After wonderful Cook Like a Tuscan tours in 2018 and 2019, and then a hiatus in 2020, we are delighted to be offering two culinary adventures in Tuscany this fall. Led by The Chopping Block’s former sommelier, Viktorija Todorovska, and meticulously planned by Onward Travel, these tours are a special combination of hands-on cooking, wine education, and local exploration… all enjoyed while based at a villa in Chianti wine country. Basically, it’s a weeklong dinner party meant to delight you and enhance your cooking skills.
Read on for more information about the tour, COVID considerations and travel requirements.
During Cook Like a Tuscan, our small group will stay at a beautiful stone villa in Panzano in Chianti. Grapevines and pomegranate trees come up almost to the doorstep and the charming town is a short walk away. The tour features four hands-on cooking classes, excursions to nearby towns and cities and epicurean field trips. Of course, there will be lots of lovely meals and wine tastings at the villa as well!
Explore regional Tuscan cooking and expand your culinary repertoire with four hands-on in-depth cooking courses. We’ve selected four outstanding chefs to guide us through the hands-on culinary program.
We’ll visit Tuscany in autumn, the perfect time to enjoy deep red wines and bright green olive oil fresh from the press. Time in the kitchen is complemented by epicurean field trips, visits to medieval towns and gothic Siena, and opportunities to walk amongst the vines and views.
Space is limited! Each tour is limited to only 12 travelers and is usually a mix of solo travelers, friends and couples. Cook Like a Tuscan is perfect for any traveler who wants to spend time in Tuscan kitchens and you do not need culinary experience.
It's a unique time to visit one of the world's top destinations with less crowds and a set of grateful Italians happy to welcome back visitors. Our small, fully vaccinated group will enjoy staying at a private villa in a rural area, a perfect style of tour given the current times. The vaccination campaign is going well in Italy - more than half the population has received at least one dose and that's climbing - and we're confident our groups will be safe and have very special experiences. COVID case rates in the US are currently three in 100,000; in Italy they are one in 100,000, with Tuscany being significantly lower.
While we feel optimistic and encouraged, the state of the world during the COVID pandemic has been unpredictable. We’re optimistic about the vaccine campaign and case rates in the US and Italy. If things change drastically and Onward Travel needs to cancel or reschedule the tour, we will refund in full.
Onward Travel is delighted to offer small group travel again but wants to do so safely and responsibly. Due to the risk of unvaccinated people spreading COVID and the always-changing requirements by local authorities and businesses, we are making vaccination mandatory for those traveling with Onward.
As of June 21, proof of vaccination is now sufficient to enter Italy! That means no more COVID-tested flights, no tests required to enter Italy and no quarantines. Simply present your CDC vaccination card and you're in! At the time of travel, a test may still be required to reenter the United States. Onward will arrange any testing that needs to happen during the tour and cover the cost of testing on tour.
Visit the tour page here to view the detailed itinerary PDF and register for the tour. Each traveler needs to complete a registration form. Once Onward Travel receives your registration, we will send an invoice and confirm your participation in this special adventure. Get in touch with owner Molly Crist with questions or requests at molly@onwardtravel.co or 845-293-2729.
Now, more than ever, it is a wonderful time to share a travel experience with others and let Onward Travel handle all the details. Let's Cook Like a Tuscan together this fall!