Meet
Giovanna
Giovanna is a warm and gentle retired history and philosophy teacher who has lived in Bologna for over 60 years. She lives in an apartment in a large villa with her daughters Francesca and Laura. She learned fish and vegetable recipes from her mother and grandmother, originally from the Marche region and learned traditional Bolognese cooking from her husband’s family. She loves cooking for family, friends and guests and particularly enjoys widening her culinary repertoire with new dishes she learns on her travels.
Giovanna is proud of Bologna's heritage; Bologna’s nicknames include “la città dotta” (the educated city) and “la città grassa” (the fat city) and its gastronomical history is tied to the city’s university which is the oldest in the world. Since the Middle Ages, the university has attracted students from many different countries and cultures which she believes has enriched the city’s culinary scene. She enjoys introducing guests to Bologna's snacks such as crescentine, tigelle and piadine (made with flour, water and yeast) filled with local salames such as mortadella, prosciutto, ciccioli, coppa di testa and cheeses like the soft sqauccherone or parmigiana which can be washed down with Pignoletto dei colli bolognesi or Lambrusco (if you choose the alcohol option when making your booking).
What to expect
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal:
(1-3 guests)
Join Giovanna for a seasonal Bolognese meal that starts with typical Bolognese snacks like crescentine or tigelle, a traditional pastry breakfast of mountain farmers made with flour, water, pesto, lard, rosemary, parmesan, traditionally pressed with two bricks and two chestnut tree leaves. You will then enjoy salumi and cheeses like squacquerone and parmigiano-reggiano before tasting seasonal, oven-roasted vegetables including delightful pomodori, Italian tomatoes, or seasonal lettuces and garden vegetables served in the local "pinzimonio" (crudite) style. The central pillars of Bolognese cooking are pork meat and egg pasta and you will enjoy a pasta such as tagliatelle al ragù or the local Gramigna, Bolognese pasta with "salsiccia" made in the surrounding countryside. Second courses include the famous cotoletta alla bolognese (veal with ham and parmigiano), bisteccone (steak) or cotechino in galera and polpette con umido con piselli (meatballs with peas). Giovanna usually combines meat dishes with potato purèe, verdure con besciamella (vegetables with bechamel sauce) or friggione (a slow-cooked dish made with onions and tomatoes). Desserts vary seasonally and are usually tied to traditional festivals, such as the certosino bolognese for Christmas, le raviole for Saint Joseph, pinza (filled with Bolognese mostarda) or torta di riso, a rice cake which families make for the festa degli addobbi.
Cooking experience:
(1-4 guests)
Giovanna loves teaching guests how to prepare typical dishes from the rich Bolognese cooking tradition and sharing tales and anecdotes that are connected to different foods. Join Giovanna in her kitchen and learn to make a pasta dish such as tagliatelle al ragù, lasagne or tortellini, or a lesser known pasta such as gramigna with sausage, maltagliati (offcuts of flat egg pasta) with beans, or passatelli in brodo (soup with pasta). You will also learn to cook a side or dessert, before you share the meal you helped prepare with Giovanna at her dining table.
Giovanna is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Bologna. She can also accommodate vegetarian diet in her Italian cooking class.
Market visit:
(1-3 guests)
Join Giovanna for a memorable tour of one of Bologna's markets. Depending on the day you may visit the Mercato del Quadrilatero or Mercato del Erbe (closed on Sunday) where she buys her seasonal fruit and vegetables. The Antico mercato del Quadrilatero is a few minutes from her house and has medieval origins. You will see vendors selling everything from artisanal products to jewelry, meat, fish, salami, fruit, vegetables and bread. It is located in Piazza Maggiore, and is where most Bolognese housewives go to find traditional and genuine products. The other market you may visit is the Mercato delle Erbe, a covered market in the historical center, where you can buy local and regional produce, from fruit and vegetables to meat, cheese, salami, wine and fish.
Languages spoken:
English, Italian
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
We could not have chosen a better way to spend our first night in Italy. Gio and her daughters welcomed us into their home, and we learned how to make traditional Bolognese dishes: verdure gratinate, tagliatelle al ragù, and involtini. It felt like we were in a cooking show! And the food came out so delicious!
Throughout the course of the evening, we got to know Gio and her family, and they were wonderful teachers, hosts, and guides. They even gave us some very useful tips on traveling in Italy!
Also, during the tour through the city (and the walk up to Gio’s home), there were many of Gio’s friends and former students who greeted us. It was clear that she is loved by the people in this community. And for one evening, we got to see why. We felt very fortunate to have had this experience.
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abraham
May 29, 2024
Very authentic and traditional. A great way to spend a day in Bologna. A couple of tips that
make all the difference.
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Murray
April 03, 2024
My cooking class with Giovanna was a wonderful experience. The cooking class was the highlight of my trip. I highly recommend this experience as she gives you a background of Bologna and their culture. She did everything according to the details of the experience. She met me at the meeting location, we spent some time shopping at the markets she enjoys and we walked to her home to begin cooking. We made everything on her list, which was delicious. An added plus was that her two daughters joined us. They were lovely and were kind to help with translating. Overall, the experience felt personal and intimate like you were visiting a relative's home. This type of cooking class is a true Italian experience! I will definitely sign up again the next time I visit Bologna.
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491ninaz
November 27, 2023
What a fabulous experience . Charming warm lady shopped with us while giving us history
about the town. Then we went back to her home and helped her make a delicious meal. So
much food and wine! ❤️ I would recommend this to everyone
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Julie_L
May 24, 2023
Just what we had hoped for - Giovanna was a passionate enthusiast of her town, generous and kind to show us the highlights of the market quarter, the authenticity of living in Bologna and shopping for local ingredients. We cooked a feast for lunch and she was both well informed, warm and patient with us, just a delight to be part of her extended family. Highly recommend this!
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nickp319
April 04, 2023
My husband and I had the most wonderful time at Giovanna’s lovely home with her two daughters. We were immediately welcomed and put to work cooking our dinner. Giovanna, Lara and Francesca taught us how to cook bolognese, two different pastas, a vegetable salad, and a second course all while also teaching us about Bologna and their specific family history. We felt like part of the family, and are so excited to keep in touch! We would HIGHLY recommend.
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Cara L
March 27, 2023
This is by far and away the best experience we have had traveling. I wish I could give this 10 stars. We cooked, we laughed and we drank wine! Giovanna was amazing and my husband and I learned so much and are excited to make this at home! I recommend you book as soon as possible!
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Giovanna
November 25, 2022
Giovanna is very warm, inviting, knowledgeable and charming. She welcomed me into her home with open arms & introduced me to her two daughters Who also cooked with us. Our market walk was lovely with her pointing out all the different foods and going into different shops where she knew most of the vendors. We walked to her house and began to make Tortellini in a butter & sage sauce. We also made a Bolognese sauce to show me how the traditional sauce is made. Because it takes four hours to cook we did not eat it but I did taste it all along the way. To round out the meal we made a Polpettone which is a fancy word for meatloaf in a traditional Bolognese style along with vegetable gratinee. We had a traditional antipasto starter with prosciutto, mortadella, salami and pancetta with parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We had a little wine to cap off the meal that we devoured & I was so full that I passed on cookies for dessert. I can’t say enough good things about Giovanna and her family. I would highly recommend this tour and when I come back to Bologna I will look her up again.
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gemma
October 21, 2022
We were lucky enough to get Giovanna all to ourselves! She gave some history on the market and we followed her as she went into different proprietors for meat, vegetables and cheese. We were warmly welcomed into her kitchen where her daughter joined us for a lovely meal and lively conversation. We felt like we made a new friend in Bologna. Highly recommend if you want an immersion into Bolognese Culture.
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Dawn_H
October 02, 2022
We felt like we were in our family kitchen. Giovanni and daughters were wonderful. Lunch was DELICIOUS.
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Beth
September 12, 2022
Highly recommended! I had a wonderful time with Giovanna. Walking around Bologna, sitting at her kitchen table, discussing travel plans and cooking together. She speaks some English, so it helps if you speak a little Italian, but it all added to the feeling of authenticity and warmth I felt during our time together. Hope to repeat the experience soon!
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Ravien
March 27, 2022
This was an amazing experience and absolutely so much fun. Giovanna was so charming and accommodating. She and her two daughters were just the best. Thanks ladies
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Venture
December 14, 2021
Words can’t describe how incredible an experience this was! Giovanna is truly a master of her craft! She and her family were warm and welcoming, her instructions were clear, and the food turned out perfect!! If you have the opportunity to cook with Giovanna , don’t hesitate! It will be the experience of a lifetime! She is now my friend on Facebook, and I’m excited for the opportunity to stay in touch with her, and her delightful daughters!
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Joseph L
December 01, 2021
A wonderful way to get to know Bologna. Gio and her daughters were so incredibly generous and friendly! I had the best time exploring the market with her, and learning how to buy food like a pro. As we walked, she gave me a history lesson about the city, and I feel as though I understand Bologna and Italian food culture so much more. After the market, I felt so welcomed into their home, and I learned how to cook wonderful food. The meal we shared was so special for having made it together.
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U4004JIelizabethc
February 29, 2020
A piece of real Italy. Gio and her daughter were so generous and friendly. We had fun learning to cook the recipes. There was so much good food. The conversation flowed and I was sad the evening ended
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207glena
February 25, 2020
Bij echt Italiaanse mensen thuis koken, hoe leuk is dat?!
Dochters spreken goed Engels en brachten me na afloop zelfs even naar het appartement met de auto.
Het was een heel gezellige avond!
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PaulaAafke
October 24, 2019
We had a lovely evening with Giovanna. We were made to feel very welcome in her home where we were taught some traditional Bolognese recipes including Gramigna with sausage, gatto di patate and a selection of antipasti. Giovanna and her family were really friendly and we had an interesting evening with them learning about Italy, food and Bologna itself.
The only thing to make clear is that you don't actually make pasta on this course, which was not a problem for us but may be what some other people are looking for.
We would highly recommend this to anyone, We would go back again in a heartbeat and this was a really highlight of Bologna for us. Informal, local food and an opportunity to see a more authentic side of Bologna.
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George M
October 16, 2019
My brother and I are obsessed with Italian cuisine and had high expectations for our first trip to Bologna. Spending an evening with Giovanna and her family well exceeded our expectations and was by far the most amazing part of our trip. She was so warm, so friendly, so knowledgeable about the history of the city and the cuisine and her two daughters who cooked with us were just the coolest people. We made an unforgettable meal, talked about food, politics, art, sports, culture and more food for the better part of 4 hours. I cannot recommend this experience enough, and I cant wait to return to Bologna and enjoy another meal with Giovanna and her family.
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nickgee5
October 11, 2019
We booked with Travelling Spoon and had an excellent time with our host Giovanna. We booked the combined experience - to see the markets and hear some local insight and history, and then return with Giovanna to her home to cook and eat together.
It really was the highlight of our long weekend in Bologna.
Giovanna and her daughters were a delight - funny, interesting, kind, and they made us feel very welcome. Giovanna taught us several dishes and showed us the best places to get food in Bologna. She was thoughtful about constructing a menu around the dietary needs of my friend and made sure we could all experience some traditional cooking.
We had a great time drinking, cooking and talking together and learnt a few skills at the same time. We were so stuffed with food we could have rolled ourselves home, and there was enough leftovers for us to take home.
For us this was the perfect experience, to cook with Italians in an Italian home, and afterwards we knew which shops and market stalls to return to. Brilliant.
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TrillianLondon
June 10, 2018
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