About

Cooking Classes

The Italians say “Il Mangiar bene e’ un’arte”… to eat well is an art.

An Italian cooking and eating experience like no other.  You will be inspired and shown the art of cooking and eating well with practical tips on how to cook and shop in Melbourne.

Watch and learn as authentic Italian cuisine is prepared in front of you and served for your enjoyment in Sandra’s beautiful home.

With a respect for tradition Sandra’s food is presented with an innovative modern approach never experienced before and you will learn how to do so yourself.

Your experience will include interesting and topical conversation on the history surrounding the origins, the culture and the stories behind the dishes cooked.

For 4 hours you will feel like you are on an Italian holiday as you enjoy Sandra’s passionate and interactive demonstrations, with down to earth tips and advice on how to cook brilliant Italian food.  You will be provided with advice on where to shop in Melbourne for the best ingredients.  Expect a 3 course meal cooked by Sandra in front of the guests plus finger food and a complimentary glass of wine.

You will also receive a full set of recipes and many tips on how to successfully cook the same delicious and genuine dishes for your family and friends.

Sandra will demonstrate how to cook Italian food with flair, creativity and innovation. No other cooking class in Melbourne will deliver such an experience.

You will be part of a truly remarkable evening of learning, laughter and luscious food.

Your experience will leave you so delighted you will  want to return for another class.

Regional Classes

If you ask any Italian about Italian cuisine, he or she will tell you about the food of their region. Italian food is the food of its regions, 20 regions 20 cuisines. Only at La Cucina di Sandra you will be able to appreciate and get to understand the differences between the 20 cuisines of Italy. Our regional classes are like a trip to Abruzzo, Roma, Napoli, Sicilia, Puglia, Tuscany, Sardegna or the North of Italy or a ny other region you would like to visit or we will visit in the future as more classes will be added to our programs.

If you would like to experience the cuisine of another region just email us and we will design a bespoke class just so you can experience the cuisine of your favourite region.

 

About us

I was born in Italy in Pescara in Abruzzo. Being brought up in Italy my love for food developed at a very young age with growing up with my grandmother and aunt.

Migrating to Australia in my 20s and my mother’s early death caused a huge loss in connection with the food of my country and my heritage.

In those days it was impossible to buy a book on Italian food, not to mention quality ingredients which are vital to the authenticity of Italian simple but delicious cuisine.

I attended some courses and they were so basic that I ended up learning how to cook everything else but Italian food. I learned how to cook French, Thai Vietnamese, Moroccan and Spanish food. I became an avid cookbook collector and started reading about Italian food and the cuisine of its regions.

It was finding a book about Abruzzo’s cuisine, some 20 years ago that reconnected me to my heritage. Finding the book set me forth on the dream of starting my own Italian cooking school and sharing my knowledge with others.

Over the last 20 years I have spent hours in my aunt’s kitchen in Italy, 2 months on a food pilgrimage to Italy, collected hundreds of recipes from Italian friends and family as well as cook books. I have researched and collected hundreds of recipes.

I want to share my knowledge with people who love food and show them how to create exceptional dishes with the quality ingredients we have in Australia.

Sharing my knowledge and watching people eat the food I prepare brings happiness to my life and a feeling of accomplishment. I love sharing my knowledge and food with people.

I opened ‘La Cucina di Sandra’ in 2014 turning a lifelong dream and passion into reality. I want to offer some of the best cooking classes and show people a type of food they have never seen before. This is what I intend to deliver: an Italian cooking and eating experience like no other!

La Cucina di Sandra is all about rejoicing in the everyday and learning the art of eating and enjoying life the Italian way. This means celebrating life around a convivial table, sharing original Italian food made with simple but quality ingredients. When you leave my classes you will feel enriched and confident to cook these dishes yourselves.

My classes are a celebration of heritage and authenticity in Italian food with an emphasis on innovation, creativity and regionality. This is what Italian food and I am all about.