Venice: Private Cooking Class & Market Walk with Local Host

4.97

(30 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We ducked under the striped awnings at Santa Margherita market, following Laura as she greeted vendors by name — I swear she knew everyone. The air smelled like basil and rain on stone. She handed me a fat bunch of asparagus (“only for risotto this time of year!”) and laughed when I tried to pronounce “radicchio” the way she did. It’s funny, you think you know vegetables until you see them through someone else’s eyes.

The walk back to Laura’s apartment was longer than I expected — about twenty minutes weaving through quiet alleys where laundry flapped overhead and old men played cards outside tiny bars. Her place felt lived-in, not staged: mismatched plates, shelves stacked with cookbooks, windows cracked open to let in the breeze (no AC but honestly it was fine). We started with Prosecco and focaccia, just standing around her kitchen counter while she told stories about growing up here. I liked that nothing felt rushed.

Making risotto together was messier than I’d imagined — my hands sticky from stirring, Laura showing me how to judge the rice by feel instead of time. She talked about her mother teaching her these recipes, and there was something comforting about that. When we finally sat down to eat (with more wine), it felt less like a class and more like dinner at a friend’s house. The tiramisù was creamy and light; I still think about that first spoonful sometimes.

Ilaria, Laura’s friend, popped in halfway through dessert — apparently she helps out sometimes or just comes for coffee. We swapped tips on where to find good gelato away from the crowds. By then the afternoon light had shifted golden across the tablecloth, and I realized I hadn’t checked my phone in hours. So yeah… if you want a real taste of Venice (literally), this is it.