There's a Venice you can't see from the shores, but it's revealed only by crossing the threshold of the right homes. It's here, in the bohemian heart of Giudecca Island, that Venetian Table comes to life, a project of cooking, culture, and conviviality classes created by Lisa Esclapon de Villeneuve and Patrizia Lombardi.
Lisa and Patrizia’s dream: diplomacy, gemology, and historic recipes
What made Lisa fall in love were the four windows overlooking a cinematic view: the Giudecca Canal reflecting the majesty of the Church of the Gesuati. After purchasing it, this charming 17th-century residence became the perfect setting for the dream she and Patrizia shared.
Friends since high school, Florentines but Giudecca residents by adoption, the two founders blend cosmopolitan backgrounds: Lisa, with a background in international diplomacy and fluency in five languages, and Patrizia, passionate about gemology with the refined touch of a pastry chef.
On Giudecca we discovered a hidden and authentic Venice, and with Venetian Table we want to share it with our guests through the art of conviviality.
(Lisa and Patrizia)
An aristocratic legacy: the Giudecca of the Academies
We are located just steps from the Palanca stop, in one of the oldest and most aristocratic areas of the island. It was here, in the 17th century, that the Accademia dei Nobili stood, where young patricians were educated amidst sumptuous palaces, vineyards, and secret gardens.
Today, The Venetian Table revives that legacy, transforming culinary art into the preferred means of understanding the most authentic and creative Venice, of which Lisa and Patrizia are the cultured guardians.
Tailored experiences: shops, ateliers, and Pasta Therapy
Lisa and Patrizia’s classes aren’t just courses, but sensory journeys. Each class, upon request, can begin with a stroll around Giudecca Island to select ingredients from local shops or visit the ateliers that make Giudecca one of the coolest art districts on the planet (walks Lisa will be happy to customize).
Like OCI Venezia, an artisan designer who creates stunning handmade shoes and bags inspired by Venetian architectural patterns, or the Fortuny showroom, where you can purchase the world’s most beautiful home textiles, still Made in Venice. These are “secret” and exclusive addresses that Lisa can open to her guests.
The highlight of the courses is Pasta Therapy, the only “colorful” course in Venice: guests can create fresh pasta by choosing their favorite hues extracted from natural pigments, such as the purple of potatoes, the yellow of turmeric, or the intense green of spinach.
Other courses explore the secrets of the perfect Tiramisù, including vegan Venetian recipes, and a fascinating module dedicated to the Baroque Style—where menus and table settings reflect the historic splendor of the Serenissima, and each lesson is a dive into Venetian history.
The pleasure of a convivial table
After the preparation, the ritual moves to the large convivial table. Here, Lisa and Patrizia exchange stories about the surrounding palazzos and the secrets of local producers, while they enjoy what they’ve prepared together.
The finale is never a simple “tasting” but a true Venetian feast: the pleasure of having created something with your own hands, pampered by a hospitality that is, above all, a life mission.
Venetian Table is the only cooking school on Giudecca that represents, first and foremost, a cultural journey through the most fascinating part of Venice.
The Secret
In the 19th century, Giudecca shed its secret garden guise, becoming the industrial heart of a Venice that, amid the red bricks of the Stucky Mill and Fortuny’s exquisite looms, discovered the allure of modernity. It is precisely in some of these abandoned factories that international artisans and artists now work.
Useful Info
Venetian Table
Giudecca
30133 Venezia
Tel. +39 041 8306177
info@venetiantable.it
Classes start at €220, customizable.
Cooking classes are held in English or Italian and can accommodate a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6/8 people. Classes last approximately 3 hours, followed by a tasting. Classes are held daily in two time slots: 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00.
