Great morning! - A really wonderful experience with, yes, a highly experienced chef, in his own beautiful apartment. We learned so much about cooking techniques, Venetian cuisine and Venetian modern culture in general. It was, in fact, more than just cicchetti instruction; we prepared a whole meal, bello, saporito e sano! Michele is an excellent teacher, showing how to achieve professional results with minimal difficulty. Accompanying our splendid lunch was a range of superb local wines. A highly recommended event!

Best Cooking Experience in All of Venice - My husband, Jeff, and I stayed in Venice for extra days to be able to take Two Classes with Chef Michele Cabianca, with Venice Cooking Class. Rialto was settled in the ninth century and it was the financial and commercial centre of Venice He is extremely passionate about food, life, and his family. Chef Michele provided a guided tour of the history of the market. The Rialto area was settled in the ninth century and it was the financial and commercial centre of Venice. We began our first day by strolling through the fresh market. The chef began to speak to us about what ingredients we liked and which ones we were not particularly fond of. (We opted out of sardines and octopus) The chef is very knowledgeable about every fresh ingredient in the market (there were too many choices to choose from) he provided on-the-spot visions on several ways we could prepare any protein, vegetables, or fruits, we chose. Chef Michele's home is in a beautiful area of Venice. It’s a breath of fresh air from the crowds and the sounds of Venice. The chef's home is welcoming. The chef made us feel like we were just friends coming over for a meal together. During our classes, the Chef shared great techniques, which I will definitely execute when I make my next fresh pasta or Italian meal. He’s also patient, he’ll never say you’re doing something incorrectly, and he would gently guide you through how to properly knead your dough for the gnocchi. The Chef’s imagination for the pairing of ingredients was nothing I had personally experienced before. Come hungry the abundance and quality of food is incredible. After our first class, my husband and I went back to our hotel, took a nap, and did not feel the need for dinner. On the first day, we made a Zucchini Flowers Recipe (Italian Squash Blossom, Fried). Chef cream for the stuffing is fantastic. We had a perfectly seared tuna with fresh cherry tomatoes in garlic, extra virgin olive, and fresh basil from his balcony herb garden. Pumpkin is currently in season, we made a squash ginger, purée with sautéed shrimp garnished with pickled onions(the Chef made this on the spot). Our third dish was fresh squid, which we stuffed, cooked to perfection in a tomato-based sauce, and served with white polenta. Last but not least, we had what the Chef referred to as a soup with sweet, tender clams and mussels in garlic extra virgin olive oil with fresh parsley. For the finale, the Chef prepared Panna Cotta topped with a strawberry coulis. On our second day, we once again met at the fresh market at 9:00 am. We pick out fresh Rombi, which is a flat fish similar to flounder. We purchase Chanterelle mushrooms and Porcini mushrooms. We make fresh gnocchi with Porcini mushrooms with a generous grating of parmigiana cheese. the Rombi fish was served with the chanterelle mushrooms. We finished our meal with a homemade pistachio gelato. We were in several cities for 20 days and I honestly have to say this was the highlight and greatest closure to our Italian adventures

Not just a cooking class, an amazing culinary experience that will be remembered and modestly imitated at home.. - To say we had an amazing day is an understatement. Venicecookingclass.com should be booked long before you travel to Venice. Meeting Chef Michele and sharing the day with him at the market and then his stunning apartment was a highlight of our spectacular time in Venice. Our walk to and through the market included history of Venice as well as extensive knowledge of local produce, products and vendors. After much consultation with us, a menu was designed for us to select and obtain all of our fresh ingredients for the day. From the market to his apartment, Michele pointed out the best Gelato store as well as the small restaurant chefs go to on their days off. Michele's apartment was stunning and he designed his kitchen to facilitate teaching. We were hands on from the get go, making a pea sauce and preparing fresh scallops; making various pastas; pickling red onions; mashed potatoes with lemon zest and olive oil as the base for fresh fish; preparing fresh strawberries, all the while enjoying wine and cooking expertise. When it came time to enjoy our bounty, Michele expertly plated and served each course to us. His love of food and sharing the knowledge was evident. We were four experienced senior travelers who really enjoyed going back to school for the day. You will not be disappointed for a minute if you are lucky enough to meet Michele and experience a day in his kitchen.

Best of Venice! - He was so accommodating and wonderful. It was the best part of our entire trip! Very knowledgeable and absolutely delicious dishes. Thank you!

This experience is a must do! - This was by far the best experience of my time in Venice! We opted to add on the time at the market and we’re so glad we did. Michele gave us a history of the area while we walked through the market. We were able to talk through the menu as we looked through the amazing vegetables and seafood Venice has to offer. He educated us on the seafood and we picked what made us the most excited and he ran with it. He was such a pleasure to spend the day with which was a bonus to his culinary talents! The way he explained the process of each dish was thorough and easy to understand even for someone who doesn’t have much cooking experience. I could not recommend booking a cooking class with him enough. You’ll leave having had a memorable meal and feeling comfortable with new skills in the kitchen.