COOKING CLASSES FOR LOVERS OF ITALIAN FOOD AT LAKE COMO
Why cooking with me?
Do you like authentic and healthy Italian cooking class experiences at Lake Como? Is it difficult to find real Italian recipes taught in English by an Italian from Como, with measurements in both grams and cups ? What better way to approach this experience with an Italian life coach (The Mamma Mia! Diet), cook amedical researcher and nutritionist.
I was born in Como (Italy) on the shores of the beautiful lake (Lake Como) which bears the same name.I lived abroad for about a decade and I have returned to Italy to enjoy my stunning lake. Cooking has always been my passion and I am very happy to transmit that. When I was a little girl I loved to cook, spending hours in the kitchen with my mother, making a mess but learning delicious traditional Italian recipes, using local, seasonal, fresh ingredients and preparing everything from scratch. Today, I am still that same little girl playing in the kitchen; I like to experiment with different tastes and textures, tingeing from the Italian culinary culture to create my own personal recipes. However, I try to remain faithful to the authentic Italian traditions, flavors, and ingredients.
In Italy we say that “A tavola non si invecchia” (one does not grow old at the table); the pleasure of good food, wine, and company is such that the passage of time is suspended.
How does it work?
I offer fun, informal, hands-on and personalized classes about healthy Italian cuisine, nutrition, culture, Italian etiquette and language.
I teach in English or Italian, using both metric and imperial measurements.
The idea of my cooking class is to give you the flavor of true Italian lifestyle through food, an experience for all senses. You will live like an Italian for a few hours. You will learn some Italian words while cooking delicious local Italian food as well. At the end of the course you will receive a copy of all recipes prepared together. You can also purchase my book Love is Eating with 10% discount.
I know that some of you are thinking: “There are so many classes available in Como, even cheaper, why should I choose Paola?” But if you know my blog, my books and me you will realize that my approach is different: I try to share my passion, motivation, life experience and scientific knowledge during my classes. In addition, my classes are private, tailored to client needs and not standard.
Visit to the local market (optional)
Italy and many other Mediterranean countries have big street markets. They are part of the culture and are held 2 or 3 days every week, usually in the morning.
In Como there is a big and typical market each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday where local producers sell their own fresh and seasonal products. Italy is great when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, as it offers fantastic products all year round. The market experience is a stimulating assault on the senses: the smell of herbs and spices, fresh seafood, local fresh cheese – not to mention the dozens of rows of colorful produce! Last but not least, you will experience the cultural flavor of how Italians interact when they go to the market.
Menu
You will be welcomed with an appetizer and a glass of prosecco just to set the atmosphere.
The menu will include three different recipes using local seasonal ingredients (chosen from my blog according to your taste and diet, including a first course, main course and dessert) and different high quality wines (including local wines) according to the dishes served. It will last for 3-4 hrs. A selection of digestivi will be served after dinner.
Where does it take place?
The lesson will be held in a cozy and family environment (my house in Como), so you can truly understand our culture, passion for food and “bon ton” at the table.
We can eat together all the delicious dishes prepared. It will be a unique and different cooking experience with an Italian family! Last but not least I started a program called: Cook with Celebreties, just to mention a few of them: the Hollywood film producer Edward Kitsis and his beautiful family, Charlie Coyle, one of the most USA hockey player,with his beautiful and sweet wife! Here I was with Ivan Cordoba, the famous Inter socker player! 
Then cooking with Giorgio Rocca, an Italian ski champion. We made pizzoccheri, a typical Lombardy dish.
Above all expect plenty of good food and many stories to tell. In Italy you live and eat well! Come, cook and have fun with me!
Upon request for large groups I can held the cooking class either in a exclusive old palace in Como with a stunning garden where we can have an aperitivo or in a stunning property with vegetable garden producing organic produce. The event includes the rare opportunity of enjoying seasonal local produce, from farm to table, in a relaxing and informal atmosphere.
Aperitivo class
Learn how to craft iconic Italian cocktails like the Senera Spritz, Negroni, and Milano-Torino from scratch. I will guide you step by step, offering insider tips on perfecting each drink. You’ll also master the art of pairing drinks with delicious finger foods, prepared together (about 4/5 recipes). Click here for more info.
Lake Como Aperitivo Class
Events
I also organize Italian style private and corporate event experience at Lake Como: creative ideas, location, logistics, catering or cooking classes, entertainment, flowers, budget control, coordination and final supervision.
Just to mention some previous international clients, Bear PM, Shell Petrol, Adobe UK, Compresso CH, LS-Estate and Silhouette Group Inc. . Last but not least next year I will organize an unique and luxury retreat at Lake Como based on the Mediterranean diet. Check my post Lake Como Luxury Retreat.
For further information please contact me at paola@passionandcooking.com
Sophie, 11 Aug 2016
The cooking class was FABULOUS. Paola was gorgeous – talk about an Italian Glamazon. She was so generous and gracious and interesting. The markets were great and it was so gorgeous going back to her house to cook. She was so easy to spend time with and her daughter also interacted with us which was great. At the end we all sat together and ate lunch. It was fantastic. I would highly recommend it.
– See more at: http://cookingbooking.com/CulinaryExperiences/View/306#sthash.wGxtDTq7.dpuf
Thanks Sophie! It was a lot of fun cooking with you guys! Cheers, Paola
Thanks Paola for an inspiring, professional and easy to follow class on how to make pasta.
Your style of presentation is clear, personal and entertaining. I’m always inspired by your recipes and looking forward to making home-made pasta.
Bring on the next Paola!
Thanks so much Sue. It was really lovely to have you in my class. I love to teach to movitated people. They inspire me! Happy Cooking. Love, Paola
My family took a cooking class in Paola’s home and it was the best part of our Italian vacation. Paola and her family were gracious and generous, inviting us into their home, which in itself was so interesting to see. Not only were we treated to a fun and educational cooking experience, we were able to ask all sorts of questions about life in Italy on topics that were of interest to our family and we would not have had a chance to learn otherwise. It was so much more than a cooking class: a true Italian experience. Her daughter spent the entire time playing with our 5 year (who said this event was THE BEST EVER) and her son was charming and accommodating to our 11 year old. I cannot stress enough what a spectacular day we had learning from and eating with Paola. I would HIGHLY recommend including time with her in your itinerary. On a side note: I’ve made several items from her cookbook so be sure to pick that up too.
Thank you Amy for such a lovely review. I really enjoyed meeting and cooking with you guys. You are a wonderful FAMILY. My kids still remember your husband’s magic tricks, he was great, and playing with your sweet daughters. I am glad to took home a beautiful and tasty part of Italy. Thanks again and best regards. Ciao, ciao, Paola
I cooked with Paola twice in her kitchen – with my dad and again with two of my friends, all visiting me in Milan from Florida. She was a gracious host, and we enjoyed so much seeing a realistic, modern, healthy way to cook Italian food with fresh ingredients. She is a health nut like me, so we got along just fine 🙂
Thanks Alex. I enjoyed cooking with you both times, we have the same taste : healthy and light food! Paola
From FB https://www.facebook.com/remarqed/?pnref=story
I have been meaning to post about my experience with Paola Lovisetti-Scamihorn’s cooking class in Como, which I took twice. She makes excellent, fresh Italian cuisine without the sometimes caloric heft one finds in restaurant food. My personal favorite: the zucchini spaghetti!
From FB https://www.facebook.com/VeganMint/?fref=nf&pnref=story
Whole-heartedly agree with Remarqed that, for a vegan traveling through Italy, this was one of the most unique cooking experiences I was able to share with Paola Lovisetti-Scamihorn while in Lake Como. Not only was it an intimate setting with friends and family, it was not the typical fare one might associate with Italian dining. She was extremely careful of dietary restrictions and making thoughtful choices for a full-bodied, classic yet contemporary meal! Highly recommend contacting her if traveling to the Lake Como area!
Ciao Paola!
Looking forward to learning and cooking with you tomorrow. If you see this note..can you offer us suggestions on parking? We will be tryibg to use GPS..driving down from Tremezzo..meeting you at 11:30am.
Grazie Mille!
Patti and Mitchell Herman
Look forward to cooking you guys. Arrivederci presto 🙂
From Marilynn Badzik FB
One if the highlighta of our trip was the special cooking lessons with Paola Lovisetti-Scamihorn in Como. We spent over 4 lovely and informative hours with this amazing lady learning the art if cooking italian! And her son gave Em the tutorial on the secrets if making homemade pasta. To top it all off, we then had dinner with the family. I want to say if you are ever in Como and want to learn to cook Italian, get in touch with Paola. She has a blog and an amazing cookbook, “Eating is Love”. Get the book! We were totally blown away by the hospitality of this lovely family. Thanks again, Paola!
Thanks Marilynn and Em. It was great cooking with you. I had a wonderful afternoon sharing our passion with two wonderful ladies! Best regards and I hope arrivederci presto 🙂
Cooking with Paola was much more than just a lesson in the culinary arts. She invited me into her home with her loving family, and treated me like a daughter, a sister. I spent 3 exciting, eventful months traveling Europe and this was the pinnacle of my experience. Paola’s infectious personality framed her impressive knowledge of the ingredients and science behind the perfect dish. Over vino and many laughs, I was treated to memories that I will always hold close to my heart. My only regret is not having the chance to meet her daughter. The next time life takes me to Italia, I will absolutely be coming back for seconds!
Although I was born American, Paola and her family is and will be my famiglia italiana per sempre.
—
Yahaira M. Serrano, D.M.D.
It was a great pleasure meeting you Yahaira, you are a wonderful person. Everyone in the family loves you and we really hope you come back to visit us soon. We are your FAMIGLIA ITALIANA per sempre. Lots of LOVE, Paola
Everyone should take a cooking class with Paola!!! My boyfriend and I accidentally showed up so late (be careful if you’re driving because finding parking can be a little tricky…just give yourself some extra time just in case) but she was so forgiving and so welcoming. Unlike other cooking classes that are offered, you cook in her home so you feel like a friend of the family rather than an ordinary customer and it really makes all the difference in the world! We had the pleasure of meeting her entire family and cooking some of the best food we have ever tasted! We spend almost 6 hours cooking, eating, and talking with her family and really had one of the most memorable experiences during our trip to Italy. My boyfriend and I have degrees in nutrition and we were so impressed with Paola’s knowledge about nutrition and food chemistry so we had some great and interesting nutrition-related conversations. And definitely buy her cookbook! We just got back from our trip so we haven’t tried any of the recipes yet but they all look so delicious and we can’t wait to cook and try all of them!
Dear Christine and Zach,
Thank you so much for your sweet message. I really enjoyed meeting you and cooking together. It was so much fun. It is also very nice to have clients interested in nutrition with whom I can share my passion.
Please feel free to contact me anything you need about Italian cuisine.
Un abbraccio,
Paola
Do you offer classes for a family with two young children.?
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your request but my house is not baby-proof anymore, therefore I prefer not giving cooking class to family with young children.
Best regards, Paola
My boyfriend and I recently did a cooking class with Paola. It was one of the highlights of our trip! It is not just about the cooking, but about the love that goes into food and its place in Italian life. We started off with a trip to the local markets, which was an adventure in itself. We absolutely loved the experience of shopping like the locals do and sampling our purchases along the way. Paola then graciously opened her home to us for the cooking session and lunch, with a quick coffee stop beforehand.
Paola goes to such much effort to make the experience personal. I was really keen to do a cooking session where I didn’t feel like a number, stuck behind a kitchen bench, following orders. Our experience with Paola was far from that. We cooked in her home kitchen together with her beautiful family and then shared lunch, discussing travel, culture, food and more.
We can’t recommend Paola enough.
Dear Catherine,
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I really enjoyed spending some hours with you and your nice boyfriend. We had so many things to talk about and share that I thought it was like meeting old friends after a while. My family had a great time too. My son was very happy to talk to your boyfriend about the Roman empire. Thanks again for selecting me among the other cooking courses. I feel very fortunate to have clients like you. Un forte abbraccio and enjoy my recipes. Love Paola
Hi,
Do u have a class for availability for 4 people between 28-31 Aug ?
How much would this be per person and does it involve making fresh pasta and a dessert?
Thanks
Maxine
Hi Maxime,
I have availability on August 31th. Could you please send me a message a paola@passionandcooking.com
Thanks so much for your request. Best regards, Paola
Will be in Como in October. Was wondering the cost of your cooking class for 3 people. Could do the class on Oct 5th. Thanks
Hi Carl. I replied to your email. I sent program and pricing. Best regards, Paola
From Sally Booth –
Ciao Paola,
We were so lucky to have found you and the opportunity to take your regional cooking class. Imagine our surprise when you explained the class will be held in your own home and the dinner we made would be served at the family table. So different and unique from the other cooking classes where strangers gather in the kitchen of a restaurant. It made everything so personal, like cooking with family or friends. We enjoyed our cooking experience with you and learned so many different tips and techniques for making the bolognese sauce with homemade pasta. And that torte caprese! While still in Italy I went to the grocer for the chocolate so I can make the cake when I am back in California. To anyone reading this, I highly recommend Paola’s cooking class simply for her knowledge, love of cooking, her farm to table approach and of course her beautiful family.
– Sally Booth
Hi Sally,
It was very special meeting you, Kerri, Michaela and Tom. You made the cooking class very special. We are still talking about that. Above the good food we made together, nice memories of the interstings conversations about food, culture, lifestyle and families are with us. Thanks again for selecting me. Big hug to everybody 🙂
Good morning
I would like to join your cooking classes, when is the next one? What is it about? Im staying in Como
Hi Eman,
Thanks for your request. I wrote you an email with all the info requested.
Best regards,
Paola
Thank you guys for selecting me and the beautiful post on your site. It was so much fun cooking together. Paola xx
http://alltheraige.com/italian-cooking-class/
From Deborah Gorrell :
Da: Deborah Gorrell
Data: 09/10/18 21:43 (GMT+01:00)
A: paolalovisettiscamihorn@gmail.com
Oggetto: Cooking Class
Dear Paola,
One of the highlights of our trip to the Lake Como region of Italy was the very special cooking lesson we had with you and learning the art of cooking italian! When you graciously opened your beautiful home to us and went out of your way to make the experience personal, taking the time to discuss travel, culture as well as food, and allowing us to meet your daughter, it was more than we could hope for.
Our 4 lovely and informative hours were amazing and went by so fast and we were made to feel like we only wished we could have spent more time with you and the rest of your family. But you graciously helped us leave before dark so we could find our hotel on the twisty mountain roads.
You have a wonderful personality and your vast knowledge about nutrition and food chemistry are so impressive that we cannot wait to come back and see you again to learn more. But until then, I will follow your blog.
The fact that you are friends with Marguerite and Piero who are the owners of the Hotel Villa Aurora, where we stayed was so much fun. We had a sensational vacation staying there the rest of the week and enjoyed their gracious hospitality very much. It was a gorgeous setting and we could not have asked for more. We also enjoyed their restaurant very, very much.
Paola, before we went home, we did go back to Como to buy the ceramic knives. They are wonderful and I love them. And I am so glad to have your cookbook so that I will have many new recipies to try. I also look forward to getting the Mama Mia Diet cookbook on Amazon too. I know they will inspire me to cook healthier and more nutritious meals for my family.
Thank you for giving us these beautiful memories that we will always hold close to our heart.
Best regards,
Deb and Curtis Gorrell
Cooking-class with Paola Lovisetti Scamihorn for me was an unforgettable experience!
Elegant Italian house, welcoming owner, every detail was thought over and prepared: decorations, printed menus, flowers, aprons, snacks, aperitif. Paola is not just a great chef; she holds the Master in Medical and Pharmaceutical research, writes books and articles dedicated to healthy food and Italian cuisine.
At the cooking class, I discovered a lot of useful and exciting information about nutrition, Italian cuisine, customs, and traditions.
I was fortunate to have lunch at the fantastic Italian house with a lovely, smart, wise and elegant Paola.
It’s a priceless experience. Highly recommended.
Thank you very much for your lovely review. I have to thank you for organizing such an interesting and motivated group. I love to teach people who show passion and interest in my cuisine. Cooking is not only preparing food, it is sharing, spending time with family and friends,… it is socializing! Paola
Paola is the real deal! An Italian chef, a knowledgable foodie and a charming and inviting hostess! I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon with Paola and learned a lot! I have put a few things into practice since my cooking class with great results and am actually contemplating buying my first pasta making machine! She truly inspired me and I hope to learn more from her in another class soon. Highly recommend!
Thanks Charlotta for your lovely review. Making pasta is a fun family activity. I bet, your kids will love it! Look forward to seeing you soon. Next it will be the Como market visit! Arrivederci presto 🙂 Paolaxx
Dear Paola,
Allen and I are back stateside after a wonderful trip to Italy, culminating with our visit to Como, where we met you for a special day of cooking, conversation, and sharing a delicious meal. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and learned many new things along the way. There’s nothing cozier than making homemade pasta on a cold, rainy day. We also appreciated your restaurant recommendations and had a wonderful meal at Colombetta after our drive around the lake. Truly an ambitious day!
We’ve ordered both of your books and look forward to receiving them and sharing your recipes with family and friends. We will certainly see you again on our next trip to Como.
With warmest regards,
Kirsten and Allen
Dear Kirsten and Allen,
It was my pleasure meeting you and cooking together. Working as a team made the class so special. I am happy you enjoyed the restaurant I recommended. It is one of my favorite ones for fish.
Thanks so much for ordering my books. Early this afternoon I signed and mailed Love is Eating. Please let me know when you receive it.
Wish you a peaceful Easter. Un abbraccio, Paola
Cooking with Paola was certainly one of the highlights for my family and I when we visited Lake Como recently. We expected a cooking course, but what we got was an exceptionally talented lady who definitely knows the science of food teach us beautiful dishes that we will repeat for years to come. In addition, we were welcomed into her Italian home with her family. Her husband and children are fabulous hosts and we ate together which was truly special. Our 2 young daughters (6 and 2) were also welcomed and taken care of by Paola’s daughter. In addition to this, Paola gave us so many restaurant recommendations and organised a separate wine tasting evening for 11 of us. We will definitely be visiting again! Finally, we recommend the cooking books – I have been cooking at least 3 dishes a week from the book! Paola is an inspiring lady and we were very lucky to cook with her!
Dear Jasprit and family,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment. It was such a pleasure meeting you and your wonderful family. Your daughters are very sweet!!! We often still talk about the great time we had all together. Next time you come to Lake Como you will be our guests. Un abbraccio, Paola
Cooking with Paola was the birthday present for my girl, passionate in cooking and willing to become a pastry chef on day.
I wanted a good cooking class for her with possibility to take part to the process and I was searching for a personal touch. All this I founded in Paola’s home and even more…
We are a family of four taking part in this adventure and all of us we founded it AMAZING. In this cooking class, you really cook under the professional supervision of Paola.
I think kids are objective when they describe something so I will share here what my girls wrote about the experience we had with Paola in July 2019:
Stefania, 12 years old:
“I loved our visit to Paola’s cooking class. She welcomed us in her house and made us feel like at home. First, we sat in the living room and had a conversation to get to know each other. Then we started cooking. What impressed me, was the fact that Paola lets people that she don’t know into her house, then lets them make a mess in *her* kitchen and then lets them sit on her chairs, eat on her table with her family! Then *she* had to clean all the mess we have made. So if you go there you will feel like at home. In addition, not everyone who is coming is obligated to cook! For example while me, my sister, my mother, Paola and her daughter were cooking, my father was in the living room with a glass of beer and something to eat, having fun with the rest of Paola’s family! Now about the food. One word: AMAZING!
We cooked a typical Italian dishes and we have made a full menu: the entree, the pasta, the sauce, the meal, the vegetables and the dessert! We choose Paola because, like she said it herself – she offers a full balanced Italian menu, and eating with an Italian family so that the Italian atmosphere can be fully felt, not like the other Italian food classes, where they only teach you how to make pasta, and not what to combine it with and how to serve it. Everything was awesome! Thank you to the whole family for that amazing experience that I will never forget!”
Ivana, 10 years old:
« Je veux, en premier lieu, dire que tout était très amusant. Pas seulement la cuisine mais, aussi l’expérience. Je veux remercier toute votre famille, vous étiez très gentilles! »
***
My husband and me we felt like we know this family for years and like they were our close friends. The conversations on the table were fun and easy going. I would like to say also that Paola’s family, her husband, daughter and son are extremely kind and nice persons; they took part in our adventure and made it so special. Thank you Steven, Raquel and Michael
An enormous thank you from all of us!!!
Hope to see you again.
Radostina
Dear Radostina,
Thanks so much for choosing my class and being with us. We had a great time with you guys. You, your husband, Stefania and Ivana are wonderful people. I was so happy to share my knowldge with Stefania, I think she will become a great pastry chef because she is so passionate. Passion is what makes the difference. Stefania, please follow your dream. Let’s keep in touch and let me know everything will go. Ivana, merci pour vos bons mots. Tu es une très jolie fille. Raquel vous envoie un message d’accueil spécial.
Radostina, you are a very special person and have a great family. Please let me know when you come to Como again. You are welcome to my house. Love, Paola, Steve, Michael and Raquel.
very interesting article. thank you
Thanks!!!!
My husband, Dan, and I can’t say enough great things about our cooking class with Paola that we took last year! I forgot to share a review earlier but want to say – now more than ever – how great of an experience it was and that we would highly recommend her class to anyone staying on/around Lake Como.
We stayed in Lezzeno at Hotel Villa Aurora and took the ferry over to Como in the morning to meet Paola at a cafe. She was very welcoming and easy to talk to as we got to know one another. Our visit to the Como market was insightful and it was fun to watch Paola interact with the vendors & farmers and see the relationships that she has built with them. When it came time for us to get cooking, we immediately felt welcomed into her home and at ease chatting about life in Italy and in turn sharing more about our backgrounds. Her son Michael also joined us and not only did we receive a lesson on making fresh pasta, but also Italian hand gestures – very informative and entertaining!!
We cooked typical yet modern, delicious Italian dishes that were enjoyed at her dining table and have since found their way into our own home on account of the printed recipes that Paola shares. Dan, who is not normally a baker, has made Paola’s tiramisu recipe close to a dozen times since our class and was even inspired to put his own Belgian spin on the recipe (with speculoos biscuits).
This was a highlight of our visit to Northern Italy. When travel is again possible, do not think twice about booking a cooking class with Paola – you will not regret this fantastic experience! We hope to visit again soon!
Dear Kaitlan and Dan,
Thank you very much for your lovely message. We still talk about your cooking class. It is very nice to share my passion and knowldge with people who are interested and motivated. Please let me know if you come back to Como, I would love to meet you guys! Send you love. Stay healthy and happy, Paola & family.
I am so interested in having a class with you next year. I love Italy and have never been to this region of Italy. I am fascinated about your vegan pasta recipes! Are they in your cook books? On one of my visits to Tuscany region I took a weeklong cooking class, twice a day . I am used to the metric system, as all of our classes were metric. That was in 2004 and I am sure there are many changes. Can you give me some information on what you offer on classes and the costs. Thanks so much!
Hi Virginia,
Thanks so much for your comment. I assume you watched my interview on Viking TV. I love vegetables so I have many recipes with pasta and vegetables. I will send you an email with my cooking classes program. I will be very happy to cook with you. Happy cooking and arrivederci in Italy!
From Ruchi Oswal Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CVVXkValMHq/
During our recent trip to Italy, I got the chance to take a memorable and enjoyable Italian cooking class at the home of chef Paula Lovisetti in Lake Como.
Paola’s class started a local market tour to select fresh cheeses, vegetables, salad greens for our meal.
Then on to her home, where we learned how to make Tiramisu, spinach ricotta pie and saffron cream pasta with fresh homemade tagliatelle.
I really enjoyed learning how to make homemade egg free pasta. She took out her beautiful hand operated pasta machine, drying rack and her grandma’s heirloom dish cloth to dry pasta on. It was so therapeutic to mix the dough and roll out, cut pasta sheets into shapes and hanging them to air dry.
Now it was time to enjoy the food we all had cooked along with a few things prepared by her like salads and squash fritters, on a beautifully set table.
I could feel the passion and love Paula puts into her food, cooking and hosting. What a delightful cooking experience with @lovisetti_scamihorn. Meeting her for the first time felt like I was meeting an old friend after a while. Thank You chef Paola! @lovisetti_scamihorn
#learning #lovetocook #italianfood #homemade #madewithlove #vegetarian #gourmetmeals #foodieofcalifornia #passionfortravel #passionoflearning #chefsofinstagram #foodporn #foodphotography
Merci beaucoup pour ce partage.
You are welcome!
Thanks for sharing the information
You are welcome. Best regards,
Paola
Merci beaucoup pour vos efforts
Je vous’ en prie!
Thank you for sharing GTU
You are welcome Tita! Paolax
My husband and I recently traveled to Lake Como and the surrounding area for the first time. Italy, in so many ways, was breathtaking and unforgettable. However, we both agree our favorite part of our trip was meeting Paola and being a part of her cooking experience. She is an experienced researcher and chemist, which only adds to her pristine cooking skills and talents. We are both physicians and agree with the foundation and emphasis of health and nutrition inherent in her cooking and described in her books such as, “The Mamma Mia! Diet.” Our meal was flavorful and delicious while still being healthy. We definitely will be utilizing her recipes in our own home. We will even be referencing and recommending her books to our patients.
To be in an authentic Italian home, cooking with Paola and her family was immersive, intimate, and surreal. It was an experience unlike any other. Paola is genuine, personable, knowledgeable, and an excellent instructor and cook! She and her family welcomed us with the upmost sincerity and warmth. Sharing a meal with her family and getting to know such genuinely kind people was very special to us.
We HIGHLY recommend Paola’s class. It will be one of the most special parts of your time in Italy. Thank you Paola and your family for such a wonderful experience and day!
Grazie Mille,
Leslie & Eli
Dear Leslie,
Thanks so much for your beautiful and touching review. We enjoyed meeting you and your husband. It was one of the best classes I had. My family and I had a great time, I loved to share my knowledge and experience with competent people as you and Eli. Please stay in touch and look forward to seeing you when you come back to lake Como. Un forte abbraccio, Paola&family
The cooking lesson with Paola Lovisetti-Scamihorn in Como was the highlight of our trip! My family agrees it was a 5 STAR EXPERIENCE. We were invited into her lovely home, learned authentic Italian recipes using fresh farm to table ingredients and enjoyed an amazing meal and fun conversation with her lovely family. We left with so much more than a full stomach and delicious recipes — it was an experience we will always cherish and remember forever! Thank you Paola, Steven, and Raquel. Please keep in touch…
Dear Julie, Thank you so much for your lovely review. It was my pleasure meeting you and cooking together. You and your family made the cooking class special. Cooking is fun, cooking is sharing and friendship. Let’s keep in touch. Look forward to seeing you guys!
Ciao from Paola, Steve and Raquel. xx
Paola,
Stephanie and I just wanted to say what a lovely time we had today with you and your family. The market experience was fantastic and the meal was delicious and your hospitality couldn’t have been better! And the perch and risotto were perfect but I doubt we can get the rice as good as you, at least for the first few times!
Thank you so much for your patience and sharing with us such a nice variety of Italian foods and wine. We really couldn’t have asked for more with today’s ”cooking class” and it was a great way to wind down our Italy trip for sure!
It was so nice getting to know you. Raquel is beautiful and such a mature young lady and so nice of her to be be involved with our luncheon. Please thank her and Steve for sharing a touch of your Italian culture with us.
We walked thru town and along the lake back to our hotel so we burned off a few calories and were able to see the locals enjoying the beautiful day. Como really is a wonderful city.
We wish you and your family health and much happiness and we hope to keep in touch and cross paths again in the future…maybe at your Tuscan Villa when it is ready!
Take care and arrivederchi!
Dan and Stephanie
Daniel M Joseph, MD
We came to Como for a week as a family of 12 spanning 3 generations to celebrate my aunt and uncle’s 60th wedding anniversary. Our afternoon with Paolo and her family was the highlight of our trip! She gave us a cooking class followed by wine tasting of local lombardy wines in a beautiful palace in como where we ate the food we had prepared. Everything was delicious and healthy (!), Paolo’s passion about cooking and her region rubbed off, it was a great introduction to lake como and a fun afternoon all around@
Dear Emily,
Thanks so much for writing this beautiful review. I really loved meeting you guys and cooking together. Your enthusiasm and sypmpathy made the class very special. I will keep the memory for ever. Please let me know if you come to Lake Como again, you are invited for an aperitivo at my home. I have new recipes and wines to test. Say hi from us to the lovely group. Un abbraccio, Paola
My boyfriend and I recently took Paola’s cooking class and it was the highlight of our 2 week vacation! I cannot emphasize enough what a wonderful experience we had from beginning to end. Starting with introductions, wine and learning to cook a three course Italian meal with Paola and her talented daughter, extensive aperitifs with cocktails, and into the expertly prepared dinner with Paola, her daughter, and husband. It is truly an experience not to be missed, especially for those who are interested in learning the intricacies of Italian cuisine and nutrition. If you are considering this class on your next vacation, we can assure you will have a lovely time!!
Dear Katie,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment. We appreciated meeting you guys as much as you appreciate the experience.
I love to teach people like you, who are motivated, enthusiastic and passionate. It was very nice sharing the meal prepared all together, enjoying your sweet company.
I hope you will come back to Como in the future. All the best to you and your boyfriend! Love, Paola, Raquel and Steven
This is Very Helpful Post,Thank you for sharing this information.
GTU
We are a group of 7 (a large family with 3 young adults with us) who recently travelled to Italy and were looking for a cooking class that wasn’t the typical pasta/dessert mass group experience. Stumbled upon this page and I am so glad we did! Paola was warm and welcoming from the first email. She welcomed us into her home and made a beautiful meal with us with recipes we will cook for years to come. The hospitality of Paola and her beautiful daughter Raquel and husband Steve left us feeling like old friends as opposed to clients and the experience was one of our top highlights of our time in Lake Como/Milan. I can’t recommend a cooking class with Paola enough! From the incredible spread of appies, through one of the best pastas I have ever had and accompanying chicken and veggies, through to the cookies (the cookies!!!) for dessert, the meal was perfection and left us all feeling like we could actually make what we had when we were back at home! Not to mention the young men in our group left full and inspired which is a huge accomplishment in itself! The evening was a truly great experience and we will definitely book with Paola again if we get the chance again.
Dear Sharrin,
Thanks so much for your lovely message. We had a great time together, you and your beautiful family are now friends for us. Despite the yummy food and drinks with prepared together and shared, we had great talks that will last forever in our memory! Love from Paola, Raquel and Steve
Very useful and interesting. Thank you! Keep it coming
GTU
Thanks. Happy cooking! Paola
Great information
GTU
Hi please send me more info about your cooking classes and the dates that you offer the classes. Kind regards Adele
Hi Adele,
I will send you an email with all info about my cooking classes.
Warm regards,
Paola
Dear Sir or Madam,
We are a group of travelers coming to visit Italy in September-October.
We are looking for a place that we can accommodate 15-20 ppl and that place can let us use the kitchen.
Since we are planning to participate in ” Recoleta di fungi” we would love to cook our food afternoon.
Can you provide this?
Thanks a lot
Nitzan Ilsar
Dear Nitzan,
Thanks for your message. Could you please write me a message at https://www.passionandcooking.com/contact/
indicating : Budget- Date – Location on the lake (in town or outside town)
I will write you an email with some info. Warm regards, Paola
Paola,
Matthew and I can not thank you enough for the wonderful cooking class that we took with you! It was just an enjoyable experience being able to pick out the food from the market and take it straight to the kitchen to cook, and finishing it up with warm conversations with you and your husband!
You have opened our eyes and knowledge to not only the way that Italians eat, but also for a new appreciation for food and cooking. We are so thankful that you opened up your home to us and that you and your husband were so warm and welcoming. We are so excited to jump back into our kitchen and start cooking. I do hope that our paths cross again and we can learn more from you! Thank you!! 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that you and Matthew enjoyed the cooking class as much as we did. It was a pleasure to share our passion for Italian cuisine with you both, and we loved every moment spent cooking together and sharing stories.
Knowing that we inspired a new appreciation for food and cooking means a lot to us. Your enthusiasm in the kitchen truly made the experience unforgettable!
We also hope to cross paths again in the future. Until then, happy cooking! ARRIVEDERCI PRESTO! xx
Thanks so much! Cooking is my passion and I love to share it! Paola
Thanks so much 🙂
Thanks so much for your nice comment 🙂 Paolax
THANKS! GRAZIE! Happy you enjoyed as much as I did! Paola