Our Philosophy

Like anything important, what we  create has evolved over time, just like the best 'spezzatino' you will ever eat that needs to sit on the stove bubbling over a low flame and have Chianti added every now and then. Time and patience, a great team of people around us, wonderful clients ( though we would prefer to call them our friends!) and a true passion for what we are doing has really made us the success we are today. And we do add a little Chianti now and again!

We believe in traditional Tuscan food, original recipes, and a good time. Learning through fun and immersing yourself in a historic setting is definitely the best way to take a Taste of Tuscany home with you. All of our chefs are native Tuscans and speak English so understanding won't be a problem. Even if they didn't it's amazing what you can get across using hand gestures, a pot, a knife, some ingredients, lots of laughs and a good bottle of wine. One thing that visitors to Tuscany don't ever have trouble understanding is the passion that Italians have for living well and a huge part of this relates directly to time spent in the kitchen, cooking with family members, making the countless jars of 'salsa di pomodoro' in the summer that involves the young and old and the laughs around the tables during the VERY long meals... these things can only be experienced here. It's difficult to replicate all of this in other countries. Restaurant owners in November will come out to your table and offer you with a proud smile a bottle of bright green 'olio nuovo' ( the new extra virgin olive oil) to try on your bread. This just doesn't happen anywhere else. The farmer next door won't lean over the boundary fence , trim off the almost ripe red grapes from your vines, go and make a wonderful 'schiacciata al uva' and then deliver it to your door with a smile that says ' Please enjoy this cake that I made for you but don't ask me where I got the grapes from'. In our kitchen we do try to share as much as we can of the essence of the tuscan kitchen with you. We only use the olive oil and wine produced on the estate , all ingredients are bought fresh everyday and only what is in season.

For a combined total of about 20 years we have dealt with tourism in Italy, from renting villas, to organizing various activities and tours for travellers to Tuscany, to weddings and events. A huge part of any italian experience is obviously the food and wine and the traditions that go hand in hand with it . Over the years we have come to really love and appreciate the gastronomical part of Tuscany's wonderful character and sharing what we know with you for us is honestly the cherry on the cake! Six years ago we started 'Good Tastes of Tuscany' initially with just dinners with the family of the estate in the kitchen of the historic Villa Pandolfini for our guests staying with us on the estate. It was really just for fun and never did we think it would develop into what it has today. From single day classes we then developed multi day courses and then the '7 Day Gastronomical Adventure' which really is that best way for anyone that loves food and wine to enjoy the best of what Tuscany has to offer. To experience things that everyday tourists just wouldn't get that chance to. Like the truffle hunt in the autumn.... following the 'tartufaio' and his specially trained dogs into the misty wood in the hope to find the little nuggets which are more valuable than gold!! Or the visit to the cheese factory where mouthwatering pecorino and ricotta are made or to an olive oil tasting at the actual mill where the olives are crushed.

Our team consists of an enology professor for the wine classes, various Tuscan chefs, Massimo a native Tuscan and the staff of the organization.

We look forward to sharing with you an authentic Tuscan experience, to share with you the wonderful place that we call home. Take a little Taste of Tuscany back with you ...