La Cucina di Sandra Cooking School

My group of friends and I had the most wonderful evening at La Cucina di Sandra for an Italian Finger Food Special on Cup Eve, and what a delightful evening it was! Sandra’s warmth and hospitality together with her exuberance for the history and culture of Italy and its different food regions was magnificently transformed into the delightful tastes of this finger food degustation spectacular. Sandra prepares the food in front of you, eager to answer any questions you have, provides helpful cooking tips, what to look for when buying produce and where to buy it. The recipes are also provided to take home. I can highly recommend Sandra’s culinary expertise and wealth of knowledge matched by her generous and welcoming character. It was as though we had just completed a food tasting tour of Italy and a night to be remembered!

What a fantastic night at La Cucina Di Sandra! I attended the Zuppe e Minestre class, and who knew you could do so much with the humble soup. Sitting at the bench in the open kitchen with friends and a glass of wine we were treated to a range of soups and minestre I had not experienced before. The classic tuscan tomato and bread soup was elevated by the addition of Sandra's marinated mozzarella and the potato and mussel soup has come a long way from its fisherman origins. The flavour and presentation of Sandra's food is just superb. For each dish there is just that little extra attention to detail to make it outstanding. Best of all the techniques that Sandra shows you are easy to do yourself with basic equipment and they don't need half your high school chemistry set. The highlight though was the pasta fagoli. Such a simple dish of pasta and beans, but such a depth of flavour and comfort. These classes are a must for anyone interested in food and the regional variation and history of Italian food.

I attended one of the classes early on in the season expecting a hands-on intensive cookery class and after a long day at work I was getting prepared to roll up the sleeves and get involved. I was pleasantly surprised. Along with 3 other guests, we were treated to a four course, traditional Italian cooking experience, where we had the luxury of sitting back, sipping a glass of wine and watching Sandra prepare and cook each course while explaining the process the whole way through. She handed us recipes of each course and explained the detailed history of where the dish had originated as well as answering questions on the specific Italian region. There was a great atmosphere, relaxed, yet interactive and social. She has a beautiful home, open kitchen and large communal dining table. Sandra's knowledge of Italy and cooking surpasses anything you'll find in a recipe book, and you have her wealth of experience to draw from and ask her as many questions as you like. If you're genuinely interested in food, this is a must and so much better than being in a crowded restaurant. Also it's a great idea for a gift or social occasion, just come hungry!

I went to a class with my partner and have to say, it was such a great experience - we were invited by friends and so happy to have gone. It was very relaxed, informative and the food was outstanding. We brought our own wine, which we sipped at our leisure in Sandra's very warm and cosy home. Almost like a dinner party someone else has catered for (and better food!)