Maria Conte Programs

“My son and I took Greek cooking classes with Maria Conte. My husband is Greek, therefore my son gave me some gift certificates to be applied to cooking instruction with Maria as he had already taken a few classes with her in company of his girlfriend. I am not a great cook myself, but learning how to make stuffed vine leaves, spanakopita, tzatziki and baklava was an absolute extraordinary experience that increased my self-confidence in the kitchen. Thank you Maria for your gracious assistance!”

I make a work-related trip to Italy every other year. When I came home from the 2017 trip I vowed to learn Italian, so I signed up for the Brookline Adult Ed class and Maria was my teacher. After I completed all the courses offered there, I continued to study with Maria, joining one of her small groups of students. Our Monday nights are filled with fun and learning. Talking about what we did last week, our plans for the next, this disparate group has gotten to know each other and care about each other—in the here and now. And all while learning Italian. Though it may be hard to get myself out of the house in the cold and dark now that it’s winter, I am always glad to be met by Maria’s warmth and upbeat approach. And, during this 2019 trip to Italy, I could read all the advertisements and signs, make myself understood, and even eavesdrop a bit. Thank you, Maria!

 Judy Fox

November 2019

“Io parlo italiano! And you can, too. Maria is an excellent teacher, a native speaker of Italian with an abiding love of language and learning. Each course we take is structured differently. She brings in little props and plays games, and corrects our pronunciation with a smile. Her cultural activities and events are engaging and tremendous fun! Maria always challenges us to do our best, but friendship and laughter are really at the heart of the course. Mi piace imparare l’italiano con Maria–you will like learning Italian with her, too!”