Help with Cooking in Tuscany

Italy

Favourited 1267 times

Host rating
Feedback
40
Last activity
20/10/2019
Reply rate
63.6 %
Average reply time:
within 5 days
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2019

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Description
Hello! We are a family of three and we live in a restored farmhouse in the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, only 6 kms to the Mediterranean sea. Our house is immeresed in the olive groves and vineyards, the garden is overlooking the ancient village of Castagneto Carducci.
I run a cooking school that I opened almost 15 years ago to spread the traditional-Italian cuisine in Italy and abroad. I like to share is the HOME FOOD, the old traditional recipes, to use and emphasize seasonal products.
During May, June, Sept and Oct I'll be very busy teaching cooking classes and I will need help in the kitchen, cooking, help with the tourists, house chores, help out in the garden. During the other months I also work on different house projects, including painting (indoors and outdoors), priming/plastering, gardening and general upkeep of the house.
I have a nice 21 years old daughter, a french husband who loves ice cream and wine, 1 dog and 2 cats. We are all easy going and poeple persons.
The area where I live is famous for wine and biking and if we have time we would love to bike with you ! If you want to share your life with me and my family contact us and we'll give you more information !
Type of help
Gardening
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Help in the house
Helping with Tourists
Language practice
Help with Computers / internet
Help
Help in the kitchen (cooking and cleaning)
Help in the garden
Languages spoken
english, french
Accommodation
Guest room or apartment
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4-5 hours, max 5 days a week

Photos

Feedback left by and about host (40)

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)

09/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Natalie & Lawrence) for host

Where do I begin? Our stay with Chicca and Arnaud was extremely enjoyable and rewarding. They are kind, thoughtful, warm and considerate. They took us to visit the surrounding towns and villages, the wine producers and local shopkeepers, restaurants and food producers. Both are very knowledgeable about the culture and history of this corner of… read more

(Excellent )

25/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Natalie & Lawrence)

Natalie and Larry spent only 2 weeks with our family, they perfectly fit with our day life and helped to get many things done! They are both hard workers, very active and willing to finish any given chore. Besides all the work around the house and in the garden, Natalie was a great help to edit my website, she has a lot of skills in marketing and… read more

(Excellent )

09/05/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Rowan & Sally)

Rowe and Sally are two amazing persons full of skills and life! They spent about 3 weeks with our family and it was not enough! They have a lot of skills, they almost know how to do everything: from weed-waking to painting, to general maintenance to cooking. Rowe is an electrician (or a sparky!) so he is very handy for many things. Whenever I was… read more

(Excellent )

29/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Rowan & Sally) for host

What a wonderful workaway with Chicca and Arnaud!
We spent 2.5 weeks in the lovely village of Castegneto Carducci helping Chicca in her off season; work consisted of gardening, house maintenance and assisting with one cooking class.
For those who love cycling, this workaway is a dream. There are plenty of great cycle trails and no short supply of… read more

(Excellent )

07/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Rachel)

Rachel! This young, interesting, smart, kind woman spent only 2 weeks with our family and she really fitted right away into the flow! She is a very hard worker, organized and not scared of any tasks that she accomplished all alone. She was a great help with the cooking classes, always kind with the guests, a fast leaner in the the kitchen, ready… read more

(Excellent )

07/12/2018

Left by Workawayer (Rachel) for host

Two weeks was too short a time! I cannot recommend working with Chicca enough. The "work" itself is wonderful – I really enjoyed going to the market with Chicca, trips to the (in)famous butcher, prepping the meals, and of course the classes themselves. I wouldn't describe it as hard, because I had so much fun, but if you're with Chicca during the… read more

(Excellent )

27/11/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Tyler & Kylee)

How can we express our deep gratitude to these special human fellows? Kylee and Tyler lived with my family for about two months and we shared our daily life with lots of laughing, cooking, talking, cycling and doing many many things. I think they are super stellar helpers, two generous and loving souls always ready to do any type of chore given to… read more

(Excellent )

26/11/2018

Left by Workawayer (Tyler & Kylee) for host

What can we say about Chicca?! She and Arnaud are FANTASTIC hosts. They are hilarious, caring, interesting, talented, and so so fun. Truth be told, we cannot say enough great things about our time at La Casa Toscana. Chicca is incredibly warm and generous, inviting us into her life the moment we met her. After our time with her, we have truly… read more

(Excellent )

13/07/2018

Left by Workawayer (Jola & Darek) for host

We stayed with Chicca for 2 months. It is really hard to describe in words the experience we had. Chicca is very warm, fun and generous person and her family is lovely too. The place is magical . Old but beautifully renovated farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and olive groves overlooking old village on the hill.
We had the best of everything.… read more

(Excellent )

11/07/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Jola & Darek)

We were fortunate enough to be able to host and meet Jola and Derek, who stayd with our family for two moths. They are hard workers, always ready to give you a hand, and very helpful inside and outside the house. They have a lot of energy and the skills of people with many experiences in their life. Jola was my gurdian angel during the cooking… read more

(Excellent )

11/05/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Hazel)

Can I give 6 stars to Hazel and Erin? They are two incredible young women, farmers, always smiling, very skilled in whatever chore I gave them, great gardeners, responsible, reliable, strong and capable to get all the things done...I can't stop counting the number of their qualities! They stayed with my family for only one week, and they were able… read more

(Excellent )

07/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (Hazel) for host

My friend Erin and I had a wonderful time staying with Chicca for a week. We spent time working in her garden and building new raised beds for the coming season. We also trimmed hedges and weeded. We shared cooking together, sometimes she cooked delicious meals for us, sometimes we cooked! We borrowed bikes and went to the beach. At the end of the… read more

(Excellent )

09/11/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Rachel & Alex)

Rachel and Alex spent over two weeks with our family, a too short time because we had such a great time together. They are very responsible and helped in different chores, all accomplished well and fast (sometimes I was surprised!). We could relied on their help in many different things: cooking classes, setting a nice table for the guests,… read more

(Excellent )

08/11/2017

Left by Workawayer (Rachel & Alex) for host

This was our first experience using Workaway and the bar has been set very high! We (couple mid 20s) stayed with Chicca and her family for a little over 2 weeks (much too short!) and had the most amazing experience. From the get go, Chicca welcomed us into her home and included us like family in meals, outings, etc. We helped her with yard work… read more

(Excellent )

20/05/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Shannon)

Shannon spent about two weeks at our house and since the beginning she was part of our family. She is a great help in the kitchen as she teaches cooking classes back home. She has many skills, she is fast, likes to experiment and we had so much fun cooking. She was a great help also with the classes, very nice with tourists and very organized to… read more

(Excellent )

16/05/2017

Left by Workawayer (Shannon) for host

I can't imagine a better Workaway experience! Chicca and her family welcomed me right in and I felt at home during my entire stay. From the moment Chicca picked me up from the train station with a giant smile and hug to the moment they dropped me off after an amazing lunch and gelato out in town, the family represented genuine Italian hospitality.… read more

(Excellent )

27/04/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Mark & Carlie)

Mark and Carlie spent about two weeks with our family during their one year trip around Europe. They are a family of three and their little boy Levi is the cutest ! They have many skills and helped out in the garden, painting, weed whacking, moving rocks, cleaning garden furnitures…just to tell some ! It was really fun to have the little Levi… read more

(Excellent )

20/12/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Veronica)

Veronica has been with my family for about three weeks and it was an incredible help during my cooking classes : she is hard-working, she likes to clean and she does it very well ! Also very organized, I could relay on her in the kitchen for whatever was the task. She has a funny humor, we had so many laughters together :) Despite her profile… read more

(Excellent )

23/11/2016

Left by Workawayer (Veronica) for host

What a wonderful time at Chicca's place!
She is such a good person, very generous and her family is lovely too.
Her property is amazing, and the location has a great scenery!
It is close to the seaside and small villages, and big cities such as Livorno or Pisa are easily reachable by train.
My working schedule could include: some light… read more

(Excellent )

22/11/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Ariana)

Ariana was at our farmstead just for two weeks, a short time but long enough to understand how incredible this young girl is. She is very responsible, reliable, funny, talkative and whatever was the chore given to her, she was able to do it ! She was very helpful in many different things: writing my website, gardening, helping out with cooking… read more

(Excellent )

13/11/2016

Left by Workawayer (Ariana) for host

Where to begin....
As you can probably see from all the wonderful reviews, this is an outstanding workaway family. I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to meet, work, and live with Chicca and Arnaud. They made me feel like I was a part of the family, and for me that is what makes or breaks a workaway experience. Chicca always asked if… read more

(Excellent )

16/07/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Joan & Andre )

Joan and Andre are two incredible people that if you have the chance to meet them you’ll never forget ! They are generous and thoughtful about what is around themselves and in the world, and we had many interesting conversation about many things. They became soon a part of our family and an incredible help for all the things to do inside and… read more

(Excellent )

13/07/2016

Left by Workawayer (Joan & Andre ) for host

We spent two wonderful weeks working with Chicca, helping around the house with yard work, cleaned out the garrage, planting, etc. We also helped make homemade pasta and many other dishes for a catering job at a magnificent winery. Chicca, my husband Andre, myself and Paul, another work awayer, then catered the meal at the winery, which was… read more

(Excellent )

08/06/2016

Left by Workawayer (Mike & Allison) for host

We spent nearly 2 weeks at Chicca's home in September and it was by far the
best 2 weeks of our entire year of travelling. Chicca, Elsa and Arnaud are
extremely friendly and welcoming you into not only their home but into
their family as well. Her location is easily accessible from the train
station and she was happy to pick us up. She also… read more

(Excellent )

05/07/2015

Left by Workawayer (Christina) for host

Ciao future Workawayers!
This was my first workaway experience and it was wonderful. Chicca and her family were very gracious and attentive and made sure my work and experience there was a memorable one. They integrated me into their daily life and it was a great time getting to see what small town life is all about! My daily tasks varied from… read more

(Excellent )

19/05/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Paul)

Paul…he came as a workawayer and then he became an uncle for my daughter, a good friend for us, someone to share my morning tea with chat about life… During his stay we went through many different projects and he worked more then he was requested just because he likes to get things done. So when he starts a project you are sure that it is going to… read more

(Excellent )

19/05/2015

Left by Workawayer (Paul) for host

Life Inspiring! I came for 2 weeks and stayed for 7 because living with Chicca and her wonderful family (including Janice, Matise, & Oofa) makes you appreciate living in the present. Whether it was shopping for fresh local ingredients or trekking from 1 village to the next, the essence of the people and Tuscan culture shone through. (The french… read more

(Excellent )

28/04/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Chad & Brianna )

Is there any word more then excellent to describe these two incredible people ? I highly recommend Bri and Chad : they are very hard workers, reliable, active, funny and always with a big smile on their faces ! They showed always enthusiasm for any type of work they were asked for, whether was painting shutters or removing olive branches (a lot of… read more

(Excellent )

27/04/2015

Left by Workawayer (Chad & Brianna ) for host

We had an amazing time with Chicca and her family! We did many different projects like helping with the olive trees, painting, and landscaping to name a few. We were able to meet a lot of Chicca's family and friends who made us feel welcome and comfortable. Chicca has a lot of knowledge about the area and we had a wonderful time exploring around… read more

(Excellent )

03/03/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Grace)

If I really have to rate Grace excellent is not enough : although she is very young, she is incredible mature, hard working, reliable, knowledgeable, independent. Basically she can do everything, due to the experience she had working on her parent’s farm since she was a child. Interested to everything, she is always open to meet new people and… read more

(Excellent )

23/02/2015

Left by Workawayer (Grace) for host

I had such a wonderful time with Chicca and her family! I felt immediately accepted as part of the family. They were so kind and caring and the atmosphere of the home was relaxed and open.

Chicca is really enthusiastic with her projects, her cooking, her ideas, and life in general. If you are enthusiastic as well and want to learn some… read more

(Excellent )

14/02/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Rob & Patricia)

Rob and Patri ! Thank you so muche for your help, company, and sharing a little piece of our life together ! You guys fitted my family perfectly ! Always ready to help and to learn with a smile on their face, I do really reccomand them. They are both english teachers, so very easy to get along and comunicate with kids and teen agers. We are still… read more

(Excellent )

13/01/2015

Left by Workawayer (Rob & Patricia) for host

We had such an incredible time with Chicca and her daughter Elsa. They are both so much fun and welcoming. We felt very comfortable with them from the first moment and we really enjoyed our two weeks there.
Chicca taught us so much about cooking and she shared her best recipes with us. We have tried cooking them since we got back home and… read more

(Excellent )

11/11/2014

Left by Workawayer (Kyle & Lauren) for host

We have truly gained a friend in Chicca. Our experience with her and her family was incredible. They were welcoming and accommodating. The area is beautiful, with many things to do, see, eat, and drink. Chicca's home is in a great location, close to many quaint hill towns and beaches. Some of the bigger cities (Siena, Lucca, Florence, Pisa)… read more

(Excellent )

02/08/2014

Left by Workawayer (Sascha & Madelaine) for host

Thank you!! The two of us had a great first Workaway experience in Toscana with you and the family. We loved the food, the weather, the work and the animals. Thank you for welcoming us into your beautiful home!

(Excellent )

10/07/2014

Left by Workawayer (Sam & Rachel) for host

Chicca thank you for such a wonderful stay, we miss you greatly. We learned so much during our time with you and your cooking is honestly incredible! We are already practising the recipes at home with our families. We definitely recommend staying with Chicca and her daughter Elsa, they are such a welcoming, fun and generous family. Castagneto… read more

(Excellent )

22/03/2014

Left by host for Workawayer (Raewyn)

I had the chance to host and meet Rae and she is a really nice and gentle person. She is aways available to help you and to keep the things moving in the everyday life. We had a very rainy weather by the time she was here and she made me such a good company with all the stories about the adventures of her life. I hope she will be back ! Thanyou… read more

(Excellent )

21/02/2014

Left by Workawayer (Raewyn) for host

I am so grateful to Chicca for the opportunity to experience such warmth and generous hospitality in Tuscany, the amazing traditional Italian food often prepared from her Grandmothers recipes. I learnt great tips and take away many ideas and memories.
For three weeks I was very much part of the family, and involved in everyday life and… read more

(Excellent )

13/12/2012

Left by host for Workawayer (James)

Ciao James,
thank you very much for your help in the house. Especially with the wood ! I'm sure that your italian will improve soon.
Ciao
Chicca

(Very good )

07/11/2012

Left by Workawayer (James) for host

Chicca, Elsa and Arnaud were wonderful hosts. I had a great experience in Tuscany! Thanks for helping me with Italian and the great food. I hope if we meet again my Italian will be much better and that I will be talk about Philosophy more eloquently in Italian :)

Good luck with the book, let me know if you need some help with the English

Ciao,… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 3572893964e1

Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Italy Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Europe Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Tuscany Individual Italy Last minute Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Italy

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