Cook the Farm

Engage with food, land, and community through hands-on, place-based experiences.

FOUNDED IN 2016

Ten years in Sicily

109 students. One estate. A way of learning that has grown into something much larger.

EVER GROWING

Now in Sardinia, Scotland, Portugal

The same depth of immersion, rooted in new landscapes and communities.

PLACES FILL QUICKLY

Small cohorts every program

Intentionally small, every edition is designed for a group of only twelve to fifteen.

The Anna Tasca Lanza Foundation is a California-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving culinary heritage, supporting sustainable food systems, and fostering cross-cultural understanding through immersive education. Building on the legacy of the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School, founded in Sicily in 1989, the Foundation supports immersive programs like Cook the Farm that connect people to food, place, and community.
Cook the Farm (CTF), a series of immersive place-based learning program organized by the ATL Foundation, is rooted in food, land, and community. In each program, CTF brings together farmers, artisans, scholars, and cultural experts across Sicily, Scotland, Sardinia, Portugal, and beyond. CTF programs offer participants a transformative way of understanding of where food comes from and why that matters.

WHERE WE GO

Sicily

Sardinia

Scotland

Portugal

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“I knew it would be a great experience, but it really surpassed my expectations beyond belief. It’s incredible how much I learned from producers, farms, ingredients, and histories.”

L.N., CTF 2023

“I travel about 8 months of the year since I retired. Been to 120 countries and seven continents and I would say CTF was probably my best overall travel experience ever. So well thought out, executed. Just a once in a lifetime experience.”

J.E., CTF 2025
“This experience was one of a kind and changed my life and everything to come. I am so grateful to have been a part of this and I thank ATL immensely for building something so special.”

K.J., CTF 2025
“I came into the program with as little expectations as possible to help achieve the raw process of learning what I need to learn at any given time. I feel as if I met so many wonderful, passionate people in the vast array of food culture (both the students, and staff/lecturers), and have been able to learn a lot from the experience.”

M.H., CTF 2023
“We have been to amazing places and it has been a privilege to enjoy all these contacts that CTF has made over the years.”

S.B., CTF 2023
“You and your amazing presenters provided eye opening information and out in the field experiences that brought home the labour of love that goes into the production of produce I took for granted.“

G.S., CTF 2023
“I appreciated… that there were mostly Sicilian/Italian experts and teachers. I came to Sicily to hear Sicilian people’s stories. It was great to hear them in Italian with translation."

L.W., CTF 2024
"The beautiful countryside and nature, the slow life in Valledolmo, its warm and welcoming people, getting to know Sicily and its culture, the amazing lunches (miss them already so much), the inspiring people and unique experiences.”

L.M., CTF 2022
“I had no idea how much of Sicily we would get to experience. I knew it would be a lot, but I feel like I've seen so much of it and that we covered SO MUCH in 6 weeks. It's bonkers.”

M.H., CTF 2022
“I now have an appreciation for food production and choices I make in how I cultivate, procure, prepare and consume foods beyond what I anticipated.”

L.G., CTF 2024
“It’s obvious that everyone involved with the program put their heart and soul into it. Knowing that you were excited and believed in what you were teaching us made my experience richer.“

J.G., CTF 2024

THE ANNA TASCA LANZA FOUNDATION

Meaning behind the work

Cook the Farm is a program of the Anna Tasca Lanza Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving culinary heritage, supporting sustainable food systems, and keeping knowledge alive.

About the Foundation

FIND US @COOK.THE.FARM

Engage with food, land, and community through hands-on, place-based experiences.

Ten years in Sicily

109 students. One estate. A way of learning that has grown into something much larger.

Now in Sardinia, Scotland, Portugal

The same depth of immersion, rooted in new landscapes and communities.

Small cohorts every program

Intentionally small, every edition is designed for a group of only twelve to fifteen.

“I knew it would be a great experience, but it really surpassed my expectations beyond belief. It’s incredible how much I learned from producers, farms, ingredients, and histories.”

“I travel about 8 months of the year since I retired. Been to 120 countries and seven continents and I would say CTF was probably my best overall travel experience ever. So well thought out, executed. Just a once in a lifetime experience.”

“This experience was one of a kind and changed my life and everything to come. I am so grateful to have been a part of this and I thank ATL immensely for building something so special.”

“We have been to amazing places and it has been a privilege to enjoy all these contacts that CTF has made over the years.”

“You and your amazing presenters provided eye opening information and out in the field experiences that brought home the labour of love that goes into the production of produce I took for granted.“

“I appreciated… that there were mostly Sicilian/Italian experts and teachers. I came to Sicily to hear Sicilian people’s stories. It was great to hear them in Italian with translation."

"The beautiful countryside and nature, the slow life in Valledolmo, its warm and welcoming people, getting to know Sicily and its culture, the amazing lunches (miss them already so much), the inspiring people and unique experiences.”

“I had no idea how much of Sicily we would get to experience. I knew it would be a lot, but I feel like I've seen so much of it and that we covered SO MUCH in 6 weeks. It's bonkers.”

“I now have an appreciation for food production and choices I make in how I cultivate, procure, prepare and consume foods beyond what I anticipated.”

“It’s obvious that everyone involved with the program put their heart and soul into it. Knowing that you were excited and believed in what you were teaching us made my experience richer.“

Meaning behind the work

Cook the Farm is a program of the Anna Tasca Lanza Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving culinary heritage, supporting sustainable food systems, and keeping knowledge alive.