レッチェ歴史地区にて昼食付き伝統料理教室

Me and my guests enjoyed the traditional cooking class here and we just loved it! It was an absolute pleasure to meet Giorgio and Marinella, they are very friendly and passionate about their cooking. We had an amazing day, learnt how to make and cook orecchiette together with some other typical dishes which tasted amazing! How do we know that? We had lunch all together at the end of the class ☺️ Thank you so much for the experience Giorgio and Marinella

Let me start by saying that if the price is deterring you, please don't let it. Allow me to explain. This was such a unique experience! We went with another couple, so there were 4 of us, and we were the only ones in the class which was great! Other cooking schools typically have larger groups and it isn't as personalized of an experience. We started by meeting the family - Rosalba and her husband, their kids Marinella, and Georgio who is the head chef. We then took a tour of the property, grabbed an apron, and then went to work in the kitchen. There is definitely a language barrier if you don't speak any Italian, but Marinella was a great translator, and we had no issues at all. We cut vegetables and prepared ingredients all while Georgio guided us through every step explaining how to do things, why they are done that way, and the history of the ingredients and steps. Then we went out to the main area and learned how to make handmade pasta. Georgio and Rosalba sure make it look easy, but we clearly illustrated that it is an art that takes years to reach their level! They were so great in teaching us and helping us if we needed to make a change - add more water, add more flower, don't roll so hard, use more force. Whatever our flaw, they were incredibly helpful in getting us back on track and celebrating everything we did well. We even enjoyed some wine while we learned to make the three different kinds of pasta. After that, we returned to the kitchen to finish cooking the other ingredients. It was fun watching Georgio do his thing and getting to help as well. Once the food was ready, we sat down as one big family and enjoyed a meal together sharing wine, stories, laughter, and making memories that will last a lifetime! It truly was a very unique experience that I highly recommend. Though I loved it all, it was the family meal at the end that made it the most special for me. THANK YOU to Rosalba and your family for a wonderful experience!

We traveled down to Lecce because all the friends who’ve visited Puglia recommended this restaurant. Even Bourdain used to come here often. We arrived during the time of the cooking classes, so of course! we signed up. What an amazing experience! We met a couple who ended up continuing their journey in Puglia with us, and above all, we met Rosalba and her family! Her son Giorgio is truly gifted at bringing the local tradition to life. The cooking class was a deep dive into Lecce’s culinary heritage. The whole restaurant felt like a home, and then Rosalba joined us. In the kitchen, we cooked a dish I’d never heard before, oreccette with turnip tops, and while cooking, we snacked on just fried eggplant meatballs. During the lunch the wine was fantastic. It was an intense experience we hadn’t planned, and we’re absolutely enchanting!

Walking through the historic center, we arrived at a hidden square with an ancient stone arch. At a window, we noticed a lady preparing what was needed to make orecchiette. She let us in, and only then did we realize it was a famous restaurant… even Anthony Bourdain had often visited! Inside, it was furnished like a house in Salento, with old chandeliers and paintings on the walls featuring family photos, an elegant fireplace, all within a 14th century building! We took an unforgettable cooking class, starting by kneading flour with our hands and learning how to make pasta from scratch. Then we moved to the kitchen to prepare typical dishes and ancient recipes. Finally, we all sat down at the table. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch, discovering flavors we didn’t know. But above all, we were won over by the kindness of Rosalba, a sweet granny full of energy and eager to share her stories and recipes. Her hands spoke for her, and a simple caress from her was moving. We had a magical experience, one that came as a surprise. We felt like family. Thank you chef Giorgio, for welcoming us into your kitchen, you were incredibly patient with us.

My mother was Italian and a fantastic cook. Her sauce was something in which she took great pride and many friends of mine would ask her for the recipe. In all my life I have never had a sauce (we called it gravy) that was something like my mother’s. I asked for bread just to dunk it in the sauce I made with Giorgio. My cooking class with him and his whole family was a once in a lifetime experience. I’ve been to cooking classes in Italy on previous trips but nothing compares with that the class at Alle Due Corti in Lecce. I’m a pretty good cook, but I learned some great techniques and new recipes. We spent four hours with Giorgio and got to share the fruits of our experience. This has definitely been the highlight of our trip to Puglia. Mille grazie Giorgio e Mariella.

We were looking for a cooking class in Lecce, but we didn’t have time to do thorough research before leaving. When we arrived in Lecce, the Suite where we were staying recommended this place. What a gem! Beautiful, emotional, and welcoming, it couldn’t have been more perfect. We found ourselves immersed in a real family, experiencing their everyday dynamics. The elegant, refined granny, the son proudly carrying on the traditions of a bygone era, and the neighbors who would pop in to joke and chat with us. It felt like stepping into a warm, authentic Italian home. The lunch was exceptional. We all cooked together and enjoyed a local wine. I regret not remembering its name, but the experience was truly unforgettable. Just like at home, we decided together what to eat for lunch, then we got to work. We started with handmade pasta, the rechette. It was challenging but so much fun! Honestly, they didn’t turn out great because making them requires a lot of practice, but I wanted to learn the technique. Since our visit to Alle due corti a month ago, I’ve already tried making them twice at home! Next, we moved to the kitchen to clean vegetables and learned how to distinguish good leaves from those we couldn’t use. The final dish was incredibly delicate: a pasta made with those large-leafed greens. We also prepared eggplant meatballs, delicate, unusual dishes that reflect deep culinary tradition. Rosalba was both gentle and strong. She shared stories about life in the countryside after the war, offering glimpses of true traditions that reminded me of my grandmother with Sicilian roots, who spent summers with us. In conclusion, this is an experience you can embark on with your eyes closed, you won’t be disappointed!

The cooking class was filled with emotions! We had such a great time chatting with Giorgio, the chef. Anthony Bourdain cooked with him! We prepared the same dishes, and it was such an incredible experience. We knew about Alle Due Corti restaurant; we visited about 10 years ago (an unforgettable lunch!). It was amazing to find the same owners, plus this fantastic new addition: they’ve opened an incredible little cooking school in Lecce! It’s not quite a traditional school; they’ve opened up all the restaurant spaces to the public, including the kitchen. They removed a few tables and set up a large one in part of the dining area. We made handmade pasta and had so much fun! A young Australian couple on their honeymoon joined us. We became friends and hope to visit them in the future. After preparing orecchiette and another pasta with a tricky name (something like massarelle), we all moved into the kitchen. Rosalba stayed with us for a long time, then took a seat in a cozy chair. We found her back at the table for lunch. In the kitchen, we cooked pepper balls and sweet fritters. They were delicious! For lunch, Giorgio chose a very famous red wine for us, but… I can’t remember the name. We returned to the hotel very late because we stayed chatting about cultural topics and stories about food.

After a few days of sightseeing we decided we wanted to have an authentic & different experience and this cooking class was the perfect solution. We spent the morning preparing the food including making fresh orecchiette with Giorgio, Marinella and mum and dad. We chatted about food, life & most importantly to Giorgio, football! We then went to the restaurant kitchen & cooked the pasta and melanzane polpette before all sitting down together for a lovely meal. The experience was great and one we will treasure forever as we were made to feel a part of their family.

It’s a real restaurant, but it feels just like a cozy home. There were five student in the lesson, along with the owners. They taught us how to make hand made pasta. We prepared it next to a large window where we could see a monumental arch in a lovely square of the old centre. People stopped to watch us, and incredibly, we ran into a friend who was also on vacation in Puglia! We all enjoyed lunch together. We stayed and talked until mid-afternoon, especially since it was raining outside. It was all so fascinating; we learned so much about the history of the dishes we had cooked! Great lunch, great wine! We had booked this cooking lesson in Lecce over a month in advance.

What a wonderful experience! What a beautiful family! It was exactly what we were looking for, not just a typical cooking class, but a full immersion, as if we were guests in a real Salento home. We discovered flavors that were completely new to my husband, while for me, it was like traveling back to my childhood, to the days at my granny Tilde’s house, who used to make very similar dishes. I was truly moved, and I hope I can recreate some of these recipes at home. There were some recipes I had completely forgotten, but when we talked about them at the table, memories from long ago came flooding back. I can’t even describe the emotion I felt! The place is beautiful: a stunning wooden table, a kitchen that’s part of a real restaurant, but cozy, elegant, and refined. In the end, we all sat down and ate together, with the entire family of Giorgio Grassi and Rosalba Di Carlo. It was such a moving and intense experience. And what a delight to see my husband, for the first time, with a pot in his hands!