Day-long or multiple-day lessons on Venetian cooking. Main dishes and delicacies of Venice tradition, and Italian cuisine, regional dishes and Italian Haute Cuisine.

We teach preparation of seafood and vegetables of the area with visits to the Rialto fish and vegetable market to see and learn all about local products that will be used in the lesson.

The menu and the recipes for each class is provided that day. The menu usually changes, as we like it to be a surprise.

Here's what you will learn:
* How to select the proper ingredients
* Composing a menu: aperitif, starters, first and second courses, cakes and tarts (hot and cold).
* Wine tasting: secrets of wine. Great wine and great food are made for each other.

Alessandra and Francesca are cousins and - as in many traditional families - they grew up in the most fascinating laboratory of their homes, the kitchen, following the passion of their mothers and grandmothers. Since they were little girls they were watching - first - and helping to prepare - after soon - traditional family dishes.

So as to continue this enthusiasm and love for cooking they attended dozens and dozens of courses in Italy (Gualtiero Marchesi, Enzo De Pra, Masa and Ivan,..) and France ( Alain Ducasse). In the last few years they have gained a great culinary experience.

They are a “new promise”: Alessandra is an exceptionally good cook, for skills and experience: in 2002 she won 3 first prizes at the Cooking Cup as best cook. She is making some appearances in TV and culinary articles. Francesca is a wonderful local caterer passionate about her cooking and a young sommelier.

Alessandra and Francesca exchange ideas and recipes and have developed their own style as a sum of years old traditional family cooking.

They would like to take you to shops and markets that may have food which is unfamiliar to you. This will be a great way to really get the flavour of Italy.

From David and Molly- 22 ottobre 2003

hello Francesca and Alessandra
Molly and I had a wonderful time at your cooking school..food was very good and the spirit was very enjoyable ..you are 2 very good people. we have been telling all of our friends about your hospitality.. we will be sending you in the next several weeks the cook book and the Splenda sweetener as promised..we would like to keep in touch because both molly and I enjoyed meeting you and we plan to return to Venezia next year..keep well and we miss our vacation and the beautiful people we met.. regards David

From Kelly- 6 settembre 2003

Hello Ladies!!

I can not believe it's been over a month since Janice and I were in your kitchen Alessandra and having such a great time with you both!!
I have been on the road for work, business trips, every week since I returned home from Italy. I have a few more weeks of this travel, but once I have time to settle in at home, I will try my recipes you gave me.
I have to say that the class with the two of you was the highlight of the trip!! Janice and I both agree, we will be back!!
I hope you are still thinking of coming to the United States Francesca, I have lots of ladies who would love to cook with you here!!
Even if you don't want to cook, you are always welcome in my home!
And, Alessandra, I have some names on camps for the kids for you...I'll get those to you soon. Along with some great pictures I have of all of us during the cooking session!!
Hope all is well with you both! Thank you again, for such a wonderful experience!!

Love, Kelly

From Helen and Larry- 3 octobre 2003

Dear Francesca and Alessanda,
Well we are back home in California and finally getting back to our everyday life. Our day with the two of you was excellent and we really learned a lot. Larry had a great time, it was wonderful cooking experience. I am planning to make the stuffed vegetables for our Thanksgiving dinner and the chocolate salami. We had a wonderful day and would love at some time to do it again. Maybe some day you will come and visit California and if you do, you must come and see us.
Thank you,
Ciao, Helen and Larry

From Sheila - 11 giugno 2004

Francesca I have nothing but glowing comments about the wonderful experience in your kitchen. On entering we were all welcomed by a array of beautiful colors an aromas form the picture perfect fruits an vegetables on the counters, and the sauces on the stove from the presentation it was clear that problems in instruction had been thought through and I enjoyed your willingness to answer all questions---giving as much background material as time would allow. Came away with the feeling---yes I can do this and yes I really want do this---- creating food for people to enjoy and enjoy the process myself. I particularly appreciated your adaptability and willingness to encourage participation with such and unruly group. In all the class was truly a memorable experience.
MY SINCERE THANKS TO YOU AND ALESSANDRA
Sheila

From Anne - 11 giugno 2004

Francesca and Alessandra provided us with a wonderful, hands-on cooking experience. The menu used the best and freshest ingredients, the recipes were festive, and much of the preparation could be done ahead of time˜a feature that appeals to busy people and to hostesses who want to spend as much time as possible with their guests. The end result was a meal that was beautiful to look at and tasted superb. Because the instructions were very clear, we went away confident that we could duplicate the recipes at home. Bravo!!

From Jean - 11 giugno 2004

I did not participate in the cooking, but I did participate in the fun of watching and in the delight of eating. In my many trips to Venice, I have not found a better meal in any restaurant, regardless of price.

From Linda – 4 maggio 2005

We had friends to stay for last weekend and I tried nearly all the recipes. I had planned well and done a lot of preparation before hand (......) All the recipes were a tremendous success and introduced our friends to things that they had not tried before. I think they may have had conservative tastes in food but they did not feel challenged at all and enjoyed the food.
Thank you for introducing them to the recipes and being the inspiration to excellent food which contributed towards the success of the weekend.