Cook the Farm

Immerse Yourself in Food, Place, and Community

WHEN

November 2 – 12, 2025

PRICE

per person

Single Occupancy Room: €6,650

Double Occupancy Room: €5,600

(all taxes and fees included)

What’s Included

Classes, Stay and Lunch

Lodging for 10 nights (single or double occupancy): 7 nights at Domu Antiga, a guesthouse in Gergei, and 3 nights at Su Barchile, a family-run hotel in Orosei
3 meals a day
Guided workshops, excursions, site visits, and translation of all experiences
Expert leaders in culture, crafts, and food production
Group discussions and feedback sessions

Transportation

Initial pick up and final drop off at select times from Cagliari airport or Cagliari train station

What’s Not Included

Air travel to and from Sardinia
Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Extra beverages or personal shopping

Welcome to Sardinia

Your chance to shape and co-create a Cook the Farm program.

Join us on our first-ever Cook the Farm trip beyond Sicily! This 10-day immersive research trip to the other Italian island explores the food landscapes of rural Sardinia. Want to help shape the future of Cook the Farm? Here’s your chance to get on board from the ground up. Our pilot program will take you to the core of Sardinia to listen, learn, and participate in unique food experiences. In collaboration with Sinnos Formaggi, a rural micro creamery in Gergei, we will take a deep dive into the pastoral history of Sardinia.

Rooted in the Cook the Farm approach, we will spend time in the fields, kitchens, and workshops of the people who continue to live by the rhythms of the land. Throughout this 10-day adventure, you’ll learn to make cheeses and pastas by hand, forage wild greens, share meals with shepherds, and engage in deep conversations with producers whose knowledge is woven into the island’s soil.

Ready to join us?
Start by sharing a bit about yourself.

This pilot is intimate and intentionally limited in size. We welcome those with big questions, good energy, and a willingness to engage fully in the fields, in the kitchen, and in conversation.

Meals

All meals are included and most are shared moments for discussions and feedback. There will be some included but independent dinners.

Language

English/Italian
(Course material in English. Translation provided for Italian lecturers/experiences)

Contact info

email:

cookthefarm@annatascalanza.com

Number of students

Maximum 12

Suggested Program

All activities and presenters are subject to change without notice, and dates of events may be shuffled to suit guest presenter and/or producer needs. The program below is an idea of themes, activities, and topics that will be covered. There will be facilitated discussions and group activities not outlined.

Day 1: Welcome to Gergei

Sunday, November 2
We’ll meet you in the afternoon in Cagliari and head to our base in the quiet village of Gergei. After settling in at Domu Antiga and the surrounding guesthouses, we’ll come together for introductions and share our first dinner together.

Day 2: Introduction to Sardinian Pastoral Life

Monday, November 3
We will start with a deep dive into Sardinia’s landscape, history, and pastoral heritage. In the afternoon, we will visit a sheep farm to learn about milking animals so we can have fresh milk for tomorrow morning’s cheesemaking.

Day 3: Cheesemaking: Pecorino Cheese and Ricotta

Tuesday, November 4
In tandem with Samuel at Sinnos Formaggi, we will spend the day in the creamery transforming milk into pecorino cheese and ricotta. Hands-on and theoretical lesson about making cheese followed by a tasting of all eight different cheeses that they make in-house.

Day 4: Pasta Making and Visit to an Artisan’s Workshop

Wednesday, November 5
We will spend the morning cooking with a focus on semolina and the heritage wheats that define Sardinian cuisine. Together we will learn to make traditional pasta shapes like culurgiones and lorighittas and prepare the island’s infamous dessert: the seada. In the afternoon, we will visit the workshop of the last remaining copper blacksmith on the island, and you will get to try your hand at making a sheep bell.

Day 5: Out in the Field

Thursday, November 6
We will spend the full day in the field learning from a local shepherd and his herd of sheep. Using the land as our outdoor classroom, we will discuss the link between pasture-raised animals, land health, and product quality. Lunch will be a rustic barbecue at the shepherd’s house.

Day 6: Wines of Sardinia

Friday, November 7
We head to a local winery for a visit to understand the island’s native varietals and wine-making techniques. We’ll explore the vineyards, discuss fermentation in winemaking, and enjoy a slow lunch with a wine tasting. Back in Gergei, we’ll gather for an informal aperitivo and group conversation to reflect on the week and share insights on our experience.

Day 7: Last Day in Gergei

Saturday, November 8
We will spend the morning foraging for wild edibles in a nearby nature reserve with a local guide. In the afternoon, we will gather for our final cooking class to prepare Sardinian specialities for our last celebratory dinner in Gergei.

Day 8: Visiting Ancient Nuraghe

Sunday, November 9
We say goodbye to Gergei and head toward the northeast coast. On the road, we stop and visit the Nuraghe of Barumini, one of the most iconic of the 7,000 archaeological sites from the Bronze Age scattered all over the island. One more stop for lunch before we descend to the coastal town of Orosei. We will settle into our accommodations and take an evening walk to discover the town where we’ll be for the remainder of our trip.

Day 9: Pane Carasau – Sardinian Music Bread

Monday, November 10
The day is dedicated to the most iconic bread of Sardinia, pane carasau. This twice baked crispy flat bread, endearingly known as music bread for the sound it makes when you break it, is on every table across the island. Today we will observe and participate in its preparation.

Day 10: Filindeu

Tuesday, November 11
On our final full day together we will get to see the making of filindeu, the world’s most intricate pasta, still made by only a handful of families in the region. Not only will we get to see it being made, we will also get to taste it at lunch served in a traditional mutton broth. In the afternoon, we will visit a local olive mill to see the pressing of the olives as it is the season of the harvest!

Day 11: Departure

Wednesday November 12
After breakfast, we depart Orosei and transfer to Cagliari airport or train station to say our goodbyes.

Participants

This is a participatory research trip for those who believe that food is more than a product. It’s for those who want to explore how food systems are shaped, and who understand that the act of eating is also an act of listening, learning, and stewardship. Cook the Farm is right for you if you are one of the following:

Curious cooks, food lovers, and researchers drawn to food as culture and connection
People eager to help shape a new Cook the Farm experience
Those seeking more than a vacation—something participatory, thoughtful, and rooted in place
Storytellers, chefs, farmers, and food professionals ready to explore new landscapes
Anyone who believes that the best way to learn is to listen, taste, and engage directly with the land

We are seeking curious, open-minded, and adventurous individuals to join us for this exclusive pilot program. It will be a foundational journey to inform the development of future Cook the Farm offerings in Sardinia. As a participant, you won’t just observe; you’ll contribute. Your reflections and feedback will help shape how we tell this story going forward.

Where You’ll Stay

During Cook the Farm Sardinia, we will spend 7 nights in the pastoral village of Gergei in southern Sardinia before venturing northeast to spend 3 nights in the coastal town of Orosei. Accommodations during the program are simple, comfortable, and locally run. Rooms can be single or double occupancy (limited). All locations are chosen for their connection to the local community, accessibility, and hospitality.

Gergei

Welcome to Gergei, a charming rural village in southern Sardinia, surrounded by plains and rolling hills. You will be staying in restored traditional houses or small agriturismi—quiet, family-operated places that reflect the rhythms of rural life. Our hosts Samuel and Emanuela, will guide us during our week in Gergei as they are also the owners of the town’s creamery Sinnos Formaggi. We will share all meals together at Domu Antiga, but the housing is all within walking distance in the village. If you are not housed at Domu Antiga there is the possibility your accommodation will be in the nearby guesthouses Mario Cesare or Mola&Prentza.

Orosei

Orosei is a small town on the north eastern coast known for its proximity to some of the island’s most beautiful beaches. However, it is often overlooked for its vibrant network of food producers and artisans who carry on the region’s rich cultural heritage. During your stay in Orosei, you will be hosted at Su Barchile, a modest family-run hotel situated in the heart of the historic center. Our hosts Maria and Antonella run the hotel restaurant that will provide our breakfasts and home-cooked meals. Orosei, bigger than Gergei, has some local bars and stores to choose from and explore in the evenings.