What do the children actually do?
They make pasta. Properly, not a token ball of dough at the end of the table. Each child gets their own floured board, their own dough to knead, and their own shapes to roll: pici first, because rolling a strand between your palms is the most satisfying thing a six-year-old can do with flour, then a filled shape if they are patient enough.
Because there are never more than eight people at the table in total, a chef can stand with a child through a fold that keeps failing. That is the whole reason this works at our table and does not at a class of twelve.
Is it going to hold their attention for three hours?
Mostly yes, and we build the class around the honest answer. The hands-on stretches are broken up (knead, rest the dough, eat something, come back to it), because a rested dough and a rested child are both easier to work with. The last stretch is cooking and eating, which no one has ever had trouble sitting through.
If a younger child runs out of patience, that is fine and expected. There is space to sit, the kitchen is not precious, and no one will mind. We would rather you finish the class than leave feeling apologetic.
Good to know
- Ages 6 and up cook with us. Under 6 are welcome to come and eat at no charge, but the boards and knives are not built for them.
- Every child needs an adult at the table with them; this is a class you do together, not a drop-off.
- Children get the same meal, minus the wine: pasta they made, a sauce, and something to drink that isn't Chianti. Two Tuscan pours are included for the adults.
- Knife work is limited and supervised. Boiling water stays with the chefs.
- Gluten-free or an allergy in the family? Say so when you book: dedicated station, no surcharge, same table as everyone else. See the gluten-free class.
- We email the recipes afterwards, and whatever you don't finish gets dried and bagged to take back with you, which tends to be the part children talk about.
How booking works
Hit "Book this class" and tell us how many adults and how many children, with their ages. It opens a WhatsApp chat with the details filled in and we confirm personally, including whether the timing you want suits the ages you're bringing. You can also email ciao@handmadepastaflorence.com.
