What our guests say about our cooking classes in Tuscany, Marrakech and Provence

Perhaps you are interested in trying out cooking classes abroad for the first time, or in having a relaxing time as a non-cooking gourmet guest in one of our luxury villas in our Provence, Morocco or Tuscany cooking schools. Will you enjoy it? What have other people said about us?

We present here a small sample of testimonials from guests to cooking classes in our Provence and Tuscany cooking schools. We think you can almost hear the enjoyment bubble out from the words.

Cooking Classes in Provence, South of France

We can't begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our stay. The villa has the greatest view possible. The trips were wonderful. We will talk about this for a long time. We thought the Italian Cooking school was great (and it was) but this one was superb. I just loved the scenery and the Mediterranean. Wouldn't we love to bring our entire family there for a week, but dream on!!

Evelyn Barbour & Family - USA

October 2006

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I have been to cooking schools throughout Europe, but the one that sticks out in my mind was called Le Mas des Oliviers. If you have the good fortune to go there you will encounter a superb chef and teacher called Fred Riviere, who will quickly become your best friend (unless you are a real grump!) Fred will do his level best to accommodate your every whim; he will take you shopping for the day's groceries and pay great attention to your cooking endeavours.

Don Jacobs - Rancha Margarita, CA

October 2006

I wanted to thank you again for a very enjoyable week in France. I learned so much (especially how good 'pig’s balls' can actually be!) and look forward to passing some of your wonderful ideas on to my friends. I am not sure I will be able to keep up the tradition of drinking by 11:00am at work, but it was fun while it lasted! I have already tried your champagne opening technique and have impressed people with my new found trick.

Thanks again for all your patience with teaching and your efforts in making the week a success.

Take care and hope that some day I could welcome you to our home if you happen to be in New Mexico

Jeff Penikas, USA - October 2006

Sunday…After day one
Morning greets you with a brilliant sun and sea pounding gently on the coast. Flowers and trees are quivering in the gentle Mediterranean breeze. The hills are green and huddle the coast. A wonderful broad balcony terrace reached from the house to the edge of the cliff on the property. The pool is at the edge of the villa, the water flowing over the edge toward the sea. The villa is Provençal in style, modern and yet rustic with Italian tiles, terra-cotta stucco walls, colorfully painted trim, and glass doors. The staff is young and very friendly. They are intent on communicating and helping. The chef, Fred, is extremely intent on being pleasant, humble and instructive. Nothing is too much for him. We eat at a table with an umbrella on the terrace. We savor the coastline, the boats. The coves with brick houses circling them. It is difficult to take your eyes off of the view. We started preparing dinner at 5:30. At 8:00 we had a break with champagne, before putting everything into the oven. We began eating at 8:45. The lights of Cannes and Cap d’Antibes glimmered as we ate by candlelight outside, temperature hovering around 70 degrees, savoring our freshly made products easing the flow of it all with white and red local wine. By 10:30 I had to reluctantly leave everyone on the terrace and end my first night.

Bernie Bubman, Los Angeles

Such a beautiful place with beautiful people. Thank you for showing me paradise! May we meet again soon.

Sandra Kelch, Atlanta, GA

It was absolutely the best experience of my life. ……

…..The trip gave me a new perspective on life that I would not have gained had I not attended the school. …I learned so much about the importance of enjoying life, friends, family, and of course food and wine, from Frédéric and Patricia, and the other staff at the villa. Frédéric has a tremendous love of food and wine, and he genuinely wants his students to live the culture and have the experience become part of them. He is an exceptional teacher, with great patience, and successfully created a fun and creative learning environment.

The philosophy of the school was to provide the students with a rounded experience-- hands-on cooking skills, discussions on wines of the region and paring with specific dishes, and exposure to the other towns in the area. I loved all the visits, but especially to Les Arcs and the Forville market in Cannes. Words can't adequately describe my experience; I feel as though I could write a book and still not describe everything I tasted, smelt, saw, heard, and touched - the experience indeed did affect all of my senses.

The villa is situated in the most beautiful of surroundings. It is impeccably decorated in the Provencal French style, and also has a swimming pool and jacuzzi on the premises. Behind the villa are beautiful mountains with hiking trails. The view from the bedrooms and the kitchen overlooks the Mediterranean. Cannes and the Iles de Lerins are easily visible from the villa. We often watched sailboat regattas while enjoying breakfast and lunch on the outdoor terrace. Fred, Patricia, and the other staff at the school made a significant impact on my life. I would love for other people to have the opportunity to experience the same. … I can't imagine anything could match or be better than Les Mas des Oliviers.

Wendy A. Gattis, Duke University Medical Center

Cooking Classes in Tuscany
The only thing I can think of that could be better than visiting Tuscany is living in a lavish Tuscan villa while visiting there. The only way I can imagine topping that one is to eat great Tuscan cooking during the entire visit. To complete my dream, throw in informative, fun cooking lessons and wonderful people while drinking great wine. Oh yes, and Andrea Bocelli singing in the background. There you have our dream come true at the Rhode Cooking School of Cuisine. We have vacationed the world over for 25 years and this is our number 1 pick.

Nancy and Marty Mazzanti, Danville, California

One thing is certain, the dishes I learned to cook with the brilliant chef Giancarlo Talerico are sure to please my own guests. He gave us his incredible gift of taking wonderful, fresh ingredients and turning them into rich presentations of succulent, mouth-watering cuisine. I’ve taken home with me a wealth of tips and Giancarlo-isms that will definitely become a staple in my own cooking process. Not to mention, memories of the lush surroundings in Vorno, runs through the hills, excursions to the market in Pistoia to learn the finer points of buying vegetables and cheese, and the wonderfully warm hosting by Eilidh and the villa staff. Incredible!!!

Bonnie Powers, San Francisco, CA

We were so inspired by our stay at the villa that as soon as we returned home, we undertook to remodel our kitchen in the Mediterranean style. We shall never forget the beauty of the villa, Giancarlo’s willingness to share his many years of experience as Master chef, the thoughtfulness of the staff, the tours of the Italian countryside, and the lasting friendships we made. It made for a most memorable experience. We still get ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ when we turn out a platter of homemade lasagna with fresh tomato sauce!

Jane and Barry Schwartz, Merrick, NY

You too can have a great time at one of our cooking classes in our Tuscany, Provence or Morocco cooking schools. Click below on the school of your choice to see booking details:

Morocco cooking school Provence cooking school Tuscany cooking school.

Rhode School of Cuisine
Luxury cooking classes in Tuscany, Provence and Morocco