Pizza Degen · 2026 Culinary Getaway

Wood-Fired
in Tuscany

Fattoria degli Usignoli · Reggello, Tuscany

Six days in the Chianti hills with Chef Michael Degen — wood-fired cooking classes, private wine and olive oil tastings, a feast with the world's most famous butcher, and a working farm estate to come home to each night. This is not a food tour. It's a week of cooking, eating, and learning from the people who do it best.

See What's Included
Apply For The Experience ↓

Dates to be announced soon

Fall 2026

Max 16 Guests Per Session

The Itinerary

Six Days of
Culinary Adventures

Every excursion is private. Every meal is made from what we find that day. Every class ends with the group eating together around the table.

Close-up of burning logs inside a metal fire pit, with flames glowing and reflected on a shiny surface below.

Daily · Fattoria degli Usignoli

Wood-Fired
Cooking Classes

Scuola Focolare · Valoriani Ovens

Every class draws from whatever we've gathered that day — from the market, the farm, the butcher. We fire up the Valoriani ovens at Scuola Focolare and work through traditional Tuscan recipes: pizza, steak Fiorentina, braised rabbit, cherry clafoutis. The classes are built throughout the week. Each one ends with the whole group eating what we made.

A historic interior with old wooden furniture and a large screw press at the center, surrounded by stone walls and rustic decor.

Day Excursion · Reggello

Olive Oil Tasting
at Frantoio Masaccio

Olive Expert Paolo Mori

Reggello is home to what locals call the Green Gold of Tuscany — olive oil production here dates to the 15th century. Paolo Mori walks us through the four varietals they grow, how pressing has evolved over centuries, and how to actually taste oil the way you taste wine.

People touring a wine cellar with large wooden barrels.

Day Excursion · Chianti

Chianti Wine Tasting
& Lunch

Villa Travignoli · Il Quartino · Tenuta Casenuove

Villa Travignoli has been producing wine in Chianti for over 550 years — there's evidence of wine consumption here dating to 500 BC. We visit, taste, and hear the story of the estate. Lunch follows at Il Quartino, where we work through wines from across the region.

Two men smiling, one seated and one standing in a restaurant, with a brick fireplace and grill in the background, and raw meat on a cutting board in the foreground.

Day Excursion · Panzano in Chianti

Dario Cecchini,
The Butcher

World-Renowned Butcher & Restauranteur

Dario Cecchini is one of the most famous butchers in the world — and one of its most committed practitioners of nose-to-tail eating. His team prepares a feast of his favorite cuts in front of us. He pays genuine respect to the animals that come through his shop. It's worth the visit for the man alone.

A man and a woman are cooking pizza in a kitchen with a wood-fired oven. The man is smiling and using a pizza peel, while the woman is laughing. The background includes a brick fireplace and decorative pots.

Factory Visit

Refrattari
Valoriani

The Heart of the Mugnaini Oven

Five generations and over a century of history. Valoriani is the only oven manufacturer in the world that makes all of its own refractory materials in-house. We get a private look at the factory — tradition and craft at every step of the process.

A scenic view of a vineyard or orchard with trees, a wooden arbor with vines hanging, gravel pathway, and mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.

Farm Visit

Laura Peri's
Poultry Farm

Champion Italian Poultry Producer

Since 2004, Laura Peri has been one of Italy's most celebrated producers of birds — heirloom chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, and pigeon, all raised with intention. She manages every step from reproduction to slaughter. Her birds are in restaurants and markets throughout Italy. We go to the source.

The Villa · Fattoria degli Usignoli

Where you'll
be staying.

A four-star working farm estate in Reggello, in the Chianti hills southeast of Florence. The Fattoria has been producing wine and olive oil for generations. The cooking school — Scuola Focolare — sits at its heart, built around the Valoriani wood-fired ovens where all classes take place.

Aerial view of a lush estate with multiple swimming pools, tennis courts, greenery, and large buildings, set in a rural landscape with rolling hills and trees.
Scenic view of rolling hills with scattered houses and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Empty poolside area with loungers and umbrellas, green hedge background, blue sky with clouds.
A person sitting alone on a terrace outside a yellow house with a large arched window, surrounded by greenery and trees, with a misty landscape in the background.
A lush, green garden with well-maintained grass, large trimmed bushes, and decorative terracotta pots. Tall trees surround the area, and a small building with a tiled roof is visible in the background, illuminated by soft sunlight.
Row of large terracotta planters with greenery on a grassy incline, with trees and a mountain landscape in the background.
Scenic view of rolling green hills and mountains with scattered houses and agricultural fields under a partly cloudy sky.

Pricing

At $7,500 per person,
this is what's included.

One price covers everything from the moment we pick you up in Florence to the moment we drop you off. No surprise costs, no nickel-and-diming on excursions.

  • 6 nights at Fattoria degli Usignoli — 4-star working farm estate, Reggello

  • Private transport from Florence on arrival and back on departure, plus all-day trips

  • 3 daily meals and local wine throughout the week

  • Daily wood-fired cooking classes at Scuola Focolare with Chef Degen

  • Private olive oil tasting with Paolo Mori at Frantoio Masaccio

  • Wine tastings at Villa Travignoli, Tenuta Casenuove & Il Quartino

  • A feast at Dario Cecchini's — prepared by his team in front of you

  • Private visit to the Valoriani factory — home of the Mugnaini wood-fired oven

  • Farm visit to Laura Peri's award-winning poultry operation

  • Local expert guides on all cultural excursions

  • Departure airport transfer and all entrance fees included

International airfare, travel insurance, personal incidentals, and gratuity are not included. Full details in the FAQ below.

All-Inclusive · Per Person

$7,500

6 nights lodging · all meals · all excursions · private transport
Solo supplement: +$1,500 for a private room
Join the Interest List
A group of six friends enjoying a meal at a restaurant, sharing multiple pizzas and drinks, as viewed from above.
Interior of Italian restaurant with wooden ceiling beams, checkered curtains, and a stone floor. Features a cooking area with copper pots, a fireplace with a fire, and framed pictures on the walls.
A woman standing in front of a brick fireplace, holding a plate of food in her right hand and a glass of wine in her left, smiling with her eyes closed.
Chef Degen cuts a piece of cooked steak on a wooden cutting board, while two guests are watching and clapping in a kitchen environment.
Three people at a restaurant celebrating with drinks, toasting over a wooden table with a roasted chicken dish, wine bottles, and beer bottles, smiling and enjoying each other's company.
Italy experience, learning on the farm
Group of friends celebrating with wine on a terrace outdoors, raising glasses for a toast, with a background of trees, a house, and mountains. 
Traveling Solo?

Private room supplement: $1,500

Solo spots are extremely limited and available on a first-come basis. About a third of guests travel alone.

Book a Solo Spot →

Fall 2026 · Now Boarding

Ready to
go to Tuscany?

Sessions are capped at 16 guests. When they're gone, they're gone. Fill out the interest form and Chef Degen will be in touch personally to confirm availability and next steps.

Email directly →

Before You Book

Your questions,
answered.

  • The trip begins and ends in Florence, Italy. The closest airport is Florence Airport (FLR). We recommend arriving one day early to make sure you're at the starting point on time.

  • Each session is capped at 16 guests. You can expect a diverse group — different ages, backgrounds, and interests, including solo travelers, couples, and friends. This trip is for adults 18 and older.

  • Chef Michael Degen of Pizza Degen leads the trip. He's a wood-fired oven specialist who teaches all daily classes at the Fattoria's cooking school, and your main point of contact throughout the week. Local expert guides join the group for specific cultural excursions — each one deeply knowledgeable about the region's history, food, and traditions.

  • Yes — solo travelers pay a $1,500 single-supplement fee at the time of booking to secure a private room. These spots are extremely limited and go fast. About a third of guests on past trips have traveled solo.

  • US citizens do not need a visa to enter Italy for stays up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure — we recommend six months to be safe. Not a US citizen? Check with the Italian Embassy or Consulate for your specific requirements.

  • Cancel before December 29, 2025 and receive a full refund minus a $500 per-person service fee. Cancel on or after December 30, 2025: 50% cancellation fee. Cancel on or after February 13, 2026: 100% cancellation fee. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance — we cannot make exceptions for medical or family emergencies.

  • We strongly recommend it. Travel insurance covers trip costs if plans change unexpectedly, medical help or emergency transport abroad, and loss, theft, or damage to belongings. For best coverage, insure the full trip cost within two weeks of your deposit. Most 'Cancel For Any Reason' policies must be purchased on the date of your initial deposit.

Not included in the price

To keep things clear — the following are not covered by the $7,500 per person price:

  • International roundtrip airfare to and from Italy

  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)

  • Transport to Florence from your home city

  • Activities outside the included itinerary

  • Hotel incidentals — room service, laundry, hotel bar

  • Gratuity for trip leader and local guides

Planning Your Trip?

Read Our Terms & Conditions