Our hands-on courses have a thematic flair which includes
special seasonal recipes as well as traditional Italian and Tuscan
cooking. Encounter the culinary arts like never before by
creating fresh vegetable and meat dishes in spring; tasty fish
dishes in summer; sample truffles, cabbage, chestnut and mushroom
dishes in fall; and poultry dishes and delectable tarts and cakes
in winter. Plus, uncover the art of creating traditional
and Medieval cuisine by learning some truly age-old recipes dating back
to the Middle Ages! Finally if you prefer to develop your skills
in modern cooking, "Pane, Pizza, Pasta Week" will also put a smile on
your face.
You can take courses from one-week to four-months if you are a
professional or real enthusiast. Depending on the Italian language
level, courses may be taught in Italian and/or English (other languages
available upon request at not additional cost).
Lessons begin with the study of ingredients, a brief description of the
recipes and then one learns the true art of Italian cooking by
participating hands-on in an elaborate step by step process of the four
or five course meal you are about to create! The antipasto, primo,
secondo, contorno and dolce are all significant parts of the art of
fine and healthy dining. And for the time you’ve been
anticipating the most.... lunch on the feast you created! All of our
cooking courses may be taken contemporaneously with any of the Italian
language courses we offer. Several programs such as Siena Magnifica
& Internships combine cooking and Italian language lessons. We also
offer amateur and professional culinary courses for those who wish to
focus exclusively on culinary programs.
Evening Culinary session
These group demonstration sessions (a discount is
applied to our Italian language students and owners of the Dante
Alighieri card) can be taken twice a week in the evening, from 17.30
until about 21.30. Under the expert guidance of our friendly chef,
students learn how to prepare traditional Italian dishes, which vary
according to the fresh ingredients available each season. At the end of
each session all participants eat what they have prepared together -
food and wine are included in the price. This course is designed for
people who wish to learn the secrets of Italian gastronomy as a
complement to their Italian language studies. Culinary lessons are held
in Italian and English, and when needed in German, French, Japanese and
Chinese - at no additional charge.
Price reserved for our language students per session: € 65.00 first
session and € 55.00 each extra-session (5.00 Euro off for Dante
Alighieri's card owner)
Intensive culinary courses (CC)
We have developed a program aimed exclusively at food
professionals that are interested in discovering the secrets of Tuscan
cuisine. Culinary lessons are held in Italian and English. They can
also be given upon request in German, French, Japanese and Chinese at
no additional cost. This program develops the participants' potential
in gourmet cooking to the utmost by giving them a professional outlook
to Tuscan cuisine. The courses oversee culinary sessions at a
professional level for different food areas. Emphasis is made, not only
on the preparation of a wide variety of dishes, but also on the study
and use of essential ingredients such as wine, spices and olive oil.
Participants visit a vineyard, a wine cellar, a butcher’s shop and
other retail and wholesale shops making it a very interesting and
educational program. Dante Alighieri Siena also organizes plenty of
social activities for participants to enjoy during their free time.
| Theme | Dates | Weeks | Sessions | Fees in Euro |
| Spring cuisine | Mar 12th, 2012 | 2 | 8 | 750.00 |
| Italian bread & dessert | Apr 16th, 2012 | 1 | 5 | 450.00 |
| Mediterranean diet cuisine | Jul 16th, 2012 | 2 | 8 | 750.00 |
| Summer palate | Aug 20th, 2012 | 1 | 5 | 450.00 |
| A journey through Italy | Oct 8th, 2012 | 3 | 12 | 1.100.00 |
| Xmas festivities | Dec 10th, 2012 | 1 | 5 | 450.00 |
Internship Programs
These programs are designed for those who wish to be actively immersed
in the world of Italian cooking at a professional level. Participants
will be living in the world of real Italian cuisine and its
environment. They will learn to speak and understand the
language, have the opportunity to network with their peers as well as
obtain personal enhancement in their field. Depending on the
participants' interests, there's a wide range of internship
arrangements, from restaurants in 5star hotels to local restaurants to
trattoria.
Cooking training (CT)
| Code | Start level of Italian language | hours of italian language | session of italian cuisine | course weeks | fees in Euro |
| CT1 | absolute beginner | 300 | 20 | 24-44 weeks | 5.500,00 Euro |
| CT2 | A2-B1 | 240 | 20 |
20-40 weeks | 5.000,00 Euro |
| CT3 | B2-C2 | 60 + 16 hours of individual lesson | 6 | 8-12 weeks | 2.000,00 Euro |
Program Description
- Learning Italian language and culture: You will be learning to speak Italian and Italian culture in group lessons aimed to make you feel comfortable and secure with the language in a professional cooking environment. The school will evaluate your level of knowledge through an on-line test that you send along with your enrollment application. You will be informed of the results of your test before your departure and at your arrival you will have an oral exam which will guide us as to the number of required Italian lessons you need.
- Professional hands-on cooking courses: You will take professional hands-on cooking courses towards an internship in a restaurant, hotel or trattoria. The cooking courses are given along with or after the language lessons – depending on your proficiency in Italian. The CT1 and CT2 courses consist of 20 cooking sessions (12 group and 8 are private). The CT3 course consists of 6 group sessions. Enrollment in the CT3 course is strictly reserved for those with good Italian language knowledge (at least B2 level) as well as previous experience working in a restaurant. These lessons will prepare you to be fully immersed in a real professional cooking environment by learning hands-on how to prepare numerous and authentic soups, meat and pasta dishes, sauces, vegetables and desserts. You and your classmates will feast on all the meals prepared. These intense cooking courses will be part of your culinary internship adventure at a professional level.
-Culinary Internship: CT1 & CT2 last from 4 to 24 week and CT3 last from 4-8 weeks. During the internship you will be training in Siena or the surrounding area at the most appropriate culinary institution for your personal skills. This is where you will learn all the tricks of the trade. Students participating in internships do not receive monetary compensation but room and board are provided for a certain amount of weeks depending on the course length.
Fees include:
* Language course + culinary sessions
* Internship placement fee
* Insurance and coverage for damage to third parties
* Food and board is provided for part of the program
Fees do not include:
* Administration fees
* Accommodation fees
* Accommodation for part of the program
