting point for this exclusive visit.  Following the market tour, return to the kitchen and tie on your apron for a Roman experience cooking, dining and learning!

Chef Barbara welcomes each guest to her private palazzo and kitchen in the heart of Rome.  You’ll learn to cook traditional Roman classics from antipasto to fresh pasta and sauces, main courses and desserts with farm-to-table ingredients from the nearby outdoor market.

Chef Barbara shares her family recipes in making delicious Roman recipes with experience and technique that only Chef Barbara has gained after years of experience.  She shares her knowledge of selecting the finest local seasonal ingredients at the market, then transforming them into Roman antipasto, fresh pasta, sauces, main courses and desserts.

During your hands-on cooking class, you will learn how to mix and roll out fresh pasta that will be used to make lasagne, ravioli and gnocchi with seasonal sauces.  You’ll also learn the history and technique of ancient Roman foods as you slice, dice and cook with Chef Barbara.  Learn to cook delicious Roman cuisine while immersing yourself in the food, wine and culture of Rome.

In the traditional cooking class, you will create a full course menu featuring Roman fare with delicious stuffed artichokes and eggplant, carbonara – pasta served in a sauce with crispy guanciale, cured pork cheeks, tangy pecorino Romanocheese and eggs; gricia – carbonara without eggs; amatriciana pasta with tomatoes and cream; cacio e pepe, pasta served in a creamy pecorino and spicy black pepper sauce; and coda alla vaccinara, oxtail stew cooked in tomatoes and wine with cloves, black pepper, pine nuts and raisins.  Roman desserts are always delightful and include crostata ricotta e visciole, an open pie filled with a cherry filling, tiramisu, and creamy gelato.

Following class, everyone enjoys the food that was prepared in the kitchen with a toast of wine included, and soft drinks for children.  Weather permitting, everyone dines on the terrace for a beautiful view overlooking the city of Rome.

Chef Barbara ’s unique cooking style is hands-on while offering tips and techniques that will have you cooking like a Roman!  A recipe book is included.  Recipes  vary depending on the seasons, so we encourage each guest to bring a notebook to the kitchen. In each cooking class, food allergies are carefully respected and gluten free menus are available upon request.

As featured in December 2011 – Click here to read more!

Testaccio Market

Rome’s fresh-produce markets are treasured reminders of a more traditional way of life. There’s generally a dazzling array of fresh fruit and vegetables, often meat and fish stalls, the usual delicatessen fare and sometimes stalls selling clothing, shoes or bric-a-brac.

Visit rows of stands selling prized vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and cheese and see the bustling market that is the heart of Italian daily life. Chef Barbara leads the way past baskets piled high with fruits, vegetable, fish, meat and cheese. He knows just where to go for the freshest and best ingredients. Shop with the Chef and learn about the regional products along with food notes on Rome’s past. After the market visit, Chef Barbara, brings you to the kitchen for a full course Roman cooking class. Chef Barbara hails Italy as the “the great kitchen” and each morning class starts with a welcome and introduction with the Chef, before you head into the kitchen to get cooking!