Cooking Class in Italy: learn authentic recipes in Venice & online
Step into the heart of Venice and discover the soul of Italian cuisine. With chef and Nutritionist Psychologist Gioia Tiozzo, you won’t just learn recipes, you will embrace a new way of cooking, eating, and living. Join our authentic cooking classes in Venice or bring Italy into your home with our online Italian cooking courses.
Enjoy Italian homecooking
Meet your teacher: Chef & Nutritionist, Psychologist Gioia Tiozzo
The cooking classes are taught by Gioia Tiozzo, a psychologist specializing in nutrition who has dedicated her life to all aspects of food. For more than 22 years, she has been teaching the basics of Mediterranean cuisine through practical seminars with demonstrations on how to cook tasty and healthy food. She also demonstrates to her students how to manage a sustainable and nutritionally balanced diet on a daily basis. All this using traditional Italian recipes. As a psychologist, Gioia helps people manage their emotions in relation to food, helping them understand the mechanisms that make people slaves to bad habits and how it is possible to break free from these habits by adopting customized strategies.
The cooking classes held by Gioia at the Accademia di Cucina Italiana are a mix of hands-on cooking experience and long chats about Italian food and local culture. Everything Gioia knows about cooking comes from what she learned from her grandmother and her mother, with whom she shared wonderful years in the kitchen. Gioia recreates that same family atmosphere with her guests in her kitchen in Venice.
Taking Gioia’s cooking classes means learning not only recipes, but creating a lifestyle made up of flavors, traditions, and love for homemade food. Forget the dishes you’ve tried in Italian restaurants; at Gioia’s house, the recipes have the flavor of a family atmosphere and relaxation with a good glass of wine.
If you’re wondering how Italians can easily remain in shape despite eating so much pasta together with other elaborate dishes, Gioia can give you a scientific answer based on the principles of Mediterranean cuisine: quality ingredients, cooking techniques, specific kitchen utensils, and seasonal recipes using local products. Everything you eat in the cooking classes held by Gioia at the Accademia di Cucina Italiana comes from the daily markets in Venice.
An Unforgettable Cooking Class in the Heart of Venice
The cooking classes, organized by the Accademia di Cucina Italiana, are held in a typical Venetian house in the heart of Venice’s historic center, located in the Dorsoduro district. A spacious, modern kitchen and dining room welcome guests in a relaxed, family atmosphere. A wide selection of local wines accompanies every meal.
Only local and seasonal ingredients are used in the cooking classes. Vegetables and fruit come from Sant’Erasmo, the only agricultural island in the Venice area. Meat comes from the trusted butcher downstairs. Fish come from the Rialto market, where you can choose between fish from the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. Wine is purchased from the best wine shops in Venice. Breakfast pastries are typical Venetian biscuits made by Gioia or purchased from traditional pastry shops.
The menu is chosen together with the guests. Choices include iconic traditional Italian dishes (pasta, risotto, lasagna, potato gnocchi) or recipes suggested by the guests. For those who love Venetian cuisine, we can cook typical dishes together: “bigoli “(thick spaghetti), “polpette” (deep-fried meatballs), “risotto di pesce” (fish risotto), and cicchetti (Venetian tapas). Ask Gioia how to make risotto, a cornerstone of traditional northern Italian cuisine.
There is always homemade dessert. You can make typical Venetian biscuits (traditionally made with corn flour), “tiramisu” (made with coffee and mascarpone), or gelato served with fruit or chocolate.
During the cooking class in Italy, you have a professional instructor at your disposal all morning to answer your questions and show you how easy it is to cook traditional Italian dishes.
When the chosen dishes are ready to eat, we will have lunch together, accompanied by good local wine. The day will end with conversation and relaxation.
All cooking classes are in English and anyone can participate. Families with children are welcome. The classes are suitable for people of all levels, from absolute beginners to those who want to perfect their technique or learn new recipes.
Cooking classes are private and not group classes. Once the availability of the cooking class is confirmed, it will be exclusively for you.
The Flavors of Italy in Your Own Kitchen: Our Online Courses
For those who cannot come to Venice for a cooking course, Accademia di Cucina Italiana offers online video cooking courses where you can learn how to make healthy and delicious Italian food in the comfort of your own home. Simply sign up for an annual subscription to access the series of cooking videos that are always available online. Each video explains a recipe in detail, from the ingredients to the method, and every step necessary for the successful creation of an exquisite Italian dish. The cooking videos are suitable for people of all levels.
With the online courses, you have the advantage of watching any video whenever you want. It’s like having a teacher in your kitchen, at your disposal and at your convenience.
PRE-RECORDED COOKING VIDEOS
38 videos 6h20 lessons
Using iconic Italian recipes, I teach basic cooking methods that will help you feel confident in the kitchen working with any ingredient. When you understand how Italian recipes work, you will be able to create any Italian dish.
PRE-RECORDED COOKING VIDEOS
14 videos 2h10 lessons
You will learn how to cook pasta together with traditional sauces based on vegetables, fish, and/or meat ingredients. You will also discover how easy it is to cook any kind of risotto – or rice-based recipes.
PRE-RECORDED COOKING VIDEOS
13 videos 2h15 lessons
This course focuses on techniques used to cook Italian second courses based on fish. Whenever you are craving fish, you will find here an uncomplicated and fast recipe to cook.
PRE-RECORDED COOKING VIDEOS
11 videos 1h90 lessons
This course focuses on the techniques used to cook Italian second-course dishes based on meat according to traditional Italian recipes. Once you have learned how a cooking method works, you will be able to cook your favorite piece of meat with no effort.
At home or in Venice: Choose Your Culinary Experience
In-Person Class in Venice
hands-on cooking class in Venice
4,5 hours | 10 am to 2.30 pm
This is the best private cooking class in Venice to understand classic Italian food. Classes are designed for anyone interested in learning the basics of Italian cuisine. I offer a variety of options suitable for anyone who wants to become more confident in the kitchen, learning basic cooking methods or how to make iconic Italian recipes.
Online Video Cooking Classes
pre-recorded cooking videos
38 videos 6h20 lessons 2 videos for free
Our Philosophy: More Than Just a Recipe
When Gioia Tiozzo founded the Accademia di Cucina Italiana, her goal was to spread Italian culinary traditions abroad. The idea is to help people understand the principles of the Mediterranean diet, the concept of food sustainability behind it, and the Italian lifestyle.
Accademia di Cucina Italiana is different from other tourist attractions in Venice. The Italian cooking classes organized in Venice are not just a tourist experience, but rather an immersive experience in Italian culture and lifestyle. Knowing how to cook means choosing quality ingredients, understanding cooking methods, using the right kitchen tools, and recognizing how to make changes to a recipe. Gioia Tiozzo tells her customers the history behind the chosen recipes and their role in the traditions of the Italian people. In mindful cooking, you pay attention to seasonal ingredients, colors, and scents while developing the patience to work on a recipe in order to best appreciate the final results. Every effort is rewarded with the flavor of the finished dish, which is not just food, but more of a philosophy of life.
What our students say about our cooking classes in Venice, Italy
★★★★★ The Best Gioia’s cooking class was AMAZING! Definitely worth the time. She started off giving us some history about Italy, and then we starting cooking. She showed us each step, then let us practice. Recommend 100% if you want to know how to make good Italian dishes! Read more…
★★★★★ The most memorable part of an incredibly trip to Italy What an extraordinary experience! My 13-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter and I learned so much about cooking but also about Venice and Italian life in general from Gioia. She is quintessentially Venetian…we were calmer and more in the moment with her than we’ve been on the trip thus far. What a life lesson. Read more
★★★★★ Keisha Ross My husband and I went on our honeymoon for a cooking class with Gioia and it was an absolutely phenomenal time. She was very friendly and personable, with an absolute wealth of knowledge on authentic Italian cuisine. We made ravioli, tagliatelle, and tiramisu for an absolutely beautiful lunch paired with Prosecco! I fully recommend this class! Read more
Frequently asked questions
Should you take a cooking class in Italy?
Absolutely. A cooking class is a unique way to immerse yourself in Italian culture and learn the secrets of authentic recipes directly from a local cooking instructor. With Accademia di Cucina Italiana, whether you are onsite at our kitchen in Venice or participating in our online courses, you can enjoy an unforgettable experience learning to cook like a true Italian.
Which city in Italy is best for cooking classes?
Although each region offers unique culinary specialties, Venice provides a magical and inimitable atmosphere. Learning to cook in Venice, with fresh ingredients from the Rialto market is an experience like no other. Accademia di Cucina Italiana awaits you in Venice to discover the flavors of the lagoon and Venetian tradition.
How much is culinary school in Italy?
Costs can vary considerably. A cooking class for tourists lasting a few hours has a different price than a professional school that lasts for months. Accademia di Cucina Italiana offers both hands-on classes in Venice and accessible online video courses to suit every budget and learning desire. Visit our website at https://www.accademiadicucinaitaliana.com to discover specific options and prices.
Do I need any cooking experience to join an Accademia di Cucina Italiana class?
No, you don’t. The cooking classes organized by Accademia di Cucina Italiana are for all levels, no previous experience is required.
What is included in the price of Accademia di Cucina Italiana’s Venice cooking class?
The price includes an Italian breakfast with cappuccino and Venetian biscuits, lunch featuring all the recipes prepared during the class, a dessert (which may be tiramisu, gelato, or another type of Italian cookies), wine of your choice, or any soft drink preference.
Where in Venice is the class located?
The onsite Accademia di Cucina Italiana cooking courses are held in the historic center of Venice, in the Dorsoduro district, just a 2-minute walk from Campo San Barnaba.
Are the classes taught in English?
Yes, the cooking classes held in Venice are in English as are all the pre-recorded cooking video courses.
How do I access the online courses after purchase?
Once payment has been made, you will receive an access link in your email for class registration. When you register on the website, you can access your dashboard directly from the website.
Should I tip for a cooking class in Italy?
In Italy, tipping is not mandatory or strongly recommended as it is in other countries around the world. The final price always includes service. However, if you have had an exceptional experience and wish to show your appreciation to the instructor, a small gesture of thanks will certainly be appreciated, but never expected.
ready to create your italian masterpiece?
A cooking class in Italy is the best way to learn to cook Italian recipes. Gioia Tiozzo, a professional cooking instructor, will teach you all the secrets to transforming every Venetian recipe into a homemade dish. Learn how to make and cook homemade pasta and classic fish dishes. You can also learn how to make tiramisu according to the traditional recipe. Or choose the dishes your prefer. Step into a typical Venetian home and immerse yourself in an atmosphere that will give you an unforgettable experience. Not ready to travel to Italy? No problem, you can learn to cook from the comfort of your home. Subscribe to our online classes.
