South Africa · COOKING CLASSES
Every trip has one free day too few. These 8 cooking classes justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Join Faldela and her family in their Bo-Kaap home for a 150-minute Cape Malay cooking class. Prepare dishes such as curry, rotis, samosas, salad, and dessert, learn how spices shape the cuisine, then sit down to eat with soft drinks. English instruction, ingredients, and equipment are included.
“It was a nice experience. I would like to get the recipes of the dishes we made...”
At Pahari African Restaurant in Salt River, Caleb and Florence guide you through traditional dishes, African food history, drinks, snacks, and a communal meal. You will help prepare Sadza, stews, vegetables, chakalaka, and sugar beans, with vegetarian and vegan choices available.
“Great experience!! So friendly and amazing food - highly recommend for authentic South African culinary class.”
Join a local host in Bo-Kaap for a two-hour Cape Malay cooking class. Prepare dishes such as samosas, chilli bites, flatbread, and curry, then sit down for the meal with soft drinks and a conversation about family, food, and local traditions.
“We really enjoyed our cooking class! The food was very tasty and everyone was able to participate in different parts of the process. The host gave us lots of information about the history of the cuisine and was very friendly.”
Spend four hours exploring Bo-Kaap with local guides such as Faldela, Gadija, or Ilyas, then cook samosas, chicken curry, roti, sambal, and koesisters in a local home. You will learn spice tricks, share the meal, and leave with the recipes.
“There are two parts to this activity. The second is the Malay cooking class. If you have the time, you should not miss it. It opens the world of Cape Malay cooking from the inside. The guide really knows her business, and has a great sense of humor. Because of her, the event is a lot of fun, and you meet people from all over the world. Making a rooti from scratch is a transformative experience. Since it is not really meaningful to walk through the Bo-Kaap on your own, you need a guide, and this one knows the neighborhood’s history. I was especially intrigued by how the colorful houses…”
Meet chef Nicola Spilsbury at Spilsbury’s Kitchen in Franschhoek for a four-hour, hands-on South African cooking class. Prepare traditional dishes, learn useful kitchen tricks, enjoy local wine, and share the meal with up to 11 other food lovers.
“Beautiful kitchen space and awesome evening learning about African cuisine, cooking a true feast and having a wonderful time! Would book again anytime”
Join Florence and her team at Pahari African Restaurant for a 150-minute, small-group cooking class. Learn the story behind African ingredients, prepare Sadza, stews, chakalaka, and beans, sample African drinks, and share the meal communally. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.
“This is a must do when visiting Cape Town. The food (and overall experience) is incredible and everyone is just so welcoming and nice. We had a truly amazing night, thank you so much!”
Explore Gqeberha’s Campanile, Donkin Reserve, markets, and street art with local guide Rawson, then choose a hands-on African cooking class with shared food, traditional drinks, and vegetarian options.
“Knowledgeable tour guide who didn't only show the shiny places.”
Shop for ingredients, cook a starter and main course, then share a Pan-African meal in a local home. Choose an organic vegan or meat menu. Hosts may include Chef Tee or Nonhlanhla Noni Godole, with English or French instruction, drinks, pickup, and storytelling included.
“While I think the experience did reflect a locals day-to-day, and the host were extremely friendly, I can’t say it was the experience I expected. It was supposed to start at 4, but we were not actually picked up from the hotel until about 5:40 and the communication for the lateness was barely there. We kept having to contact them ourselves for updates on where driver was. Once we were finally picked up, they took us shopping. Where they didn’t seem to have a plan on what we were going to cook since we were running late. The “street market” was about 5 booths in a pitch black alley way.…”
Pick a reserve, a coastline or a cellar.
