About the location: Discover a little piece of Tuscan heaven and savour the very best in Tuscan living gathered together in our kitchen and around our table. The Tuscan Chef is based in 2 locations. Some weeks are held at the Villa Boschiglia, while other weeks are held at the charming Limonaia at Villa Boccella.

The Villa Boschiglia is a beautiful, historic 17th-century villa surrounded by wild and stunning olive grove terraces reaching out over Monte Pisano with views across lavendar and lemon scented Italian gardens towards the enchanting walled town of Lucca. It is a home of great character and charm which as been fully restored to its former glory to become an elegant and exclusive retreat with 6 luxuriously appointed junior suites (5 double one double twin), each with private en-suite bath or shower facilities. Alongside the Tuscan kitchen and grand dining room, the gracious Italian living areas include a formal drawing room with piano, guest office with telephone, fax, computer and internet facilities, a library, and a TV lounge with satellite, video, DVD and music system linked to surround sound.

La Limonaia at Villa Boccella was once used for milling flour, making the estate’s own wine and storing potted lemon trees during winter (hence the name). The cottage has been recently renovated and comprises 2 double rooms with ensuite bathroom, a twin bedded room with ensuite bathroom and 2 more twin rooms that share a bathroom. The ground floor includes a large lounge with fireplace and double doors leading out onto an orchard of apple, peach, apricot and fig trees. There is satellite TV, video and DVD players, as well as internet connection. A few stairs lead down to a large and spacious open-plan, fully equipped Tuscan kitchen and dining room which leads out onto a terrace for alfresco dining overlooking the walled garden and swimming pool. The estate still produces its own olive oil and wine.

About the cooking lessons: Our hands-on cooking courses are under the guidance of professional Italian chef, Valter Roman, one of our top collaborators for many years! The classes are fun, informative and full of tips and tricks of the trade. You will discover and explore the tastes and textures of some of the finest ingredients from fresh home-made pasta and plump potato gnocchi with their various complimenting sauces to truffles, fragrant garden Italian herbs, porcini mushrooms and wild asparagus, freshly pressed olive oil, creamy pecorino cheeses and classic Italian wines. Kitchen studies are enhanced and complimented by a special touring program to some of the most enchanting and personally selected towns, markets, vineyards and other hidden treasures of Tuscany.
 

• 6 day (Sunday to Saturday) hands-on cooking course with en-suite accommodation either at Villa Boschiglia or La Limonaia

• Seven hands-on cooking classes with Chef Valter Roman

• All food & house-wine

• Cost of pre-arranged restaurants

• Transfers to and from Pisa Airport, Florence Airport & Train Station & Lucca Train Station

• Transport for all arranged outings, guided tours & entrances to museums as arranged

• Wine tours/tastings.

• On arrival, each student will be presented with a course guide, a cookbook of course recipes & an apron.

• Graduation certificates are presented on the final evening

Day One - Sunday

• Transfers from Pisa or Florence airports/train stations for arrival at your accommodation on the outskirts of Lucca around midday for a welcome buffet lunch prepared by your Italian chef for the week, Valter Roman.
• Buffet lunch - meet your hosts & cooking colleagues with time to settle in and relax before the first hands-on cooking lesson.
• Hands-on cooking lesson with preparation of dinner:
  • Fiori di zucca ripieni & fritti con cestini di parmigiano - Deep fried, ricotta filled zucchini flowers with oven crisped parmesan baskets
  • Gnocchi di patate con pesto Genovese - Potato gnocchi with a basil, olive oil and pine nut sauce
  • Tiramisù – A little “pick-me-up”
  • Cantucci di Prato – Almond biscuits from Prato
• Welcome aperitivi and orientation before dinner.

Day Two - Monday

• Breakfast available.
• Join us for a leisurely morning stroll around the ancient walls of Lucca.
• Pasta and its Sauces - a specially themed cooking lesson.
  • Tagliolini al pomodoro ciliegino & basilico – Long thin pasta with a cherry tomato and basil sauce
  • Ravioli di asparagi selvatici con una salsa tartufata di stagione – Wild asparagus filled ravioli with a seasonal truffle butter
  • Maltagliati con funghi porcini & niepitella – Bad cuts of pasta with a porcini mushroom and calamint sauce
  • Torta di formaggio – Chef’s summer cheesecake
• Lunch al fresco followed by a short guided tour of Pisa & its Leaning Tower.
• Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of dinner.
  • Melanzane alla Parmigiana - Oven baked layers of eggplant, tomato and parmesan
  • Risotto ai carciofi – Artichoke risotto
  • Torta di ricotta con grano & aranci - Orange & grain ricotta tart
  • Limoncello di Nonna Maria - Grandma Maria’s lemon liqueur
• Aperitivi and dinner

Day Three - Tuesday

• Breakfast available.
• Depart for a Chianti adventure stopping off at an enchanting market town as well as renowned vineyard for wine-tasting and lunch followed by a further vineyard and distillery visit.
• Leave Chianti and return home for an informal pizza supper in the lively village trattoria, just a short walk from the villa

Day Four - Wednesday

Breakfast available.
• Chef’s tour of the bustling market town of Pistoia to choose fresh produce for dinner followed by a kitchen challenge where students and chefs work together to prepare a buffet lunch with items found at the market.
• Lunch followed by free time to relax and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the villa.
• Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of a special wine-tasting dinner.
  • Pappardelle con cinghiale & finocchio selvatico – Pasta ribbons with wild boar and wild fennel
  • Tagliata Fiorentina con funghi porcini & rucola & fagioli zolfini – Florentine steak dressed with a porcini mushroom sauce or rucola topping and served with zolfini beans
  • Pesche agli amaretti con gelato di cannella - Amaretto peaches with cinnamon ice-cream
• Introduction to the wines of Tuscany followed by dinner with wine tastings to accompany each course

Day Five - Thursday

• Breakfast available.
• Guided tour through Lucca followed by a specially selected tasting menu for lunch at Valter’s restaurant, The Gazebo at Locanda L’Elisa. After lunch there’s plenty of time to discover Lucca for yourself with great shopping along Via Filungo or to return to the peaceful haven of the villa for an afternoon of relax.
• Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of dinner.
  • Crema di fagioli con gamberi al guazzetto - Cream of cannellini beans with pan-seared prawns
  • Pesce in cartoccio -Fish in a bag
  • Sorbetto di limone & salvia - Lemon & sage sorbet
  • Preparazione panna cotta – Panna cotta pudding preparation
• Aperitivi and dinner

Day Six - Friday

• Breakfast available.
• Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of lunch. Zuppetta di funghi porcini – Porcini mushroom soup Rombo in crosta di patate con una crema di carciofi – Turbot with a potato crust on an artichoke cream Panna cotta con frutti di bosco - Panna cotta pudding with fruits of the forest
• Lunch followed by a free afternoon to relax or do some last minute shopping in Lucca.
• Hands-on cooking lesson and preparation of dinner.
  • Crespelline Fiorentine – Fiorentine spinach & ricotta crepes with a walnut sauce
  • Ossobuco alla Milanese con riso pilaff – Beef shanks in a citrus vegetable sauce & pilaff rice
  • Torta di pere e marzipane con salsa di cioccolato – Pear & marzipan pie with chocolate sauce
• Farewell drinks, graduation ceremony and celebration dinner.

Day Seven - Saturday

• Breakfast available and transfers to Florence or Pisa airport or train station. Goodbye, until the next time!