The New Florentine Steak Experience ™
In this first-of-its-kind cooking class in Florence you will cook up your very own Florentine Steak – Bistecca alla Fiorentina! Here, in one of the finest traditional trattorias in Florence – the city of the beef-steak.
Learn How to Cook & How to Eat the Bistecca Fiorentina!
We have teamed up with the best experts to give you a cooking class in Tuscan cuisine including where you’ll prepare a 3 course meal to be enjoyed alongside your sumptuous steak.
Discover the Wine & Sides for the Florentine Steak
You will be warmly welcomed at the restaurant with a glass of local wine, while donning your chef’s apron, before learning to cook your very own steak!
You’ll also prepare a classic Tuscan starter and side dishes such as cannellini beans and ‘fettunta’ – giving an insight into the regional and seasonal foods used in traditional local cuisine.
Enjoy the Bistecca Fiorentina in a Traditional Tuscan Trattoria
We’ve chosen one of the best local trattorias in Florence that uses the best quality certified Chianina steak meat. You’ll enjoy your meal in a warm authentic setting. Our wonderful little local trattoria (traditional Florentine restaurant) is located close to Piazza San Martino in the very heart of Florence’s historical centre and close to everything. It’s an easy 15 walk after our David tour to reach the restaurant.
Live the Experience & Take Home the Know-How!
You’ll go home with a recipe and tips and hints on what you need to order at the butcher and what ingredients and cooking techniques will make for a truly delicious mouth-watering steak at home.
You’ll also learn about how high quality ingredients and seasonal produce is a cornerstone of Italian cuisine.
We’ll have good Chianti wine from the region to taste and enjoy.
This is an immersive hands-on experience where your great guide explains and ensures you know all about how to cook the best steak of your life.
What you Get with your Florentine Steak Experience:
- A cooking lesson learning the trick of Italian cuisine!
- Starter of classic Tuscan anti-pasti ‘Fettunta’: toasted Tuscan bread with olive oil drizzled on top
- Secondo or main course: the steak and dishes you’ve cooked! A good Florentine Steak is usually around 1-1.2 kilos – that’s over 2.5 pounds! Because the steak is so big, traditionally they are served in the center of the table to be shared and you serve yourselves. Don’t worry, there will be plenty! See our blog on how Florentine Steak is traditionally enjoyed.
- A choice of Tuscan side dishes: roasted potatoes, greens, salad and traditional Tuscan white beans
- Dessert: we have a delicious Tuscan dessert of “Cantucci'”: local handmade biscuits that you dip in Vin Santo – “holy wine” to enjoy-divine!
- The wine to accompany is a good honest local Chianti wine with a story to tell.
- Water, of course!
What is a Florentine steak? (Bistecca alla Fiorentina)
The Florentine Steak is a T-bone or Porterhouse steak cut from the ancient Chianina breed of cow, reared in the Tuscan countryside. The best restaurants have certification that they are using the real meat of these cows.
Bistecca Fiorentina – or Bistecca alla Fiorentina – first became known in Florence during the Renaissance period. Now it is a legend in its own right.
It’s typically served rare and, due to its size, served in the middle of the table shared between 2 or more people. The Florentines eat their steak, not with fries, but cannellini beans, unsalted Tuscan bread and roast potatoes. It’s delicious and one of the great iconic gourmet experiences every one visiting Florence should enjoy.
Whilst many food and wine products are exported around the world, the Bistecca alla Fiorentina has to be enjoyed here in Florence. Made from the white Chianina cow, one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world, this steak has been eaten here for centuries.
Tuscany is the Best Place to Taste the Best Steak
Attempts have been made to export the Chianina cow. But the steak has never been as good as it is here where the breed has roamed for thousands of years. The cattle are kept in open fields around Tuscany.
What is the best way to cook a Florentine Steak?
Cooking the Florentine steak is a true art. Cut with one sharp chop, this T-bone loin steak is served in 28-42 oz (800-1200g) servings, and usually very thick! The grill temperature is measured to 550 °F before the room-temperature steak is placed on the searing heat, about 5 minutes on each side, sealing in the flavor. A good rest is crucial before eating.
How to Enjoy a Florentine Steak?
The original Florentine steak, ordered as a main meal, is usually shared between 2 or 3 people. Don’t worry, it’s huge and we can assure you there will always be enough to enjoy! Served on a wooden chopping board, with salt, pepper, drizzled with extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil, and a wedge of lemon for those who wish to squeeze some fresh juice onto the steak. See our blog for more information on how to enjoy a Florentine Steak.
How Rare should a Florentine Steak Be?
Slicing the tender steak, you will see the steak is cooked well on the outside, but almost rare in the middle. Florentines take their steak pretty seriously, so if you’re used to a well-done steak you might want to try it their way before asking them to put it back on the grill!
Read everything you need to know and more about Florentine Steak on our blog
Our Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
It is at the core of our restaurant partner’s policy to be respectful of the environment and work actively to reduce their impact.
They are proud to work in collaboration with the organization Treedom which helps social and economic development in undeveloped areas or affected by natural disasters through planting trees such as banana and cacao trees. This helps local communities while also absorbing CO2. Every 14 cover charges purchases one of these trees in countries including Haiti, Cameroon and Bolivia.
They actively work to save water by using compostable wheat bran plates instead of washing up and use eco-friendly biodegradable cleaning products.
They are plastic free, all materials are compostable.
The grills used are electric and the restaurants are completely powered by certified renewable sources of electricity.
Janine Weiss –
Been to Florence before, but this special evening learning about the Chianina Florentine Beefsteak with friends was fabulous. We were in the kitchen with the Chef and learned first hand on the cut and preparation. Of course eating this delicacy was great. I totally recommend this special night, a wonderful culinary experience after a day at the museums.
Esther Kim –
This was so lovely – the treated us like VIP. Got to talk and speak with the chef and sous chefs, put the steak on the grill, learn about the very intentional eco-friendly focus of the restaurant (edible plates). The manager was an amazing story-teller and host and so generous with descriptions of everything so you could appreciate what you were eating. It was beyond spectacular. We also got to enjoy someone performing a reading of Dante for another group that was there. The food was the most delicious thing. I couldn’t get very how good the potatoes where. And obviously the steak. I have been living in New York for 11 years, and this experience just topped it all – I still about that dinner to this day.
Carol Matsuoka –
SemiCooking class! They taught us the right way to cook a 4″ thick steak! It was like a Porterhouse, except aged forever then grilled…I got to wear the hat and apron and pretend like I knew what I was doing! Lots of meat, food and drinks… Everything is EVVO on everything. Extra Virgin Olive Oil… delicious… Started with appetizers with sparkling wine… Wonderful baked breads, thinly slices of meat and cheese. Then up and started cooking with the chef! They explained each step of the process, while we helped do some cutting, drinking and watching how it was done. They told us that this steak is special and comes from a certain region in Italy… After the steaks were done, veggies were cooking as well as potatoes and more homemade breads. Desert was served also to top it off… Really a great experience! Lots of fun! Would suggest this to our friends to have a little different type of dinner experience!
Diane Briand –
My family and I highly recommend this experience. We had a beautiful and very tasty evening with plenty of food and drinks. We learned how to prepare and cook the famous Florentine steak, which we enjoyed after in the dining room. Very good value for money especially for families of young adults. Overall, one of our best evening and experience in Florence!
Emily Johnson –
Would totally recommend this experience for all ages! Something unique and different. Brought my pre-teen daughter – who was the only kid (not surprisingly) in a great, small group of travelers. Going back into the kitchen to tenderize the meat, grill, etc with the chefs – so much fun, and definitely unique! Small group; really quality food, fun hosts – totally recommend!
Kyle Kerley –
From booking to cooking to devouring: the entire process was perfectly smooth. Gabriel was an excellent host and the portion where we actually went into the kitchen was informative and fun despite feeling like we were in the way. All of the staff including the head chef were so friendly, accommodating, and all-around great to be with. The steak was INCREDIBLE as was the rest of the spread provided. This was such a great experience and I’m so glad we did it.
Laura Kerley –
This cooking class was one of the best experiences in Florence. It took place at a restaurant Toscana 2, not a specific cooking school which was different than we were expecting. We sat down and were greeted by Gabriel who led us through a wonderful culinary experience. We started with a platter of appetizers and proseco while we received an overview of the restaurant and region of Florence. Then we were led into the kitchen to pick our steak and learn how to cook in the Florentine way (all while enjoying a glass of wine). There wasn’t much hands on cooking in this class, but we still felt very involved. Once everything was prepared, we enjoyed one of the best meals, ever! The event lasted several hours and we loved every minute!
Travis Stiles –
On our trip to italy we spent time in Rome, Florence and Venice. We saw so many amazing things and had an amazing time…..but this cooking class was my favorite part of the whole trip. Not only was it amazing, but I would do it again which is weird for a cooking class.
Anne Earman –
The wine and water flowed freely and our dinner was outstanding. We were greeted with wine and an appetizer. Next we moved to the kitchen to select our steak and an overview of what to expect and lesson about the white cow. A great time was had by our group of 6. I would do this again…fun night.
Margaret Gaddis –
highly recommend this experience! The food was incredible, wine was perfect, and the entire evening was the highlight of our trip. The total group size was 6 (two of us and 4 others), which allowed for an intimate setting to learn about the history and preparation of Florentine Steaks. Everyone participated in the preparation and cooking, then we all gathered around a table to share and eat the food we cooked. Our host was very knowledgeable and a great guide in every aspect of the evening. I highly recommend this experience – do yourself a favor and book it!
Enid and Bryan Forman –
Never having had the Florentine Steak Experience, having a steak and learning how to cook this top quality beef was an opportunity too good to turn down. Alberto was a most congenial and informative host. We also enjoyed the company of our fellow “chefs” (three from the USA and a newlywed couple from the Middle East) both at our table, before and after our cooking class and in the kitchen. The steaks were delicious (certainly could taste the difference in the Chianina beef), as was the accompanying food and wine. It was a truly engaging way to spend an evening.
Matthew McCarthy –
Would highly recommend, instructor/chef was great. Food was amazing.
Albert Pacosky –
Easy to book, great value. A little hard to find but an incredible evening filled with wine, laughter and learning. We learned the Florentine way to prepare Tuscan beef, from the types of cuts, size, tenderizing and cutting, cooking, slicing and seasoning. I eat beef about once per month and this was incredible. I would highly recommend this experience to everyone.
David and Nancy Moses –
If you want a unique cooking experience in Florence, definitely take this class. We truly enjoyed meeting the owners and the cooks at the restaurant and having an opportunity to see how they cook their special Florentine steak. This was one of our more memorable experiences on our trip.
Bella, Richard, Brandon and Molly –
We walked into the restaurant and were immediately warmly greeted by the owner and served a festive glass of bubbly as we settled in. We had aprons and caps for our cooking experience with the Chef all ready for us, and we were introduced to our fellow attendees and our Chef as we prepared for a fun and informative evening! We learned the proper technique for cooking Steak Florentine in the restaurant kitchen, from the tenderizing to the actually cooking of the steak! We learned tips and tricks to creating the perfect steak – it was a fabulous experiment for all of us. After cooking our steak, we sat down to a heavenly dinner of veggies, Italian delicacies and our cooked steak served family style, with plenty for all. Our group enjoyed a lively conversation which only paused for the decadent dessert and wine brought to us by the owner…and then there was limoncellos, which was the icing on the cake for an amazing evening. As we were leaving the owner not only called a cab for us, but waited and gave him instructions to our villa – unbelievably generous man, with a heart of gold who clearly loves what he does and treats his guests like family. We highly recommend this experience and plan to do it again when we visit with a group of friends in 2021! Ciao!
Dorte Griechen –
We were 7 people and had the most outstanding fun experience. I would suggest not to have many more people in the group as it becomes “cozy” in the kitchen. Our group size was perfect and the set-up, starting with some appetizers and learning about facts and figures to the famous bistecca fiorentina, was nicely arranged and a good warm up …the yummy Prosecco also helped ;-). Afterwards it goes to the kitchen and for people being interested creating the perfect steak it’s the perfect experience and training. I would definitely recommend as with 3 enormous delicious steaks for 7 people you get enough food and make sure you drink enough water with all the wine being served. Thanks Alberto for making it such a fun evening for us …we also felt it the next morning 😉 We keep fingers crossed for the first start in the US with your comcept and keep us updated where the final location will be.
Deborah Stephenson –
We had a wonderful experience and meal during this class. Our host, Alberto was amazing, friendly, welcoming and informative. A great host! The food was five star! Recommend!!!
Roger McSwain –
We spent 2 weeks in Italy and this was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. We had so much fun and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for something different other than museums and churches. It was a nice detour in the evening. The kitchen staff were kind and helpful and the manger who worked with us was informative about Chianina Steak and just pleasurable! We laughed, ate plenty, learned about Italian food and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Vicki Gahlbeck –
We had so much fun and SO much steak to enjoy. We used the Rick Steve’s coupon for a 10% discount. That was easy.
Richard Corcoran –
We were two traveling together and signed on to this group experience for 22-July, 2021. However, due to COVID and tourists just beginning to come back, it turned out to be a private lesson! How lucky (for us)! You should definitely do this! We learned so much: what to do and definitely what NOT to do with a steak. I feel much more confident now and no longer terrified of ruining a good piece of meat. And then you get to eat it along with some appetisers and free-flowing wine. Totally delicious and what a great deal. We had a Florentine steak at a well-rated restaurant a few days later and frankly, their chef should take this class.
Richard Corcoran –
We were two traveling together and signed on to this group experience for 22-July, 2021. However, due to COVID and tourists just beginning to come back, it turned out to be a private lesson! How lucky (for us)! You should definitely do this! We learned so much: what to do and definitely what NOT to do with a steak. I feel much more confident now and no longer terrified of ruining a good piece of meat. And then you get to eat it along with some appetisers and free-flowing wine. Totally delicious and what a great deal. We had a Florentine steak at a well-rated restaurant a few days later and frankly, their chef should take this class.
Allison Bauer –
We had such an amazing time cooking our Florentine Steak! Not only was it delicious, but we also got to try so many other local specialties and learn so much about Tuscan culture. Thank you so much!
Heather Briglia –
Our friends recommended this cooking class as they had been in Florence a few months before we went. What a great recommendation! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire evening from start to finish. The steak was excellent, the company was excellent, and our chef/host for the evening was welcoming and beyond friendly. We learned the correct way to make a steak and would recommend this to friends in the future!
Cristin –
Honestly it was fantastic, the host, even though his English was a little rusty ( but in no way was this an issue!) after months and months of corona was so welcoming, so warm, so friendly and more than a little liberal with the grappa. Great experience, great restaurant, great meat, fabulous cows… Just go on this experience
Sonia –
I booked this experience for my boyfriend, and he really enjoyed it and he recommends it (despite in the midst of COVID). He said it’s one of the top highlights of his entire trip to Florence! The staff at the restaurant were very nice and welcoming, the food was plentiful. He learned some history about the bistecca and tried some delicious appetizers and a large steak of course. His experience was memorable and pleasant. Thank you to the entire team (including Rose for organizing), we hope to do this again on our next trip to Florence!
Lily –
Great experience. Super interesting tips about steak cooking. Got to be hands on. Very generous servings of food and wine. Sat down with host and heard about his life. Highly recommend this experience.
Helen Zhikhareva –
an amazing experience! highly recommend! we learned the real way of cooking steak florentine. very nice ambiance and service. we stayed for dinner after and had a great time.