What to Buy for an Italian Cooking Workshop

A successful Italian cooking workshop needs more than ingredients. You also need enough knives, boards, pans, serving ware, and chilled drinks for every participant to work comfortably. Shop for fresh ingredients close to the workshop, while buying non-perishable supplies earlier. Keep dietary products clearly separated and prepare portions before guests arrive so the first recipe can start on time.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Work tablesqty 6
Dining tablesqty 3
Chairsqty 30
Tableclothsqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 12
Chef's knivesqty 12
Paring knivesqty 12
Mixing bowlsqty 12
Measuring cupsqty 6
Measuring spoonsqty 6
Wooden spoonsqty 12
Spatulasqty 12
Pansqty 12
Frying pansqty 6
Baking dishesqty 6
Colandersqty 6
Vegetable peelersqty 6
Garlic pressqty 6
Graterqty 6

Equipment

Hot platesqty 6
Immersion blendersqty 3
Coolersqty 3
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 30
Dessert platesqty 30
Soup bowlsqty 30
Water glassesqty 30
Wine glassesqty 30
Cutlery setsqty 30
Serving bowlsqty 12
Serving spoonsqty 12

Cleaning

Washing-up tubsqty 3
Spongesqty 12
Tea towelsqty 24
Cleaning glovesqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Ciabatta - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilogram
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Arugula - 6 bags
- Basil - 12 bunches
- Parsley - 6 bunches
- Garlic - 12 bulbs
- Red onions - 2 kilograms
- Yellow onions - 2 kilogram
- Zucchini - 12 pieces
- Eggplants - 8 pieces
- Bell peppers - 12 pieces
- Spinach - 2 kilograms
- Lemons - 20 pieces
- Limes - 12 pieces
- Mushrooms - 2 kilogram
- Avocados - 12 pieces
- Pine nuts - 500 grams
- Parmesan cheese - 1.5 kilograms
- Mozzarella - 2 kilograms
- Ricotta - 1 kilogram
- Mascarpone - 2 kilogram
- Eggs - 36 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilogram
- Cooking cream - 3 liters
- Whipped cream - 2 liters
- Whole milk - 3 liters
- Flour - 3 kilograms
- Wheat flour - 2 kilogram
- Dried pasta - 3 kilograms
- Lasagna sheets - 1.5 kilogram
- Risotto rice - 2 kilograms
- Breadcrumbs - 500 grams
- Diced tomatoes - 12 cans
- Tomato paste - 6 tubes
- Passata - 6 bottles
- Vegetable bouillon - 24 cubes
- Balsamic vinegar - 2 bottles
- Red wine vinegar - 1 bottle
- Olive oil - 4 bottles
- Sunflower oil - 2 bottles
- Pesto - 6 jars
- Capers - 3 jars
- Green olives - 3 jars
- Black olives - 3 jars
- Sea salt - 1 kilogram
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Dried oregano - 3 jars
- Chili flakes - 2 jars
- Italian herbs - 3 jars
- Nutmeg - 1 jar
- Vanilla sugar - 6 sachets
- Cocoa powder - 500 gram
- Ladyfingers - 6 packs
- Granulated sugar - 2 kilograms
- Powdered sugar - 500 grams
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 6 bottles
- Sparkling water - 4 bottles
- Italian lemonade - 4 bottles
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Alcohol-free beer - 12 bottles
- Beer - 24 bottles
- Ice cubes - 6 bags
- Paper napkins - 4 packs
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 30 pieces
- Garbage bags - 30 pieces
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls

Tips

Plan one complete workstation for every small cooking group, including a cutting board, chef’s knife, mixing bowl, measuring tools, and wooden spoon. Add one spare knife and board for busy preparation stages.
Buy fresh ingredients no more than 24 hours before the workshop when possible, then chill them as soon as they arrive. Keep ingredients for each recipe together so portioning takes less time.
Allow at least one dinner plate, water glass, and cutlery set per participant, plus extra plates for tasting or serving. Provide dessert plates and soup bowls if the menu includes multiple courses.
Count cooking equipment by simultaneous recipe rather than by total guest count. Check that you have enough pans, frying pans, baking dishes, colanders, peelers, graters, and garlic presses for the groups working at the same time.
Chill drinks before participants arrive and separate dietary ingredients from the main supplies. Label them clearly and keep a printed recipe set at each workstation to avoid repeated questions during the workshop.

Frequently asked questions

How much equipment do I need per person for an Italian cooking workshop?: Plan one complete set of basic hand tools for each group rather than each person. For comfortable work, allow roughly one cutting board and one chef’s knife for every 2 to 3 participants, with extra tools for shared preparation.
When should I buy ingredients for an Italian cooking workshop?: Buy dry and non-perishable supplies several days ahead. Purchase fresh produce, dairy, meat, and other chilled ingredients within 24 hours of the workshop and refrigerate them immediately.
How many plates and glasses do I need for the workshop?: Prepare at least one dinner plate, water glass, and cutlery set per participant, then add 10% extra for breakage or last-minute attendees. Add dessert plates and soup bowls when those courses are on the menu.
What do I need to prepare before the participants arrive?: Finish shopping, chill drinks and fresh ingredients, portion the ingredients, and set up the workstations before opening the venue. Aim to have the room ready at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start.

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