Panettone Courses and Private Lessons
Panettone Courses and Private Lessons:
The fastest two ways to improve your panettone baking especially for home bakers is by signing up for a course or better yet taking 1:1 lessons with a panettone baker. The amount of information you will learn in a couple of hours equals months or years of individual learning.
The advantage of 1:1 lessons is having someone you can ask lots of questions that specifically relate to your panettone baking needs and goals. If you are learning on your own, it can take months if not years to find answers since a lot of panettone knowledge is carefully guarded by professional panettone bakers.
The biggest hurdle to taking courses or doing lessons is of course the price-tag. I do think that if you have the money it is an investment worth making. I would prioritize investing in educational resources over specialty equipment.
Full disclaimer: I haven’t taken any of these courses myself. I know some of these bakers personally and feel comfortable recommending them as I admire their work as both bakers and teachers. Additionally, I’ve had many meaningful conversations with almost all of these bakers and each one has their own perspective and unique teaching style. I encourage you to review the courses carefully and speak to the instructors to help you figure out one that best aligns with your panettone learning goals.
Online Courses:
Panettone for Beginners Course from Natasha’s Baking (English)
Panettone Advanced Course from Natasha’s Baking (English)
Claudio Perrando’s Panettone Course (it looks like his website is down but definitely DM him on Instagram with questions if you are seriously interested, they are probably doing maintenance on the website) (English, German, Spanish, and Italian)
Alessandro Petito and his famous IL MILLE BOLLE formula and process. The online course is on sale for $190 from its original price of $649! (Videos are both in English and Italian) I am not sure if the written materials are in English.
1:1 Lessons:
Cooking_Numa just announced spots for this Fall! DM him directly to book a spot. He is a wonderful teacher. (English/Italian)
Mirko Iannarelli teaches 1:1 lessons. You will receive a large handout with formulas, process breakdown, and advice for baking delicious panettone. DM Mirko to sign up. (English/Italian)
Alberto Bernardi has limited availability for 1:1 lessons, DM him directly with inquiries. He teaches a lot of workshops across the world, I encourage you to check out his instagram for upcoming workshops. (English/Italian)
Massimiliano Liberatore offers 1:1 lessons. Email him at aquihaybuenpan@gmail.com with inquiries. (Spanish/Italian/English). Massimiliano is an Italian baker based in Barcelona, Spain.
Emma Ruggieri offers both courses and consultations. Email her Lapergamena.gioco@virgilio.it. I believe it is only available in Italian. Don’t quote me on that.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT MY WORK:
If you would like to support my work by helping me buy ingredients for recipe testing and content development, I created a Buy Me A Coffee page, you can also of course become a paid subscriber. Thank you!
Local Bread Baker’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Scammed by Pastry Chef Mirko Iannarelli — No Class, No Refund
I paid €850 for a pastry class in Italy. The chef canceled and promised a refund — but ghosted me instead.
I booked an in-person class with pastry chef Mirko Iannarelli (who promotes classes on Instagram). He required full prepayment through PayPal — but specifically requested that I pay using the “Friends and Family” option. I trusted him and complied. That was my first mistake.
A few days before the class in Italy, Mirko canceled last minute, citing family issues. He apologized and promised to refund me the €850. He even followed up via text to confirm he would reimburse me in May. When May passed with no refund, he sent a PDF and a video “gift” — the video didn’t even work. Then he stopped replying entirely.
I contacted him multiple times in June, through WhatsApp and Instagram, but got no response. PayPal could not help because the transaction was made under “Friends and Family,” which offers no buyer protection. Instagram and WhatsApp were equally useless.
I’ve saved all of our text messages, which clearly show him:
• Acknowledging the cancellation
• Promising to refund the full amount
• Failing to follow through
To this day, I’ve received no refund, no explanation, and no apology. He has completely ghosted me.
Let my experience be your warning:
• Never pay using “Friends and Family” for a business transaction
• Always ask for a cancellation policy in writing
• Save every receipt and message
There are plenty of honest pastry chefs out there (Francesco De Salvo, Amaury Guichon, and Michel Ernots come to mind). But this wasn’t just bad service — it was outright dishonesty.