This season of cooking classes has been the most intense and rewarding yet. In this episode I want to bring you into one of our classes and share what a typical day with us looks like. I have been teaching Tuscan cooking classes since I left my 9-to-5 job at the end of 2011. Over the years the project has grown: for five years I’ve been working alongside Tommaso, and a year ago we married and continued to develop this life project together under the name Juls’ Kitchen.
Our cooking classes are at the heart of what we do, but they are only one part of a broader culinary practice. Alongside hands-on classes we develop recipes, create food photography for magazines and brands, write for our blog and newsletter, publish cookbooks, and produce a podcast. Each of these activities informs the others: testing recipes in class helps refine them for publication, and food photography grows out of the same attention to seasonality and simple ingredients that we teach in the kitchen.
For now, I’ll focus on the edible experiences we offer here in Tuscany. We design each class to be practical, welcoming, and rooted in local traditions. Many guests tell us they leave not only with new skills and recipes, but also with a deeper appreciation of the rhythms of Italian food—how a market day shapes a menu, how farmhouse produce guides a meal, and how shared cooking creates connections around the table.
Discover the three experiences we offer, join a market tour or a farm tour, and meet new friends around a kitchen table. Each experience combines instruction with tasting, and all classes are tailored to seasonal ingredients and simple, authentic techniques.
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Word of the day
Learn the Italian language of food, word by word. Every year more than 200 people join our cooking classes. Speaking with them has inspired a small dictionary of useful words and pronunciations that help navigate the immense world of Italian food. If you love the Italian language as much as you love Italian cooking, these short lessons will be helpful.
Today’s word is: mercato — M E R C A T O
Market vs farmers’ market
In Tuscany you will find different types of markets. A weekly mercato is a lively outdoor market where local producers and vendors sell fresh produce, cheese, cured meats, bread, and more. In larger towns there are covered markets—such as the famous Sant’Ambrogio or San Lorenzo markets in Florence—where stalls are open every day and the selection can be broader and more consistent throughout the year. Visiting a mercato is a great way to learn about seasonality, speak with producers, and choose ingredients for the meals you plan to cook.
The recipes we mentioned in this episode:
Have you made one of our recipes?
If you try one of our recipes, snap a photo and tag @julskitchen on social media. Use the hashtag #myseasonaltable so we can find and enjoy your creations. We love seeing your photos and hearing how the recipes worked for you. You are also welcome to join our Facebook group, Cooking with Juls’ Kitchen, to share tips, ask questions, and connect with others who enjoy Italian home cooking.