Roma Traditions ~ 1 Day Cooking Class in Rome, Italy

Join Chef Eugenio in Rome for a traditional Roman cooking class in his professional kitchen. Learn the tastes and traditions with Italy’s most colorful and acclaimed chef, known as one who loves to cook and to eat, in the heart of Rome.

Chef Eugenio’s family, originally from outside of Naples, immigrated to the Eternal City in the early 1900s. Though still very connected with his countryside roots, Chef Eugenio is 100% Roman and allows no exceptions in his kitchen. Learn how to cook without recipes, timers, measuring cups and scales, but with the smells, instinct, and technique that only Chef Eugenio has gained after years of experience. He cooks with his eyes, like most Italian chefs, using his senses and know how.

His philosophy is ‘to experience the action in the kitchen – look, try, and learn, and not focus on the steps in a recipe.’ In fact he does not use recipes, (recipes are provided,) as he works the kitchen turning out antipasti, pasta, main courses and pizza. In this unique cooking class, he will teach you his philosophy of cooking, tricks of the kitchen, along with passion and love for food.

As featured in Fall 2022 – Click here to read more!

Traditional Roman Cooking

Your morning class starts at 10am with a welcome and brief introduction before you head into the kitchen. See how Chef Eugenio takes farm fresh ingredients and turns them into a Roman feast. Chef Eugenio’s unique cooking style includes demonstration, some hands-on and his up close attention in the kitchen. Included is the preparation of antipasto, a first course typically of pasta or risotto, and a second course of meat or fish based on the season.

A recipe book is included with Chef Eugenio’s creations; recipes may vary depending on the seasons, so we encourage each guest to bring a notebook and camera into the kitchen.

Menu may include such traditions as:

Bucatini All’ Amatriciana ~ Bucatini are a long pasta, similar to spaghetti, but with a hole that runs the lenth of each strand. This traditional dish is said to come from Amatrice, a small town in Lazio, and has a base of guanciale and tomato, topped with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe ~ Spaghetti served in a creamy white sauce of sheep’s milk, Pecorino cheese, and black pepper. This is one of the few Italian dishes that calls for black pepper in abundance!

Pollo Alla Diavola o Alla Romana ~ roasted chicken served ‘devil-style’ or Roman-style

Porchetta ~ Roman-style roasted pork tenderloin

Carciofi alla Romana o alla Giudea ~ Roman-style or Jewish-style artichokes

One Day Cooking Class & Testaccio Market Visit

Join Executive Chef Eugenio in Rome for exclusive cooking classes in his professional Roman kitchen. Learn the tastes and traditions with Italy’s most colorful and acclaimed chef, known as one who loves to cook and to eat, in the heart of Rome.  Your fun filled day starts off with an early morning visit to the colorful outside marketplace in Rome. Chef Eugenio personally picks you up at your hotel for this exclusive visit then brings you to the kitchen for your cooking class.

Chef Eugenio’s family, originally from outside of Naples, immigrated to the Eternal City in the early 1900s. Though still very connected with his countryside roots, Chef Eugenio is 100% Roman and allows no exceptions in his kitchen. Learn how to cook without recipes, timers, measuring cups and scales, but with the smells, instinct, and technique that only Chef Eugenio has gained after years of experience. He cooks with his eyes, like most Italian chefs, using his senses and know how.

His philosophy is ‘to experience the action in the kitchen –look, try, and learn.’ In fact he does not use recipes, (recipes are given) as he works the kitchen turning out antipasti, pasta, main courses and pizza. In this unique cooking class, he will teach you his philosophy of cooking, tricks of the kitchen, along with passion and love for food. Chef Eugenio loves to eat too! Following each cooking class everyone enjoys the delicious foods that were prepared in class at the Roman table!

Chef Eugenio’s unique cooking style includes demonstration and hands-on and his up close attention in the kitchen. A recipe book is included with compilation of Chef Eugenio’s creations; recipes may vary depending on the seasons, so we encourage each guest to bring a notebook and camera into the kitchen.

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, meat and fish stalls, artisan cheese, ham and salumi fare, and wine.

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 Eugenio 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 Eugenio, brings you to the kitchen for a full course cooking class. Chef Eugenio 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!

One Day Pasta Class

Join Chef Eugenio in Rome for an exclusive fresh pasta making cooking class in his professional kitchen. Learn the tastes and traditions with Italy’s most colorful and acclaimed chef, known as one who loves to cook and to eat, in the heart of Rome.

Chef Eugenio’s family, originally from outside of Naples, immigrated to the Eternal City in the early 1900s. Though still very connected with his countryside roots, Chef Eugenio is 100% Roman and allows no exceptions in his kitchen. Learn how to cook without recipes, timers, measuring cups and scales, but with the smells, instinct, and technique that only Chef Eugenio has gained after years of experience. He cooks with his eyes, like most Italian chefs, using his senses and know how.

His philosophy is ‘to experience the action in the kitchen – look, try, and learn.’ In fact he does not use recipes, (recipes are provided) as he works the kitchen turning out antipasti, pasta, main courses and pizza. In this unique cooking class, he will teach you his philosophy of cooking, techniques of the kitchen, along with passion and love for food.

The morning class starts at 10am with a welcome and introduction. Then head into the kitchen to mix, blend, knead, twist, and roll a variety of fresh pastas. Not only will you learn how to make it, but you will learn the history and technique on making true Italian pasta. Chef Eugenio’s unique cooking style includes demonstration and hands-on cooking along with his up close attention in the kitchen. Following each cooking class everyone enjoys the delicious foods that were prepared in class. Wine and beverages not included.

A recipe book is included with compilation of Chef Eugenio’s creations; recipes may vary depending on the seasons, so we encourage each guest to bring a notebook and camera into the kitchen.

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

History of Pasta

Pasta has been an Italian tradition for hundreds of years. To passionate Italians, pasta is poetry. They’re so devoted to their national dish, there’s even a pasta museum in Pontedassio, Italy, filled with antique pasta-making implements and dried specimens of pasta dating back 100 years.

Italian explorer, Marco Polo, has been given credit for introducing pasta to Italy. However, there’s evidence that the ancient Etruscans in Italy were eating pasta at least 1600 years before Marco Polo was born. Not to mention the Chinese, who were eating noodles in 3000 BC. The Ancient Greeks and Romans had discovered the simple delights of pasta long before Marco Polo. In fact, Greek mythology suggests that the Greek God ‘Vulcan’ invented a device that made “strings of pasta dough.”

Pastas

From spaghetti to maccheroni and ravioli, pastas are delicious and infinite. Italy’s pasta list includes:

• sedani-a long tube shape
• route-little wheels
• mezze penne-small tubes cut on an angle
• cannelloni-large tubes and filled with cheese
• orecchiette-small little ear-like shapes
• maccheroncini-small narrow tubes
• malloreddus-rolled little shells
• farfalle-butterfly shapes
• bucatini-thick spaghetti
• caserecci-narrow thin folded-over twists
• cavatelli-thin narrow boat-like shapes
• garganelli-coils
• conchiglie-small snail-like shaped shells
• fusilli-short twisted strips
• ditaloni-fat tubes
• conchiglioni-large shells – great for stuffing
• trofie-thin twists, pipe-curved plump tubes
• pappardelle-long wide strips
• linguine-thin strips
• pizzoccheri-short cut strips
• reginette-ridged edge wide strips
• vermicelli-rounded spaghetti-like
• bavette-flat thin strips

There is a book dedicated to the very many pasta of Italy – these are just a sample!

One Day Pizza Class

Join Executive Chef Eugenio in Rome for an exclusive hands-on cooking class in his authentic Roman-style kitchen making pizza. He will teach you the history, technique, and skills to making pizza. Learn the tastes and traditions of authentic pizza with Italy’s most colorful and acclaimed chef in the heart of Rome.

Chef Eugenio’s family, originally from outside of Naples, immigrated to the Eternal City in the early 1900s. Though still very connected with his countryside roots, Chef Eugenio is 100% Roman and allows no exceptions in his kitchen. Learn how to cook without recipes, timers, measuring cups and scales, but with the smells, instinct, and technique that only Chef Eugenio has gained after years of experience. He cooks with his eyes, like most Italian chefs, using his senses and know how.

His philosophy is ‘to experience the action in the kitchen – look, try, and learn, and not focus on the steps in a recipe.’ In fact he does not use recipes, as he works the kitchen turning out antipasti, pasta, main courses and pizza. In this unique cooking class, he will teach you his philosophy of cooking, techniques of the kitchen, along with passion and love for food.

He takes you up close to the classical cuisine of the Eternal City, while transforming dough into a delicate golden crust topped with Italy’s finest tomatoes, Mozzarella, basil, olives and anyone of the delicious pizza toppings. You too can become a Pizzaiolo, pizza maker, for a day.

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

Pizza School

The Pizza making class brings you up close with our Pizzaiolo showing you how to mix, knead and bake a true Italian pizza. Learn the technique of dough making, rolling & driving the dough for the perfect pizza. Then slice into your Roman style pizza garnished with your choice of tomatoes, assorted cheese, grilled vegetables, salumi, ham or more!

The morning class starts at 10am with a welcome and introduction followed by the preparation of authentic Italian pizza. Join Chef Eugenio for this intense pizza cooking class as he takes you through the technical steps to making perfect Italian pizza. Lunch follows on the foods prepared in class.

A recipe book is included with compilation of Chef’s Eugenio’s creations; recipes may vary depending on the seasons, so we encourage each guest to bring a notebook and camera into the kitchen.

The History of Pizza Margherita

The story of how pizza became more than a peasant’s dish is quite a story. In 1889 Queen Margherita accompanied her husband, Umberto I of Savoia, on an inspection of his Italian Kingdom. During her trips around the kingdom she saw many peasants and poor people eating a flat bread which they called “pizza.” While in Naples, the curious queen summoned her guards and asked them to bring her a piece of this flat bread. The queen liked what she ate and would eat this flat bread every time she went out of her palace.

The queen developed a great liking for their pizza and became extremely popular with the masses. This taste was considered somewhat undesirable in court circles.

One day in June, on the Queen’s insistence, Chef Raffaele Esposito was summoned from his pizzeria to the palace to bake a selection of pizzas for the Queen. Raffaele, in order to honor the Queen’s desire for his pizzas, created a special pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and basil (the colors of the Italian flag – red, white and green). The pizza was a great hit with the Queen, and Esposito was summoned to create this specialty pizza regularly. When the news got out that the Queen’s favorite was tomato, mozzarella & basil, she not only became an even greater hit with the public, but also started a trend for the “Pizza Margherita.” To date, the Pizza Margherita is Italy’s most popular!

2024 Dates: Cooking classes available throughout the year. You can reserve your cooking class for any day of the week. Rates are subject to change based on currency exchange. Call for updated rates. Airfare not included. Group transfers for any cooking tour or tours that include transfers, are for the group and are not private. Transfers before, after or to another destination outside of your cooking tour are not included in the program price. If you would like to add on a private transfer or transfers, let us know and we will send you pricing.