Zanzibar Cooking Class
Swahili cooking, hands on, with the meal at the end
- Location Stone Town area, Zanzibar
- Duration Half day, approximately 4 hours
- Tour type Private or shared
- Availability Daily on request
Price on request Send the form and we reply with a firm quote, usually within a few hours.
Overview
Zanzibari food is the clearest record of the island’s history. Indian spice, Arab technique, Portuguese ingredients and African staples meet in dishes like pilau, biryani, urojo soup and coconut fish curry.
This class puts you in the kitchen rather than at the table. A local chef takes you through ingredient selection, preparation, the order in which spices go into a dish and why, and how the flavours are balanced at the end. The teaching is hands-on and unhurried, and the group stays small enough for everyone to cook rather than watch.
Beyond the cooking, the session includes the wider setting: Swahili dress, local music and dance, and conversation with the family hosting you. You then sit down and eat what you have made.
The class works for complete beginners and for confident cooks. It is a good option for a rainy afternoon, for families, and for anyone who wants to take a genuine skill home rather than a souvenir.
Highlights
- Cook Swahili dishes with a local chef, hands on
- Learn how spices are layered in Zanzibari cooking
- Select ingredients and prepare everything from scratch
- Try Swahili dress and hear local music
- Eat the meal you have cooked
- Take the recipes home
Itinerary
- 09:30
Hotel pickup
Collection from your hotel and the drive to the kitchen.
- 10:15
Ingredients and introduction
Meet your chef, go through the day's dishes and the ingredients, and learn what each spice does.
- 11:00
Cooking
Prepare and cook each dish yourself under the chef's direction.
- 13:00
Eat together
Sit down and eat the meal with your hosts, with local music and conversation.
- 14:00
Return transfer
Drive back to your hotel with your recipes.
What is included
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- All ingredients
- Hands-on class with an experienced local chef
- The meal you cook
- Recipes to take home
- Drinking water and soft drinks
Not included
- Lunch and drinks, where not listed as included
- Personal shopping and souvenirs
- Gratuities for your guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Anything not named under what is included
- Alcoholic drinks
Pickup and meeting point
Pickup time: Around 09:30 for a lunch class, 15:00 for a dinner class.
Meeting point: Hotel reception.
We collect from these areas:
- Stone Town
- Zanzibar City
- Maungani
- Nungwi
- Kendwa
- Matemwe
- Kiwengwa
- Pwani Mchangani
- Uroa
- Pongwe
- Chwaka
- Michamvi
- Paje
- Jambiani
- Makunduchi
- Kizimkazi
- Fumba
- Mangapwani
What to bring
- An appetite
- Hair tie if you have long hair
- Camera
- A note of any allergies or dietary needs, sent to us in advance
Important information
- Tell us about allergies and dietary needs when you book so the menu is planned around them.
- Vegetarian and vegan menus are available on request.
- The class is suitable for children old enough to handle a knife under supervision.
- Group size is kept small so everyone cooks.
Gallery
Frequently asked questions
What will we cook?
The menu changes with the season and the market, and usually covers a rice dish such as pilau or biryani, a coconut-based curry, a fresh salad and a dessert.
Do I need cooking experience?
None. The chef teaches from the beginning and works at your pace.
Are vegetarian options available?
Yes, and vegan too. Tell us when you book.
You might also like
Related experiences
Culture and history
Zanzibar Spice Farm Tour
See, smell and taste the crops the Spice Islands were named for. A half-day walk through a working farm with cloves, vanilla,…
Culture and history
Nungwi Village Tour
Known locally as the Thousand Hands of Zanzibar. Meet the boat builders, weavers and craftspeople whose work supports the north coast.
Culture and history
Stone Town Historical Tour
A half-day guided walk through the coral stone lanes of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking in the old slave market, the…