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.
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.