The 10 Best Italian Cooking Schools in Italy to Become a Real Chef
- Simon
- Last Updated on October 31, 2023
Table of Contents
Top 3 Italian Cooking Schools in Italy
The Florence Culinary Arts School
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2 months
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Diploma
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Max 25 ppl.
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Housing included
Italian Chef Academy
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1,320 hours
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MA in Culinary Arts
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Max 10 ppl.
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Housing not included
ALMA: The School of Italian Culinary Arts
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11.5 months
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Advanced Diploma
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Max 20 ppl.
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Housing not included
Table of Contents
Cooking schools in Italy are definitely some of the best cooking schools to refine your pasta & co. cooking skills and for a very good reason. From the olive oil to the homemade pasta dishes and the wine pairings, Italian culture shines through in all of their cooking classes.
Here you will experience Italy through the culinary courses by some of the best cooking schools and institutes. It doesn’t matter if you are looking to take part in a cooking vacation, if you want to learn Tuscan farmhouse cooking or take one of these intensive courses to become a professional chef, you will surely find what you are looking for.
You will learn the importance of fresh ingredients, how to make delicious sauces and recipes that you will use in your own kitchen for years to come.
1. The Florence Culinary Arts School - Italian Cuisine Professional Chef Training
This institute was established in 1983 and has made it its mission to spread the excellence of Italian cuisine around the world and inspire international students to reach their full potential and accelerate their career growth.
All students come from a diverse background which creates a rich multicultural community that promotes the exchange of ideas and viewpoints. Staff are also multilingual and are always ready to assist where needed.
This course aims to prepare its students for the workforce wherever they may end up from hotels to a restaurant or even country clubs. It is hands on and is made up of lectures, demonstrations and field trips to help students acquire all that they need for a career as a chef. Every cooking class is held in a fully equipped professional kitchen guided by interpreters, assistants and instructors.
This course also includes Italian language classes to ensure that students can speak basic Italian and use it as a basis to build on as it is important for day to day as well as networking within the industry.
The school also offers courses on topics such as gelato, barista training and sommelier training as well as one day Italian cooking classes on fresh pasta, pizza making and much more.
- URL: florenceculinaryschool.com
- Address: Via dei Conti 4, 50123 Florence, Italy
- Price: €9,800 (Enrolment fee included: € 2,000)
- Duration: 2 months
- Max number of people per course: 25
- Certification issued: Diploma (Internationally recognised)
- Housing is included: twin room (single room at extra charge)
- Meals are not included
2. Italian Chef Academy - MA in Culinary Arts
This cooking school is located within a nature reserve and boasts an area dedicated to aromatic herbs with large outdoor spaces and classrooms that are used for both theoretical and practical lessons.
Their kitchens are equipped with modern appliances and workstations that provide students with space and autonomy during their work. The academy also offers access to their culinary library that is filled with a considerable amount of books on food and wine and is available to all students looking for some extra enrichment and study material.
This course will focus on topics such as HACCP, sensory analysis, nutrition, tasting techniques and much more and includes educational outings.
The academy also registers you with the Italian Chef Association (AIC) and International Federation of Pastry, Ice Cream and Chocolate (FIP). You also receive a set of knives, chef jackets, trousers and more for you course.
The academy also offers for sommeliers, a course for an oil sommelier, barman courses and even champagne courses.
- URL: italianchefacademy.it
- Address: Via Decio Filipponi, 15, 00136 Roma RM, Italy
- Price: €12,000
- Duration: 1320 hours (320 hours of theoretical and practical lessons, 1000 hours of training internship)
- Max number of people per course: 10
- Certification issued: MA in Culinary Arts (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation is not included but it is available in the area starting from € 275/month
- Meals are not included
3. ALMA: The School of Italian Culinary Arts - Italian Culinary Program
This Italian cooking school has been operating since 2004 and has trained all sorts of professionals in different areas of the kitchen with a mixture of modern and traditional methods.
This course will focus on authentic Italian cuisine by starting at the basics and will accompany you all the way to the advanced level.
Students do not need anything more than a high school diploma and a great interest in Italian cuisine to join one of these incredible cooking courses and start their journey to becoming a professional chef and someone that can cook amazing Italian food.
The school also offers course in advanced pastry, different cooking techniques, modern bread making as well as different management courses.
- URL: alma.scuolacucina.it
- Address: Via Decio Filipponi, 15, 00136 Roma RM, Italy
- Price: €28,150
- Duration: 11,5 months
- Max number of people per course: 20
- Certification issued: Certificate of Attendance (Fundamentals of Italian Cuisine - products and techniques), Certificate of Skills, Professional Diploma (Professional of the Italian cuisine - Advanced level), Certificate of Professional Qualification (Operator at the Production of meals - Level EQF 4), (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation is available
- Meals are not included
4. Cordon Bleu Cooking School - 3 year European Bachelor in the Arts of Italian Cuisine
Cordon Bleu has been operational since 1985 and is one of the oldest culinary schools in Tuscany and to celebrate their 30th anniversary, they moved from via di Mezzo to via Giusti to Palazzo Panciatichi Ximenes, a 16th century Florentine palace.
This culinary academy boasts 3 classrooms, 3 renovated kitchens with up-to-date professional equipment and an amazing library available to all students. This is the perfect place to rediscover the traditions and history of cooking as well as new horizons.
This is an advanced course in the technical, culinary, artistic, historical and business management fields and ranks as a reference course in Italy.
Included in this course is the technical and practical preparation of cooking, confectionary, ice cream making, the production of fresh pasta, chocolate making and sugar processing as well as an in-depth study of business management, marketing and design. Food tasting and the tasting of wine, beers, alcoholic beverages and cocktails will also be areas of study.
The conclusion of this Italian cooking course includes a thesis consisting of a written paper, a practical test and a theoretical test.
- URL: cordonbleu-it.com
- Address: Via Giusti 7 - 50121 Florence, Italy
- Price: €8,500
- Duration: 3 years
- Max number of people per course: 22
- Certification issued: European Bachelor in the Arts of Italian Cuisine, (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation is not available
- Meals are not included
5. Italian Culinary Institute - Master of Italian Cuisine
Come and enjoy amazing hands on Italian cooking courses taught by professional chefs in the heart of the Mediterranean. You will be awed by your surroundings as you take in the knowledge these amazing chefs will teach you.
The program is all inclusive from the time that you arrive to the time that you depart and of course includes amazing lessons on Italian food taught by renowned master chefs. You will be taught modern and traditional methods of cooking regional cuisine and complete an intensive analysis on the principles of Italian cuisine.
You will further be taught the evolution of Italian cooking to enable you to create your own dishes. You will also learn how to plan and place orders for production, how to organise your work station, how to prepare food and how to plate it, time management, you will develop your palate and examine the production realities of a restaurant.
This course also includes baking and pastry arts and teaches you the fundamentals of baking, food science, aesthetics, sensory perception and other topics of contemporary significance. You will learn the principles and techniques that are used in the preparation of high quality pastries by examining taste, baking and pastry making techniques, ingredients and spices.
There will be emphasis placed on advanced production techniques and how to evaluate quality products. Some topics include basic pastry dishes, pastry creams, basic cakes, chocolate work and chemistry.
Students will also be taught how to pair regional wines with their corresponding cuisines and how to fuse them with other cuisines by some of the top sommeliers in Italy. There are also several planned excursions to important gastronomical centres.
- URL: italianculinary.it
- Address: Loc. Caminia, 88068 Copanello CZ, Italy
- Price: €14,995
- Duration: 3 months
- Max number of people per course: 18
- Certification issued: Diploma of Excellence, ICI Sommelier Certification 2nd Grade, 3 semester credits with selected universities, (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation included
- Meals included
6. Academia Italiana Chef - Master of Pasta and Sauces Course
It doesn’t matter if your skill level is that of an expert or a beginner, this may just be the course for you! You will learns the skills and techniques that you need to cook delicious food from scratch and enjoy it in the process.
This course will teach you all the secrets of real Italian food, and most importantly, homemade pasta and delicious sauces. You will be fully immersed in the key concepts of what exactly made these pasta dishes the most famous and consumed food in the world.
One of these intensive courses will teach you in the same way that Italian chefs are taught and you will practice each item to perfection.
The Institute boasts with 100% Italian cooking methods in their teachings and provide authentic recipes, fresh ingredients and of all the necessary secrets.
The school also offers a course on pizza making that is perfect for anyone that is looking to start their pizza making journey. It will be a combination of theory and practical application to ensure that you absorb all the knowledge that you can from these amazing chefs.
- URL: cookingschoolitaly.it
- Address: Via del Borgo di S. Pietro, 139/A, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy
- Price: €2,000
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Max number of people per course: 20
- Certification issued: Master's Certificate of "Expert of Italian Pasta and Sauces", (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation not included
- Meals are not included
7. Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners - Italian Cuisine and Wine Course
This non-profit institute has been promoting Italian cuisine and oenology around the world since 1991 through their professional cooking courses. They moved their headquarters into the prestigious Castle of Costigliole d’Asti in 1997 and it has been equipped with a professional kitchen, state-of-the-art facilities, a wine cellar and even an oil cellar where top Italian producers display their products.
This course is held at their headquarters in Italy and is designed to deliver fast and complete training on the main topics of Italian cuisine for professionals looking to broaden their horizons. The recipes focus on modern and traditional methods of cooking while teaching you the fundamentals.
You will learn how to make different types of homemade pasta, risotto and its variations, traditional sauces, second courses consisting of meat and fish, cheese, bread, pizza making and how to use extra virgin olive oil and vinegar in the best possible way.
You will also be taught wine tasting techniques, how to use impressive culinary technology and even visit a PDO Grana Padano cheese factory.
The course contains theory and practical elements that help ensure that you get the best amount of education during your time taking the course.
This institute also offers courses on gelato making, Italian pastry and pizza courses. Other types of courses focus on coffee and bar and even vegan and gluten free cooking.
- URL: icif.com
- Address: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 10, 14055 – Costigliole d’Asti (AT), Italy
- Price: €1,700/3,200
- Duration: 1/2 weeks
- Max number of people per course: N/A
- Certification issued: ICIF Certificate (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation included
- Meals included
8. Good Tastes of Tuscany - Weekly Course in Jewish Italian Cuisine
This cooking school has been offering cooking classes in Tuscany since 1999 and over the years has shaped their culinary vacations to show you the authenticity of Italian culture and life that makes it so attractive.
Jewish families have been prominent in the Italian community for a very long time and have made large and important contributions to Italian cuisine such as introducing artichokes, eggplant and even squash blossoms and much more.
The Italian cooking classes contained within this course will focus on teaching you the basics of the relation between the Jewish Community and Italian food and all the love that it is made up of.
You will use fresh ingredients and learn that simplicity is sometimes the key to delicious food and stunning dishes. You will even learn culinary secrets that date back to the 16th Century Roman ghettos that helped shape Italian cuisine into what it is today.
They also offer single day cooking classes that focus on Tuscan cuisine and teaching you the basics of authentic Tuscan recipes from homemade pasta to risotto. Other multiple day cooking courses also focus on Tuscan cuisine and every class is different so you are sure to have an amazing time every time that you attend.
- URL: tuscany-cooking-class.com
- Address: Via Livornese, 334 Lastra A Signa 50055, Florence, Italy
- Price: €1,500
- Duration: 1 week
- Max number of people per course: 13
- Certification issued: Certificate of Completion (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation is available
- Some meals are included
9. Manuelina Culinary - Master Program
Melina Puntoriero found the school when she saw the need for short intensive courses within the industry. All programs within the school focus on teaching you the basics and advancing upwards to ensure that everyone is on the same page by the end.
This course will give you insight into Italian Regional Cuisine that can be effectively and simply applied in all areas of global cuisine. You will take a look at the raw ingredients that you will be using to execute menus and will go far beyond just simply learning a recipe. This course will be a combination of demonstration and hands on methods that focuses on the principles of contrasting flavours, colour, techniques and the nutritive value of your food to allow you to develop your own technique.
You will be covering topics such as pasta, risotto, pastry and desserts, gelato and cured and preserved products as well as Italian main courses. You will do an in-depth analysis of all the techniques, chemistry and science behind each of the components.
During this course you will not only learn the secrets and techniques behind Italian cooking but you will also experience the Italian culture in a fun and inclusive environment.
The school offers other intensive courses on topics such as gelato cooking class, and even offers a course that has a section on game and includes field trips to artisanal producers, markets and restaurants to help you understand why certain things are done the way that they are in a professional kitchen.
- URL: manuelinaculinary.com
- Address: Via Serenissima, 5 Brescia, Italy
- Price: €8,000
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Max number of people per course: 15
- Certification issued: Certificate of Completion (Internationally recognised)
- Accommodation is included
- Meals are included
10. Culinary Institute of Bologna - Immersive Italian Cooking Classes
This institute is sure to give you an experience that you won’t soon forget. You will be immersed in the Italian landscape while you learn age old secrets related to Italian food and breathe in some of the freshest air in Italy.
You will be staying in a private mountain retreat and cook every day away from the hustle and bustle that you would encounter in a normal tourist area. You will be taken on a journey to the origin of traditional dishes and learn the secrets of modern day Italian cooking. You will be working in the kitchen of the house that you stay in along with the chef and his focus on technique will be included in everything.
You will learn how to make handmade pasta without a machine, work on delicious sauces, and create delicious sides as well as main courses. You will have an authentic fireplace and stone oven to work with and discover the regional dishes and their recipes at your own pace, from meat to fish to vegetarian, during this amazing course.
They also offer cooking vacations during which you will be able to explore ancient towns in Romagna, Montefeltro, Tuscany and Umbria in the morning and enjoy your cooking classes in the afternoon. Another tour on offer consists of discovering the Great Art Along the Tiber River in Central Italy.
- URL: bolognavacations.com
- Address: Via Agamennone Zappoli, 5, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy
- Price: $3,500 per person for 5 Days, $2,100 per person for 3 Days
- Duration: 3/5 days
- Max number of people per course: N/A
- Certification issued: None
- Accommodation is included
- Meals are included
Ready to embark on a gastronomic adventure that transforms your culinary skills? Dive into the heart of Italian cuisine with the country’s top cooking schools. It’s not just about cooking – these immersive experiences offer language lessons, field trips, and a true taste of Italy’s rich culinary culture.
If you, instead, are looking for specific one day classes, whether you’re a professional chef or a culinary enthusiast, we have made a list of the best cooking classes in Italy.These classes will be your ticket to an enriching journey through Italy’s culinary landscape. Ready to take your taste buds on a tour?
Disclaimer: Note that the food images displayed on this website are for illustrative purposes only. They are not indicative of the actual dishes or presentations you should expect during the classes. We strive to provide the best culinary experience, but the appearance of dishes may vary. Always refer to class descriptions and details for accurate information on what to expect.
