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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Francesca

Modena, Italy

USD
$170-$194 per person

Traditional pasta making class with a former Michelin-star chef

Host offerings
  • House
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Francesca

Francesca grew up in a restaurant (literally!), one of the first Michelin star restaurants in Italy. Her family has owned and run the restaurant since 1936. Hence her love for food, cooking and eating started at a very young age. Working in this family-owned, Michelin-starred restaurant for many years taught Francesca everything there is to know about ingredients, cooking techniques, plating, serving and hosting. Two years ago, Francesca decided to leave the restaurant and start something on her own. She now she runs a B&B in addition to offering private culinary experiences to share her food and culture.

Francesca says she loves hosting people from all over the world, “I'm really curious to understand the different ways of living, eating, and thinking.”

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: (2-6 guests) Francesca is excited to meet new people and share her passion for traditional home-cooked food and local traditions. An incredibly hospitable host, Francesca welcomes you into her Rubiera home with a warm smile. Over a glass of Italian wine, learn about her life growing up in a restaurant as well as the history behind Italian food. Next join Francesca at the dining table for your meal. Your menu might include Italian classic pastas such as tortellini (little raviolis stuffed with meat in the shape of a ring) or tortelli (spinach ravioli) and tagliatelle al ragu (long, flat ribbon pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in a meat and tomato sauce). Your meal concludes with bensone (a traditional cake from Modena) and walnut liquor. Please note that on most days Francesca will host alone, but occasionally her husband, Thomas and her mother, Franca might be present.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) During your 2-hour hands-on cooking class, you will learn to make fresh, homemade egg pasta from scratch. First learn how to make the dough for your pasta. Then Francesca will teach you how to make three different types of pasta - tortellini, tagliatelle and tortelloni. You will learn how to perfect the different shapes and then cook, serve and eat them in delightful sauces. After your pasta making adventure, enjoy the meal you helped prepare with Francesca at her dining table.

Notes: This experience with Francesca takes place in her home in Rubiera. Rubiera is 12 km from Modena or Reggio Emilia and is 7 min by train or 20 min by car from either city. There are trains every hour to and from Modena or Reggio Emilia and the train ride takes only 7 min to reach Rubiera. In Reggio Emilia there is also the High Velocity train station, just 45 min to/from Milano or Firenze.

1-2 glasses of wine are included in the price of the experience.

Languages spoken: Italian, English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tortellini (meat or spinach ravioli)
  • Tagliatelle al ragu (noodles with meat sauce)
  • Bensone cake
  • Lambrusco

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
And we’ve done a lot of them, across Europe, Asia, Africa, etc. This was really an unforgettable experience for us. Francesca welcoming us into her home and teaching us so much about the region and local food. The food you make in classes like this is usually pretty good, but here it was amazing - really next level , “oh my god this is good” quality food. It was also a lot of fun to taste a couple Lambrusco, some homemade liqueur, and a couple other snacks in between main courses. Worth every penny and a whole lot more, not just because it’s enough food for lunch and dinner. We will be sending a lot of our friends to come visit Francesca and take her class!
- Andrew M March 20, 2022
616037b0 2910 49b9 9bef 056526e23987

Francesca

$170-$194 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $194 $170
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $194 $170
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 4:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Francesca

Francesca grew up in a restaurant (literally!), one of the first Michelin star restaurants in Italy. Her family has owned and run the restaurant since 1936. Hence her love for food, cooking and eating started at a very young age. Working in this family-owned, Michelin-starred restaurant for many years taught Francesca everything there is to know about ingredients, cooking techniques, plating, serving and hosting. Two years ago, Francesca decided to leave the restaurant and start something on her own. She now she runs a B&B in addition to offering private culinary experiences to share her food and culture.

Francesca says she loves hosting people from all over the world, “I'm really curious to understand the different ways of living, eating, and thinking.”

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: (2-6 guests) Francesca is excited to meet new people and share her passion for traditional home-cooked food and local traditions. An incredibly hospitable host, Francesca welcomes you into her Rubiera home with a warm smile. Over a glass of Italian wine, learn about her life growing up in a restaurant as well as the history behind Italian food. Next join Francesca at the dining table for your meal. Your menu might include Italian classic pastas such as tortellini (little raviolis stuffed with meat in the shape of a ring) or tortelli (spinach ravioli) and tagliatelle al ragu (long, flat ribbon pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in a meat and tomato sauce). Your meal concludes with bensone (a traditional cake from Modena) and walnut liquor. Please note that on most days Francesca will host alone, but occasionally her husband, Thomas and her mother, Franca might be present.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) During your 2-hour hands-on cooking class, you will learn to make fresh, homemade egg pasta from scratch. First learn how to make the dough for your pasta. Then Francesca will teach you how to make three different types of pasta - tortellini, tagliatelle and tortelloni. You will learn how to perfect the different shapes and then cook, serve and eat them in delightful sauces. After your pasta making adventure, enjoy the meal you helped prepare with Francesca at her dining table.

Notes: This experience with Francesca takes place in her home in Rubiera. Rubiera is 12 km from Modena or Reggio Emilia and is 7 min by train or 20 min by car from either city. There are trains every hour to and from Modena or Reggio Emilia and the train ride takes only 7 min to reach Rubiera. In Reggio Emilia there is also the High Velocity train station, just 45 min to/from Milano or Firenze.

1-2 glasses of wine are included in the price of the experience.

Languages spoken: Italian, English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tortellini (meat or spinach ravioli)
  • Tagliatelle al ragu (noodles with meat sauce)
  • Bensone cake
  • Lambrusco

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
And we’ve done a lot of them, across Europe, Asia, Africa, etc. This was really an unforgettable experience for us. Francesca welcoming us into her home and teaching us so much about the region and local food. The food you make in classes like this is usually pretty good, but here it was amazing - really next level , “oh my god this is good” quality food. It was also a lot of fun to taste a couple Lambrusco, some homemade liqueur, and a couple other snacks in between main courses. Worth every penny and a whole lot more, not just because it’s enough food for lunch and dinner. We will be sending a lot of our friends to come visit Francesca and take her class!
- Andrew M March 20, 2022
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $194 $170
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $194 $170
Alcohol
 $16 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 4:00pm-9:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

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    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

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