World Champion Pesto Lesson, 1.5 Hours

Overview

This hour and a half class puts a marble mortar in your hands and teaches you pesto the way Genoa intends it. The instructor is Camilla Pizzorno, who won the World Pesto al Mortaio Championship in 2022 as the youngest winner in the competition's history, beating over 100 competitors. She walks the group through each ingredient, then guides everyone through the pounding, crushing and folding that turns basil, garlic, pine nuts, two cheeses, oil and salt into a sauce.

The setting is a Ligurian garden surrounded by greenery in summer, with a covered and heated outdoor area for colder or wet months. The mortar itself is an antique piece of Carrara marble over 150 years old, worked with a wooden pestle. Ingredients are treated seriously: Genovese D.O.P. basil, Vessalico garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24 months, Fiore Sardo pecorino, pine nuts, coarse salt and olive oil from the Ligurian Riviera.

After the work comes the meal. The fresh pesto is served with Genoese focaccia, then with trofie or a similar Ligurian pasta, followed by tiramisu. Riviera wine, water, coffee and Italian liqueurs such as limoncello, mirto and grappa round it out. Guests leave with the champion's recipe as a PDF, photos and videos of the session, and a small gift. Pickup is not included, though the hosts can help arrange transport if contacted.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meeting pointThe hosts send a message with their location on the day of the class and meet guests five minutes before the start.
2. Ingredient introductionThe session opens in the garden with a walkthrough of the traditional ingredients, learning to recognize the quality and role of each one.
3. Pounding the pestoEach guest makes pesto in an antique marble mortar over 150 years old, following the original technique step by step under the champion's guidance.
4. Tasting the pestoThe freshly made pesto is served as an appetizer with Genoese focaccia.
5. Pasta courseA typical Ligurian pasta, such as trofie or croxetti, is served with the pesto prepared during the class.
6. Dessert and toastThe meal closes with tiramisu, accompanied by Riviera wine and Italian liqueurs.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most out of this class.

• Hands-on work. Every guest makes their own pesto rather than watching a demonstration. Several travellers specifically noted this, along with the attention the hosts give each person so every batch turns out well.
• What to bring. Photos and videos of the experience are provided by the hosts. Tell them about any allergies or intolerances at the time of booking, as a liability waiver is signed before the workshop starts.
• Getting there. Pickup is not included. The hosts send the location by message on the day and can help arrange transport if contacted in advance. One reviewer noted the setting is a bit remote from the cruise port.
• Weather and season. Summer sessions take place in the garden without air conditioning, and a few reviewers suggested extra shade or fans would help on hot days. Dress lightly in warm months. In bad weather or winter, the class moves to a covered and heated outdoor area.
• Language. Several reviewers who do not speak Italian described the explanations of ingredients and technique as clear and easy to follow. One guest noted that translation support made everything engaging for non-Italian speakers.
• Food and drink. The meal is substantial: focaccia, pasta with your own pesto, tiramisu, Riviera wine, liqueurs and grappas, plus water, coffee, tea or juice. Come hungry, since several travellers described the food as a highlight in itself.

Common issues. The summer garden setting has no air conditioning, and some travellers said extra shade or fans would improve comfort on hot days. Allergy sufferers should note the waiver requirement and the operator's warning that total absence of contamination from packaged or industrial products cannot be guaranteed. The location is not central for cruise passengers, one of whom found it a bit remote from the ship. Transport is not part of the package and must be arranged separately, though the hosts offer to help if contacted.

Common Questions