Cooking classes offer more than just recipes; they’re a gateway to understanding the local traditions, lifestyles, and stories. Whether steaming dishes with volcanic heat in Japan or folding samosas in a Cape Town kitchen, these hands-on experiences with expert local guides reveal the essence of each destination – in the most delicious way possible.
Here are nine of our tastiest cooking class experiences to inspire your next trip.
Warm Up With ‘Hell Steam’ Cuisine in Japan
Steam rises from the pavements in Beppu, a hot spring town deep in the mountains of Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. The town is best known for bathing, but on one of our Japan trips, you could enjoy the steam in an entirely different way – in the kitchen.
Your guide will share all about jigoku mushi – ‘hell steam’ cooking – a centuries-old method, popular since the Edo period and unique to this part of Japan. Learn how to steam everything from vegetables and meat to pizza and pudding in a special jigoku kettle. No fire, no oil, no spices, no extras – just the mineral-rich steam from the earth cooking your meal to perfection.
Adventure to book: Japan Adventure: Kyushu & Shikoku trip
Perfect Pizza on the Amalfi Coast
Roll up your sleeves and get your hands floury, making pizza on the Amalfi Coast. Feeling inspired after seeing how Agerola mozzarella is made earlier in the day (and getting to sample it), you’ll experiment with this region-famous ingredient, whipping up a pizza with the family, just as generations of Amalfi families have done before. You’ll learn recipes passed down through the heart – not on paper – and sit down to feast on your labour. The kids will never be so eager to join you in the kitchen!
Adventure to book: Amalfi Coast Family Adventure
Cook Cape Malay Style in South Africa
South Africa is known as the rainbow nation for good reason – and that doesn’t stop at its dazzling diversity of cultures. In Cape Town, Cape Malay food is just one of the cuisines you can try – celebrated for its fruity, mild, and full-bodied flavours. And there’s no better place to taste this than in Bo-Kaap, with its steep cobblestone streets and pastel-coloured houses.
Your tour leader will share the history of this special area as you stroll to a local home. Here, you’ll learn the secrets of Cape Malay cooking directly from your host. Attempt folding samosas, then relax and enjoy them fresh from the oven.
Adventure to book: Highlights of South Africa’s Winelands
Master Pasta and Tiramisu in Tuscany
Discover the culture, food, and wine of Tuscany as you roll into the medieval town of Castellina in Chianti. Visitors often leave Tuscany a pound or two heavier – and you’ll discover why when you don an apron to master pasta and tiramisu, the real Tuscan way.
Make fresh pasta from scratch and craft a proper tiramisu at a family-run wine estate. As your host family shares the stories behind each dish, you’ll leave with more than just an understanding of why tiramisu is so moreish.
Adventure to book: Discover Tuscany: Culture, Food and Wine
Cook Cannoli and Arancini in Sicily
A grand Sicily food adventure isn’t complete without cannoli. Perched high in western Sicily, the hilltop town of Erice offers cooler air, cobbled streets, and flavours layered with history. Arab, Norman, Spanish – learn how each wave of influence helped shape the island’s cuisine from your local guide.
In a cooking class with a local chef, whip up two of Sicily’s beloved dishes: crisp, creamy cannoli and golden saffron arancini.
Adventure to book: Sicily Food and Wine
Watch Pakora Made in a Rajasthani Palace
It’s not often you’d get to stay in a Maharaja’s palace – or watch street food being cooked within.
Suroth Mahal, a 600-year-old palace in Hindaun, northern India, was once home to Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal. Today it’s your base – and your chance to taste traditional Rajasthani cooking.
Watch (and take notes) as a local chef demonstrates pakora-making – a deep-fried snack served hot at festivals, weddings, or with afternoon chai.
Adventure to book: India’s Golden Triangle
Prepare Turkish Meze in Sirince
Tucked into the hills outside Ephesus is the charming Turkish village of Sirince. Here, in a restaurant run by local women, owner Mrs Mujde or one of her daughters will guide you through preparing classic Turkish meze, a clay-pot stew of seasonal vegetables, and a Sirince-style semolina dessert with pine nuts and ice cream. As your guide translates, discover the village stories behind every ingredient and dish – traditions passed between mothers and daughters over generations.
Adventure to book: Essential Turkey
Bake Bread in Morocco’s Blue City
Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue-washed mountain city, is famous for more than just its photogenic streets. Begin your culinary journey at the ferran – the communal oven still used daily by local families.
Your local guide will lead you to Café Clock, a community hub preserving Moroccan oral traditions and culinary skills. Under expert guidance, you’ll knead, shape, and bake traditional Moroccan breads. Then, savour them fresh from the oven with homemade jam, fresh butter, olive oil, and refreshing mint tea.
Adventure to book: Discover North Morocco & Chefchaouen
Cook Vegetarian Curry in Sri Lanka
On a village tour of Habarana, after walking through paddy fields and gardens, you’ll arrive at a family home.
Help prepare vegetarian curries and steamed rice, learning traditional cooking techniques. Later, participate in an alms-giving ceremony at a nearby Buddhist temple, where your cooked meal is shared between your group, the monks, and the local family. Your guide explains the significance of each special ritual.
Adventure to book: Wonders & Wildlife of Sri Lanka – Premium Adventure
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