At Casa Di Cilla

It was a truly wonderful and special experience, and I learned a lot. Thank you, Marco!

This was a wonderful experience. Marco was awesome. Took us to a fabulous market and decided what to cook. Then went back to his home where he did a fantastic job teaching us how to cook what we bought. I would highly recommend this class!!!!!

Marco is the best Chef!!! We had so much fun with him and learned so many new cooking skills. It was fantastic and we would absolutely recommend this cooking class. We cooked Arancina, then pasta alla norma, swordfish rolls and Cannoli. Ist was so tasty. Thank you Marco.

We have been going to Italy for 20 years, and even lives in Italy for a year, and Marco's class was simply the best of many that we have been to during that time frame. We made arracina, pasta alla norma, sword fish balls that were out of this world, and canolli. His english is fantastic, and sense of humor better. Wine was flowing, instructions superb, and he is so welcoming. We learned so much. Loved experience and the entire day.

Marco is generous with sharing his culinary secrets and I enjoyed the market tour. Watching him interact live with the vendors. He also asks for our preference instead of following a strict menu of dishes. Very flexible. Suggest you have a bit of breakfast as lunch is served at about 1400h

This experience was amazing! Marco was such a generous host and helpful teacher. We had a wonderful time at the market, cooking, eating, and of course drinking wine. I recommend this experience for anyone that wants an authentic experience and delicious meal. Marco’s house was also a nice temperature during the August heat and it was a very comfortable environment.

Marco was a great host and skilled chef. Together with my partner we had a great time cooking, drinking and laughing. The food was beautiful, flavourful and the soul wanted to sing. Amazing experience, highly recommended 😊🫶🏼

We met Chef Marco at Mercado del Capo where we talked about what we wanted to cook and eat. We watched as he bought our ingredients - fresh basil, eggplant, olives, parsley, strawberries and more. His cooking studio was a short walk from the market and our cooking class began in earnest. I am vegetarian and my husband is a carnivore, and this experience was extraordinary for both of us. Our lunch menu included fresh pasta, pesto, Sicilian caponata, eggplant rolls, veal, delicious wine, and a dessert made with strawberries and cream. We spent 3+ hours learning and cooking (and hope to replicate this meal at home) and then enjoyed a beautiful lunch in Chef Marco’s dining room. All of the flavors were outstanding, and Marco was a patient teacher, fantastic cook, and took the time to teach us some tricks of the trade. We highly recommend this cooking experience for anyone who likes to cook/eat.

We had a fantastic morning with Marco, who taught us a lot about Sicilian cuisine. The meal we cooked together was absolutely incredible!

We had an excellent time with At Casa Di Cilla. Marco was an amazing host and skilled chef. This was one of the best cooking classes we have ever taken. It was such an intimate experience with a very small group

Marco was amazing!!!! From the first moment we met him it was an absolute joy!! It felt like I was cooking with my family!!! From taking us through the market to cooking back at his house and eating, there was never a dull moment!! Would definitely recommend !

What a fantastic experience!! We met Marco at the open market and shopped for all the ingredients for lunch. We cooked at home and had a feast.. Pasta with peas & pesto, veal,and cappinato and a strawberry parfait. It was delicious and so much fun. Strongly recommend!

My sister and I had a wonderful time going to the Capo Market with Marco, then to his home and kitchen for an incredible time of learning, talking, sharing, and eating! This was truly an experience of a lifetime. Marco is an outstanding teacher, an amazing chef, and great storyteller. He is so warm, friendly, and engaging. If you want to learn authentic Sicilian cooking--and have fun, too--don't miss Marco's cooking class. This was definitely one of the highlights during our three week visit to Sicily. I can still taste the dishes we prepared! Thank you, Marco, for this opportunity to be with you and in your home.

We were a group of four friends. We loved the cooking experience with Marco. He immediately made us feel at home in his professional kitchen. It was as if we were at a dinner party with friends. It was a hands on class, and we learned so many amazing tips. We had a good bit of delicious wine (and beer for one of us). After cooking, we sat down in his dining room for our feast. The food was really delicious, and we really had a great time talking with Marco and sharing insights into our own culture and Sicilian culture. I can't recommend this experience enough. We have taken cooking classes while traveling in the past, and this was one of the best experiences. Please do it-you will be so glad that you did!

Be prepared to learn about Sicilian cooking from a knowledgeable chef and to make friends along the way. Laidback homey environment.

I can’t imagine a better cooking class! And in Sicily?! With Marco?! Book now. He’s so kind, he shares his skills and is a great teacher. We learned so much! This was such a highlight of our trip. I’m so thankful we booked this, we’d do it again! It’s intimate, it’s fun and it’s Sicilian cooking.. it’s perfect.

Marco was so much fun. A professional chef, he was very helpful with lots of tips to improve your culinary skills. The food we made was fabulous, very Sicilian and totally delicious. I would highly recommend this experience.

Not only is Marco a fabulous chef, he's extremely entertaining. Everything about the experience was fun. Buying ingredients at the market, preparing the meal while leaning cooking methods, and enjoying the meal was all delightful. Marco is a wonderful person, and we're glad we had the opportunity to get to know him.

My family of 4 (husband, myself and 2 teen sons (13 & 16) enjoyed preparing Sicilian classics to create a delicious feast with Marco! We were welcomed in his lovely home and got right to work. Marco explained step by step each dish. He was very encouraging of my sons with lots of humor. We prepared pasta dough and cannoli (cannolo) dough first. The pasta dough became tagliatelle for pasta Alla Norma. We made Sicilian swordfish rolls and the best eggplant caponata. Marco surprised us with artichokes and taught me the Sicilian way to stuff them! We finished with making the fresh ricotta cannoli stuffing for our homemade shells. Marco shared techniques and stories that taught us about Scilian culture. We enjoyed a special dinner at the end that not only filled our stomachs but our souls.

A must do experience. Marco was a alot of of fun-great personality, and excellent story teller. . He entertained us w his wit and knowledge of food. Don't miss this....

It was really good! Best cooking class we have had My wife and me with another couple first enjoyed Marco’s market tour. Then we were cooking Sicilian dishes that we asked for. Ravioli, caponata siciliana, stuffed artichokes, cassatelle siciliane… At the end we eat it all together. We enjoyed very good company with good vine in relaxing atmosphere It took from 10am until almost 4pm. Marvellous!

From shopping in the market to creative informative cooking in the kitchen to a delicious meal - great fun with Chef Marco. A not be missed Palermo experience.

I found Marco’s cooking class through my Airbnb. After reading his reviews, I decided to give it a go. My daughter and her boyfriend are chefs, and they were in Palermo with me. I was shocked at how much Marco taught not only me, but also my daughter and her boyfriend. We had a fabulous morning shopping at the Cappo market (where Marco is truly loved by everyone). We returned to his house to make swordfish rolls, pasta and fresh sauce, pannelle, artichoke fritters, stuffed artichokes, and caponata. Everything was out of this world delicious. We all had a great time laughing and learning. Highly recommend Marco and his class.

We had an excellent experience with Marco. Shopping in the market and the short walk to his home was entertaining and lively. We enjoyed the cooking session which he tailored to our food interests and my lactose intolerance. Highly recommend this experience!

We started our week long journey through Sicily at Marco’s house and what an amazing time we had. It was the highlight of the trip and after a week of trying cannoli everywhere they never stood a chance to our homemade ones! The tour is perfect with a drop in at the market and a great introduction to the local cuisine.

Fabulous and memorable day. Marco is a charming and knowledgeable host. We thoroughly enjoyed preparing and cooking all the food in his wonderfully relaxed home. We spent over 5 hours together and enjoyed every minute.

It was absolutely amazing experience. Marco is a fantastic person. I went with a group of friends and it was the best activity in Palermo. He speaks very good English, has an amazing sense of humour and cooks delicious food. Highly recommended.

We had the most fabulous cooking experience with Marco - who is so much fun and a great teacher. The shopping in Capo Market was an experience in itself with Marco knowing all the local sales people and explaining the produce we were to cook with. Marcos apartment is super close to the market and a lovely bright home to cook. My partner is an expert cook and I am a novice cook but Marco made is easy and super fun. We made ravioli, swordfish rolls aubergine rolls and canollo. All amazing !! All washed down with lovely Sicilian white and red wine. Thanks so much Marco !!

My wife Ann and I had an exceptional experience with Marco (of Casa Di Cilla) on our recent visit to Palermo. We met him at the entrance of one of the markets in Palermo where, after introductions, we decided on a menu and then went right to shopping for the ingredients. As we shopped, Marco taught us about the nuances of the various ingredients and how to pick the best items. Just visiting the different market stalls, from fish to vegetables to cheeses was just amazing. Along with that, we also learned about Palermo / Sicilian food culture. After we got our ingredients, we went to his apartment, a short ten minute walk away, where we started the lesson. His kitchen space was exceptionally clean and he guided us though the preparation of our three course meal. This was an absolute blast. It was like we knew each other for years. His attitude is genuine and you can tell he loves what he does and truly enjoys seeing his pupils (us) learn a few things. This is the real deal. After we prepared the food, probably two plus hours or so, we then had the meal in his dining room and chatted about life and family. He was very open about sharing his family experiences and we did the same of course. This was more like meeting an old friend and catching up on things (and learning a lot about Sicilian cuisine) in a familial atmosphere. This is a certainly must as the experience with Marco, is much more about learning how to cook a Sicilian meal, it is experiencing a fantastic tase of Sicilian Culture. Note this is a half day (four hours or so) from start to end BUT well worth it!!

We met Marco at the street market full of fresh seafood and vegetables. We talked about the menu and he took us to his favorite spots to buy each of the ingredients and then we walked back to his beautiful apartment. It was an amazing experience. I don't cook at all but he made it so fun and easy. Even my husband who is the cook at home learned a few things. We made four delicious dishes. Marco is a great teacher with a beautiful outgoing personality. This was definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Palermo.

We were very fortunate to have found such a great experience! We met Marco at the Capo Market where we discussed what we would like to cook then Marco took us to the stands that sold fish, vegetables and cheese. We then walked to Marco’s personal residence where he has a studio for his cooking class Marco made our experience fun and informative along with cooking some absolutely delicious food. This is a hands on experience and not a cooking demonstration! Be prepared to dig in and cook with a professional chef.

What a fantastic time we had with Marco. We went through the Capo Market together discussing the types of food we were interested in and selected the nicest looking produce and freshest fish for our culinary adventure. Marco was charming, funny, and a fantastic teacher throughout our time together. If you are looking for an amazing Sicilian cooking experience, you will want to book a date with Marco.

We had a wonderful time with Marco and with only 2 couples it was great conversation and very hands on cooking. The food was so fresh and delicious. I highly recommend!

The five hour cooking class with Marco was one of the highlights of our trip to Sicily and Italy. My wife and I learned so much but more than that, it was just so much fun. Besides being an accomplished chef, Marco has a wonderful personality and was the perfect host and teacher. He took us to the market where the locals shop and we bought the food that we would prepare in his kitchen. Caponata, Swordfish rolls, Veal rolls, Pasta alla Norma and Cannoli. It was an absolute blast and I would highly recommend it to anyone going to Palermo. You will come back with so many cooking tips. Thank you, Marco for such a wonderful time!

Chef Marco is extremely personable and so creative. He welcomed us into his apartment to cook with him and it was an absolute delight to spend time with him, old friends and new friends. He let our group of 10 choose the menu as we shopped in the market prior to cooking with Chef. This is THE cooking class to take in Palermo!!! Highly recommend!!!

I have taken part in cooking classes around the globe, but this was by far the best. Marco was charming, knowledgeable and friendly. I chose this class for my wife’s birthday as I wanted to do something special. I was not disappointed. We met at the local market to purchase our ingredients, which allowed us to meet the market vendors and sample a variety of treats and wares along the way. Our group was small and the space well equipped. We cooked four different dishes, plus a dessert and snacks. Everyone was encouraged to take part, but nobody was pushed to do something they felt uncomfortable doing. We felt like we were learning and laughing the whole time. Marco’s instructions were clear, everyone had a designated work space and his meals were planned and perfected. He ensured all dietary needs were accommodated and everyone was happy with the planned menu. Everyone took part in prepping and cooking, and I learned some new skills along the way. Marco was patient and kind. The wines were excellent and generous. When everything was finished we sat down together for a fantastic meal in Marcos beautifully appointed apartment. It was literally the best meal I ate in Palermo. If you are looking for an excellent cooking class, and are hoping to eat delicious food, have a laugh, learn about Palermo and spend a day with great people, then this is the class to take! Salute and bon appetit mi amici!

This cooking class was the highlight of our Palermo trip. Marco's hospitality was unmatched and the food was delicious and authentic. Everything was fun, from picking out the menu and exploring the market for a bit, to heading back to the kitchen and learning how to cook sicilian dishes... not to mention eating them ;) We made handmade tagliatelle with pesto, stuffed squid (my fave), and cannoli and cassatelle (my other fave) for dessert. Highly recommend this experience, worth every cent!

This was a fantastic experience from start to finish. My wife and I are experienced cooks, but this cooking class was tailored to all levels and everyone had a great time irrespective of experience. Marco communicated with us in advance using WhatsApp about the meeting point at the Capo market, even providing his live location, and we had no trouble connecting. There were 7 in our group, two of whom were vegetarians, and he asked each of us what we wanted to make, and was flexible enough to accommodate all reasonable requests that could fit within the time frame. We then tramped through the market as he selected ingredients, including giving us samplings of fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate juice and watermelon, and then headed to his apartment about a 10 minute walk away. He has a demonstration kitchen with workstations set up, and everyone contributed to all of the dishes, which in our case included vegetarian arancine, pasta alla Norma, squid stuffed with herbs, pine nuts and raisins, pasta with red shrimp and pistacchio, egglant rollatini, and cannoli. Everything was made from scratch with fresh ingredients and lots of little tips along the way, and a delicious Carricante wine was provided for us to drink as we cooked. Because of the complexity of our dishes, we spent nearly 4 hours cooking, so lunch (served in his dining room) didn't actually start until after 2 pm, but everything was delicious and worth waiting for. Marco is an exacting chef, but also very warm and kind, and he graciously took our inevitable minor mishaps or misunderstandings in stride with a cheerful cry of "Disaster!!", accompanied by a wink. When my wife asked where we could procure the kind of cannoli tubes we had used, he went into his own kitchen and came back with a bag of 6 for her to take away, gratis. I just can't say enough good things about this experience. We booked another cooking class in Catania later in our trip at about the same cost, and it was truly pitiful by comparison. I can guarantee you won't regret spending an afternoon with Marco at Casa di Cilla. Just do it!!

Marco was a great guy! Knowledgeable, funny and shared so many tips. The market was crowded, but he navigated it well with our group of 6.

Start off by saying that this was our favorite cooking class ever. Marco is clear and personable throughout the market and kitchen experience. He allowed us to select what we were to make based on our desires. The market is a wonder, with different ingredients around every corner. He gave suggestions as how to pick the freshest and best ingredients and which to avoid. His interaction with the vendors was something to behold. His apartment is set up to keep everyone involved in every step of the process. We cooked so many dishes, and they were all great. We have taken many cooking classes in our travels, four of which have been in Italy. This was clearly the best. Thank you so much Marco, this was the best part of our vacation.

Chef Marco was an entertaining teacher. Chef Marco is personable, warm and knowledgeable. He started by giving tips about the market, the food and the people as he picked the ingredients for our menu. He interacted with each of us on a personal level, sharing his experience and his knowledge. His home was the oerfect setting for the class. It was spacious snd well appointed. He explained each step of the cooking process, and he ensured that everyone got equal attention. The food we prepared under his close guidance was delicious and we all felt good about our accomplishment. I will recommend his class to all my friends. In fact, I have slready done so. What a great way to learn Sicilian cooking! I would do it again!

What an incredible day my husband, daughter and I had with Chef Marco! We met him at Capo market, determined the menu together on the spot and then shopped for the ingredients. We walked back to his spacious apartment and started cooking! Our final meal included: pappardelle pasta with pesto and tomatoes, swordfish pie, caponata and chocolate chip cannolis - all from scratch of course :) The final meal was incredible, one I'll dream about for years. Chef Marco has a great sense of humor and was eager to share his passion of cooking with us, we had so much fun! This was definitely a highlight of our 10-day visit to beautiful Sicily!

Thouroughly enjoyed the day with Marco. A gracious chef, host and tutor. After shopping in the market we were able to cook 3 beautiful dishes. Marco was generous with teaching us his cooking techniques. After preparing the food we enjoyed it together in his dining room where everything was presented beautifully. Marco is a lovely and humourous host. I was so pleased to share this experience with my daughter and highly recommend.

Excellent cooking experience! We had s lot of fun, learned something, enjoyed the market visit, the cooking, the food and most of all the very friendly way of our chef Marco and really felt it was a perfect experience!

Our cooking class with Marco at Casa di Cilla was absolutely the highlight of our week in Sicily. We began the day at Palermo’s vibrant Capo market, where Marco expertly guided us through the colorful stalls like a local, selecting the freshest ingredients for our menu. Back at Marco’s immaculate and charming kitchen just minutes from the market, we rolled up our sleeves and got hands‑on. Under his expert, patient, and humorous instruction, we made swordfish rolls with a North African‑inspired touch (mint, raisins, citrus) as well as pistachio pesto ravioli—with fresh pasta from scratch—and a deeply flavorful aubergine caponata. For dessert, we prepared cassatelle—sweet fried ricotta‑filled pastries typical of western Sicily—a perfect finish to the meal. Marco made the kitchen feel welcoming, like cooking with a friend. He made the class both fun and informative, and deeply authentic. It was the best food we ate in Sicily, also! If you’re looking for an immersive, delicious, and culturally rich culinary experience in Palermo, this class with Chef Marco at Casa di Cilla is not to be missed.

This experience made my son Joe’s holiday in Sicily. He is 19 years old and has just finished his third year at catering college. I can’t thank Marco enough for the wonderful life long memory he has given to Joe. Everything was organised very well, from booking to communication and meeting up. I was a bit apprehensive as Joe was in a city and travelled from our hotel alone as we had chosen a sailing experience but Marco answered Joe’s messages and ensured he got to the right place. When Joe came back from the cookery class he was ecstatic and we loved hearing all about his day. From shopping for the food at the local markets to cooking in Marco’s beautiful Sicilian kitchen and then enjoying the fruits of his labour at Marco’s dining table with wine and the other guests. It was just wonderful. Marco is an extremely knowledgeable cook and supported Joe really well. They made tapenade, cacio e pepe, pasta vongole, swordfish and cannoli. Marco was aided in the kitchen by Michael who Joe said was really friendly and helpful. Thank you for giving my son a truly memorable experience- I wish I’d done it myself now!

Marco was the best host/chef. He made cooking fun and exciting. One of the highlights of our trip! Would not hesitate to book this class during your stay.

Wow, what an incredible experience! Marco is an absolute joy and incredible Chef. We had such a great time with every aspect of the experience - the market tour, the cooking, and the meal. The food was delicious and our favorite meal in Palermo. Looking forward to another visit with Casa Di Cilla and Marco on my next trip to Sicily!

A wonderful day spent with Marco and other like minded travellers cooking a menu of traditional Sicilian dishes. We had the most wonderful time.