Cooking Class and Market Tour: A Sicilian Experience

Of all the wonderful experiences my wife Kathleen and I enjoyed during our travels through Sicily, our private cooking evening with Lucia at Cook in Siracusa was one of the most memorable! Lucia, together with her parents Anna and Francesco, welcomed us with a warmth and authenticity that made the evening feel like spending time with Sicilian friends rather than attending a conventional cooking class. We particularly loved preparing all types of fish from the market with a multitude of citrus to marinate it, discovering how simple, exceptionally fresh local ingredients could be transformed into such extraordinary flavors and textures. What distinguished this experience was Anna, Francesco & Lucia’s enthusiasm, the family’s generosity, and the genuine connection between the food, the people and the culture of Ortigia. We left with wonderful memories, a deeper appreciation for Sicilian cooking, and the feeling that we’d made new friends. We recommend Cook in Siracusa without hesitation. A truly exceptional five-star experience!! — Marc and Kathleen

We had a wonderful cooking class with Anna yesterday! From visiting the market and choosing what we wanted to cook, to her delightful little history lessons and incredible cooking knowledge, Anna was a fantastic teacher. Her charming husband, Francesco, added a lovely wine lesson and generously shared Anna’s precious homemade liqueurs with us at the end. And the experience didn’t stop there—Anna even invited us to a coffee chat where people gather to practice Italian! It was so much more than a cooking class; it was a genuine taste of Sicilian life and hospitality. Highly recommend! ❤️

Anna was so fun, knowledgable and most importantly a great chef! She chose in season authentic ingredients and showed us dishes we could recreate at home. My wife and I absolutely loved it!

Amazing all around! Highly recommend!

This was easily one of the highlights of our time in Siracusa! There were four couples in our group, all with different backgrounds, tastes and dietary restrictions. Anna began by talking with us in the square, getting to know everyone and what we liked, and then came up with an amazing menu on the spot that worked for everyone. From there, we headed to the market together to buy our ingredients. This alone was worth the experience! Anna introduced us to local vendors, had us sample some of the local specialties, and explained what to look for, where to shop, what to buy—and even what to avoid. Our only regret was that we hadn’t done this class earlier in our stay because her advice about the market was invaluable! We had purchased a bunch of stuff from the supermarket when we should have been going to the local market. Then came the cooking. We made cannoli cream for dessert, two different kinds of pasta and a couple of absolutely delicious fish dishes. Everyone got involved. We cooked, learned, laughed and had an amazing time together. Anna’s husband, Francesco, joined us for lunch and made the experience even more memorable. He served us a couple of different wines, helped with the appetizers and entertained us with stories while we enjoyed everything we’d made. After dinner, he served about 8 different homemade liquors - Bay Leaf really stood out for me. What really stood out was how relaxed and personal the entire experience felt. Nothing seemed rushed or overly scripted. Anna managed to teach us a tremendous amount about food and local Sicilian culture while making the whole day simply feel like fun. Five hours later, we all walked out with very full bellies, big smiles and some wonderful memories. If you’re visiting Siracusa and enjoy food, cooking and getting a glimpse into real Sicilian life, do this experience—and do it early in your stay (I can’t stress this enough) so you can take advantage of everything Anna teaches you about the local market! Truly unforgettable. Five stars doesn’t seem like enough!

+2

Had the most amazing experience. I’ve done cooking classes before but none as good as this. Anna was exceptional at giving us lots of detail around not just the food but the history and culture behind it. Her charm and authenticity shone through. Her husband Francesco was lovely entertaining and kind. Kept the wine glass fully topped up. Great value for money and an experience il never forget. Brilliant. The food was magnificent!!

A highly enjoyable and complete activity, which perfectly combines the human side, learning, culture, and gastronomy. I loved touring the market with Anna and taking advantage of her recommendations. She is very clear, patient, and generous in her teaching and in sharing her knowledge. I especially learned how to make fresh pasta, a skill that I am really happy to be able to take home with me! The meal cooked together, as well as the products discovered at the market, are then enjoyed in a warm and friendly atmosphere. A very beautiful way to discover Sicilian culture through its cuisine and local products. I highly recommend this experience!

Anna was an absolutely wonderful guide and teacher. I have taken many cooking classes on vacation and this was the best by far. Exploring the market to shop for our meal was so much fun. Anna is incredibly knowledgeable about cooking, the food we cooked with, and the history of that food as it ties into Sicily. One of, if not the best meals we had on our trip to Sicily. It was delicious and easy for us to make. Anna sent us all the recipes so we can make them ourselves at home. This was a major highlight of our trip. Anna and her husband Francesco were fun and wonderful hosts and made the experience so much more memorable. When we sat down to eat everything we cooked, it felt like having a meal with family. I’m so glad we got to experience this. Thank you both for the amazing day!

Let me. start by saying that we had a wonderful experience. We met Anna at our hotel and then walked to the market. She showed us the variety of fish, interacted with the people who were selling the fish and vegetables and basically explained why we were buying what and what we would be cooking. We then walked to her house/kitchen and started preparation of the food. We chopped, we stirred, and Anna explained all the things we would be cooking. We made the Granita, and then started the two sauces. It was all enjoyable. Anna is a great conversationalist. Pretty soon her husband appeared and started helping out. What was remarkable is that Anna, like an orchestra conductor had us chopping, stirring, dicing, and cooking. We made sardines, baked with breadcrumbs and spices. We made a chopped onion dish. After a while we sat down for lunch. Anna's husband served the wine and we at a wonderul lunch. I almost forgot. We made two kinds of pasta from scratch. Cavatelli and Spaghetti. The whole experience was just the best. Anna and her husband were great host and Anna was an expert teacher. I would highly recommend this experience.

11 out of 10!! Absolutely wonderful. From beginning to end-perfect in every way possible. Most delicious food, wonderful hosts and chef Anna! Clean kitchen, true Sicilian and her husband Francesco was the surprise! He was pleasant and shared great tips on wine, local stories. Learned a lot and will try to do at home. This was worth flying back to Sicily for! 💛 ❤️ 👩‍🍳