Roman Holiday™

Tie on your apron and let’s get cooking in Rome with Chef Barbara in her private palazzo and kitchen. Not only will you discover the Eternal City’s culture and history, but you’ll discover the Colosseum, Vatican, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, and Piazza Navona, along with the cuisine of a city that’s over two thousand years old.  Join our Rome cooking classes with traditional Roman cooking class while learning cooking techniques and baking tips along the way. And, if you are traveling with you family and children, we also offer family cooking classes, too.

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

Rome Cooking Classes

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 Rome cooking classes, 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 these traditional Rome cooking classes, 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.

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.

Following your 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.

Also included is a trip to the outside Marketplace with Chef Barbara. Visit rows of stands selling prized vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and artisan cheese and experience the bustling marketplace that is the heart of Italian daily life. Meet Chef Barbara at the market and get ready as she leads the way shopping over baskets piled high with fruits, vegetable, fish, meat and cheese. She 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, return to her kitchen for a hands-on cooking class creating delicious Roman fare.  Transfers to the kitchen not included.  In each cooking class, food allergies are carefully respected and gluten free menus are available upon request.

Rome Accommodations

Rome 3-Star

Our charming 3-star deluxe hotel is set between the 18th-century Spanish Steps and the beautiful Via Veneto.  It has been been newly renovated, while preserving its old world charm offering elegant rooms, charming decor and the perfect location in the heart of Rome.  The hotel is privately owned and has a professional staff to help you with any questions during your stay.  The hotel is bright, white and clean with archeological treasures on display in the spacious hall.  Elegantly furnished rooms, a reading room near the bar and a rooftop deck offering a spectacular view of Rome make this home-away-from-home a haven of relaxation in bustling Rome.  Each room offers a private ensuite bathroom, air conditioning/heat, minibar, Satellite TV, hair dryer & Wi-Fi internet.

Rome 4-Star

Our welcoming 4-Star hotel is located between the 18th-century Spanish Steps and Piazza Del Popolo. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Rome, with its atmospheric streets full of history and surrounded by the most elegant shops, making it the perfect haven after a day of sightseeing or shopping. Here, the owners have succeeded in perfectly blending the timeless style of the old Fellini films with modern-day comfort. An intimate atmosphere, refined in every detail, combines the warmth of wood and gold in a contemporary and sophisticated design. Rooms are unique – each one with private ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning/heat, minibar, personal safe, satellite TV, hair dryer & wi-fi internet. Enjoy an aperitivo at the hotel’s piano bar or dine in the restaurant.

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Itinerary ~ 3 days, 2 nights

Day 1: Arrival & Explore Rome

• Arrival and check in.  A Cooking Vacations’ welcome bag is waiting for you with Prosecco and a chef’s apron.
• In the evening, enjoy a Chef’s tasting dinner featuring a full course Roman fare.  Wine not included.

Day 2: Market Tour, Cooking Class With Chef Barbara

& Walking Tour of Rome with English-Speaking Guide

• Breakfast is served.
• Meet Chef Barbara at the Testaccio Market for a morning visit to the famous outdoor market brimming with fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, cheese and wine.  During your tour, learn about Roman history, food culture and local recipes.  Following the market tour, head to the kitchen for your hands-on cooking class.  In the kitchen, prepare a full course Roman menu with antipasto, fresh pasta, main course and dessert.  Lunch follows and includes the food that was prepared in the cooking class with a toast of local red or white wine.
• In the afternoon, meet your English-speaking guide for a walking tour in Rome: highlights include the Pantheon, San Luigi dei Francesi church (featuring Caravaggio masterpieces), Piazza Navona, the Via Giulia, and Palazzo Farnese. Visit the Trevi Fountain. Throw in a coin and make a wish that you will return to Rome!
• Dinner on your own.  Our favorite Roman restaurant list suggestions are provided.

Day 3: Departure & Arrivederci!

• Breakfast is served.
• Departure & Ciao Roma!

*Note: This schedule may vary due to inclement weather, saint days or festivals. All activities, in the event of rescheduling, are always included during the program.