With Tiziana Cooking Class for Pesto , Gnocchi and Tiramisù

Genoa’s signature dish is made the old-fashioned way here: you crush basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, and oil in a traditional marble mortar, then use your pesto on homemade gnocchi. Tiziana and Roberto welcome you into their home, turning a cooking lesson into a shared Genoese meal.

I like the class’s beginner-friendly recipes and the chance to eat what you prepare right away. I also like the personal setting, where Roberto may share family memorabilia and local suggestions while Tiziana teaches. The main drawback is the climb to the apartment, with several stairs typical of Genoa’s steep historic center.

Key points to know

• Make real pesto by hand: You prepare Pesto alla Genovese with DOP basil and a marble mortar rather than relying on a food processor.
• Cook three classic dishes: The class covers pesto, gnocchi, and original-recipe tiramisù.
• Eat together afterward: The meal includes your dishes, homemade focaccia, water, coffee or tea, and prosecco for adults.
• Meet Tiziana and Roberto at home: Their hospitality is a central part of the experience, with conversation, photos, and local advice.
• Plan for stairs: The meeting point is in Genoa’s hilly historic center, and reaching the home requires a climb.
• Good for families: Teenagers and children have taken part, and the recipes are simple enough for first-time cooks.

Making Genoese pesto with a marble mortar

The most distinctive part of this two-hour class is the pesto lesson. In Genoa, pesto is not just a green sauce poured over pasta. It is a local specialty with a defined method, and Tiziana shows you how to make it with a traditional marble mortar.

You work with Pesto alla Genovese DOP, using the basil associated with Liguria. The mortar gives you a slower, more physical process than a blender. You crush and combine the ingredients step by step, learning how the texture changes as the mixture comes together.

That pace is useful. You can see and feel the difference between roughly bruised basil and a smooth pesto. You also get a practical lesson you can repeat at home, even if your own kitchen lacks a marble mortar. The aim is not simply to watch Tiziana prepare lunch. You take part in the key work.

Pesto is also a smart choice for a short class. It has a strong connection to Genoa, it does not require advanced cooking skills, and the finished sauce becomes part of the next dish. The recipe gives you an immediate taste of Ligurian food without asking you to spend hours on complicated preparation.

Turning the pesto into homemade gnocchi

Once the pesto is ready, you and Tiziana prepare gnocchi. These soft potato dumplings are familiar to many people, but making them from scratch gives you a better sense of the dish.

The cooking is designed for beginners. You receive clear instructions and take part in the preparation rather than standing at a counter while a chef does everything. The class also lets you see how the pesto works with a warm, mild base. Gnocchi can easily become heavy, but fresh pesto adds brightness and herbal flavor.

This part may be especially enjoyable for families. Two teenagers, aged 13 and 16, took part in one family’s class and had fun with the cooking. A family of four adults and two children also joined the preparation. The recipes offer enough jobs for several people, though a group of up to 12 means not everyone may have the same amount of hands-on time at every moment.

The class is not built around technical chef training. You should expect practical home cooking, traditional recipes, and friendly instruction rather than a formal culinary school lesson. That is a strength if you want food you can make again. It may feel less suitable if you are searching for advanced knife work, restaurant techniques, or a long menu.

Starting with focaccia and pesto

When you arrive, Tiziana serves homemade focaccia topped with authentic Genoese pesto. This gives you something to eat before the main cooking begins and lets you taste the finished style of pesto in a simple form.

The focaccia is prepared in advance, so it is not one of the dishes you make during the class. That distinction matters. You are learning pesto and gnocchi, not taking part in a full bakery workshop. Still, the focaccia makes a useful introduction to Ligurian food and gives you a snack while the rest of the meal comes together.

The food arrives in a sensible order: focaccia first, then homemade gnocchi with the pesto you prepared, followed by tiramisù. The meal is part of the experience, not an extra tasting at the end. You get to judge your own work while it is fresh.

Finishing with original-recipe tiramisù

Dessert is homemade tiramisù prepared during the class. Tiziana teaches the original recipe, giving the session a sweet finish without adding another difficult project.

Tiramisù is a good choice for a group class because you can prepare it with straightforward instructions and set it aside while other cooking continues. It also gives you a recipe to remember beyond Genoese food. One participant was even given extra tiramisù to take away, although you should not count on that as a standard part of the booking.

The dessert helps make this a full meal rather than a single-dish workshop. You start with focaccia, prepare a main course, and finish with something sweet. That matters when you are comparing the $162.03 price with a basic pasta lesson that may last the same amount of time but include less food and hospitality.

Sharing lunch with Tiziana and Roberto

After the preparation, everyone sits down to eat together. Tiziana serves the dishes you have made, along with the focaccia prepared before your arrival. Prosecco is included for adults, with one bottle offered for every three people. Bottled water and coffee or tea are also provided.

This shared table is where the class becomes more personal. Tiziana leads the cooking, while Roberto adds conversation, takes photos and videos for some groups, and offers suggestions about things to see in Genoa. He has also shared World War I and World War II stories and family memorabilia from their home, an unexpected feature for anyone interested in local or family history.

The setting is a private home rather than a commercial teaching kitchen. That means the atmosphere can feel more like being invited to lunch than attending a polished restaurant demonstration. It also means you should expect a lived-in home environment, including a friendly dog and cat. The activity is not recommended for people allergic to dog or cat hair.

The hosts’ warmth is one of the strongest reasons to choose this class. Tiziana and Roberto clearly treat the meal as a chance to exchange food traditions and conversation. English is the stated language, and the experience has also worked for people who did not share the same language perfectly. You may hear Italian words and local food terms along the way.

What the Genoa location adds

The meeting point is Salita Inferiore di Sant’Anna, 16, in central Genoa. The address places you in the city’s steep, old area, close to historic buildings and narrow streets. The location gives the class a stronger sense of place than a cooking studio in a modern commercial district.

There is a practical cost. Genoa is famously vertical, and reaching the home involves several stairs. One person specifically noted the climb as the main drawback, while Tiziana explained that this is typical of the historic center. If stairs are difficult for you, ask before booking rather than assuming the address will be easy to reach.

The class starts at 11:00 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point after about two hours. That timing works well before an afternoon of sightseeing, though you should allow extra time to find the address and make the uphill approach. Public transportation is nearby.

Because the activity ends where it starts, you do not need to arrange a separate return transfer. You also need to bring nothing for the cooking itself. Aprons, dishes, utensils, and other materials are supplied.

Is $162.03 a fair price?

At $162.03 per person, this is not a budget lunch. The value depends on what you want from a food experience.

You are paying for more than three recipes. The fee includes the cooking instruction, ingredients, equipment, a full meal, focaccia, prosecco, coffee or tea, water, all taxes, and a licensed guide. You also receive the social side of eating in a local home with Tiziana and Roberto.

The class is especially good value if you want a personal introduction to Genoa during a short stay. Instead of simply ordering pesto in a restaurant, you learn how the city’s best-known sauce is made, then eat it with gnocchi. The hosts may also point you toward places to see during the rest of your time in Genoa.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a large meal or advanced instruction. The class lasts about two hours, and group size can reach 12 people. If you prefer a private lesson or a long professional workshop, check the group arrangement before paying.

I would also remember that alcohol is provided only to people aged 18 and over. A nonalcoholic option is available through water, coffee, and tea, but the supplied details do not specify a special prosecco substitute.

Who should book this class?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• First-time cooks who want clear, manageable recipes.
• Families with children or teenagers who enjoy doing things together.
• Couples and solo visitors who like conversation along with food.
• Food-focused visitors who want to understand Genoese pesto rather than only eat it.
• People with a short stay in Genoa who want one activity combining cuisine and local contact.
• Vegetarians, since a vegetable menu is available.

The class suits people who enjoy a relaxed home setting. You should be comfortable eating in a private apartment with a dog and cat, moving through a historic area with stairs, and sharing the table with other participants.

It may not suit you if you have a serious animal-hair allergy, find steep stairs difficult, or want a quiet, highly structured lesson with no social element. It is also not designed as a private experience by default, since the maximum group size is 12.

Booking details worth checking

Confirmation is provided at the time of booking, and the experience is available in English. The meeting point is Salita Inferiore di Sant’Anna, 16, 16125 Genoa, and the activity returns there.

This class is often reserved well ahead, with bookings averaging about 48 days in advance. That is a useful sign to plan early if your Genoa dates are fixed, especially if you want a particular day.

Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the 11:00 a.m. start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. If the minimum number needed to run the class is not reached, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Final verdict: a warm, useful taste of Genoa

I would book this experience if you want to learn one of Liguria’s defining recipes and enjoy a meal with local hosts. The hand-ground pesto, homemade gnocchi, tiramisù, focaccia, and prosecco make the two hours feel like a complete food visit rather than a quick demonstration.

The choice comes down to setting. You are going to a private home in a steep part of Genoa, not a purpose-built cooking school. That brings stairs, pets, and a less formal rhythm, but it also brings Tiziana’s patient instruction, Roberto’s stories, and the chance to share a table in the city where pesto belongs. For families, couples, and curious food lovers who can manage the climb, this is a strong way to spend a morning in Genoa.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class meet?

The class meets at Salita Inferiore di Sant’Anna, 16, 16125 Genova GE, Italy. It ends back at the same meeting point.

What time does the class start?

The activity starts at 11:00 a.m. and lasts approximately two hours.

What dishes will I prepare?

You will prepare authentic Pesto alla Genovese, homemade gnocchi served with that pesto, and homemade tiramisù.

Is focaccia included?

Yes. Homemade focaccia topped with Genoese pesto is served when you arrive.

Is prosecco included?

Yes. Prosecco is included for participants aged 18 and over, with one bottle offered for every three people.

Are cooking supplies provided?

Yes. Aprons, dishes, utensils, and all other materials needed for the class are provided.

Is a vegetarian menu available?

Yes. A vegetarian menu is available.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded or accepted.