Morocco’s top 10 traditional cooking classes.
Morocco’s cooking classes have permeated the tourist scene, offering visitors a wide range of opportunities to immerse themselves in the preparation of traditional Moroccan cuisine. Moroccan cuisine has earned its well-deserved title as the culinary star of North Africa thanks to Morocco’s unique history at the crossroads of civilisations. The influence of empire and trade has left its mark on Moroccan cuisine over the centuries. The delicious flavours of Moroccan dishes are filtered through exotic spices, herbs and dried fruits. They all have an important role in Moroccan cooking.
In addition, there are a number of Jewish, Arabic, Berber and Moorish influences, as well as influences from the Middle East. The culinary inspiration from these cultures has given rise to Moroccan specialities such as couscous, slow-cooked tagine dishes, harira soup, bastilla cake, rfissa chicken with lentils, slow-cooked mechoui lamb and seffa vermicelli.
These Moroccan specialities are offered in Morocco’s Top 10 cooking classes. Participation in a Moroccan cooking course is a culinary adventure and you will have the opportunity to learn authentic Moroccan recipes from local chefs.
1. La Maison Arabe cooking class
This boutique hotel in the historic medina was Marrakech’s first restaurant. Formerly owned by Italian Prince Fabrizio Ruspoli, La Maison Arabe has been home to one of Marrakech’s pioneering culinary schools since 2001. Since then, it has been welcoming travelers to the red city to discover the secrets of traditional Moroccan cuisine. The workshops are led by a dada (a traditional Moroccan chef) and take place in the hotel’s state-of-the-art culinary school. Classes begin at the table, where participants learn about the spices used in traditional Moroccan cuisine. You can also visit a traditional bread oven, where the local community sends fresh round loaves of dough for baking daily. A live bread kneading demonstration is also part of the course. The Moroccan cooking course menu usually includes a tomato and pepper and zalouk salad, roasted eggplant, chicken, beef or lamb tagine, and a Moroccan dessert. Culinary tricks, such as making roses out of tomato skins, will reveal the master culinary artist in you. Seminars are usually half-day sessions: in the morning from 10 am to 2:30 pm and in the afternoon from 4 pm to 7 pm. All classes are taught by an interpreter who is fluent in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish. Arabic/English/French).
2. Amal Center (Targa and Gueliz)
The Amal Centre, a non-profit women’s center, is both a Moroccan restaurant and a cooking school. The Amal Culinary Center hosts morning classes that begin with Moroccan mint tea brewed with fresh herbs from their garden. After a brief explanation, participants embark on a culinary journey where they share the secrets of making tagine. Tajin, cone-shaped pots, are cooked over low heat over charcoal and then divided into a group of 10 people or less. Amal also teaches a baking class that teaches how to make Moroccan sweets such as ghriba, ghriba, beghrir and semen. The center was founded in late 2012 by American Nora Fitzgerald Belahsen. After spending several years of her childhood years between Morocco and the United States, she realized the difference between the two countries. After realizing the difficulties often faced by Moroccan women from disadvantaged backgrounds, she decided to help the community by creating Amal, a women’s cooking center run by women. The Amal Center provides a 6-month training course for local women who are often considered unemployed (widows, divorced or single mothers, orphans) and teaches them valuable skills for the job market. Attending cooking classes at Amal is a great way to contribute to a local cause while learning about traditional Moroccan cuisine. Classes take place every afternoon under the guidance of an interpreter who is fluent in Arabic, French, or English.
Marrakech cookery course with Lotus Chef
3. Lotus cooking class under the guidance of a female chef
Starting in the heart of Djemaa el Fan square, this cooking class is led by a Moroccan chef. Participants will be taken on a culinary tour of the souks and be given a guided tour of the selection of vegetables and fruits that will be used in the creation of a classic Moroccan menu. Lotus Chef classes are held in a traditional Moroccan riad in the medina. Stories and cultural traditions about Moroccan cuisine will be shared by Moroccan women who are culinary specialists. A pot of hot mint tea will be served. Guests have a choice of a Moroccan menu of tajine, couscous, Bastilla, Tanjia, or Sephardic Jewish dishes. Menu options were available for vegetarians and vegans. Lotus Chef is a great way for foodies to experience cooking lessons in the spirit of Moroccan home hospitality. Marrakech Cooking Class.
Traveling spoon cooking course, Casablanca
4. The Travelling Spoon, a link between students and local teachers
Founded in 2011 by Aashi Vel and Steph Lawrence, who met at Haas Business School, The Travelling Spoon is a wonderful way to learn how to cook Moroccan food. Their passion for cooking inspired them to create a global network for travellers seeking culinary experiences and to connect students with local culinary instructors. Over the past eight years, the Traveling Spoon community has become a household name in Marrakech and Casablanca. Teachers come from carefully vetted families and offer their own private kitchens and recipes, rather than being based in a specific location. Many Keys to Travel experiences begin by exploring local markets with the hosts. Examples of menus might include a welcome drink, Moroccan pastries, Moroccan salad, rice with lamb and vegetables, cinnamon orange or cake for dessert. The menu varies according to seasonal availability.
One Travelling Spoonful student told how her cookery teacher, Maria, told her that her Moroccan grandmother had made lamb and cardamom risotto during Maria’s school holidays. Inspired by her grandmother’s passion for cooking, Maria now hosts travellers for cooking classes. Students are invited to her home to learn about the history, culture and cuisine of Morocco. Vegetarian and Halal cooks are available on request. Classes are held in Arabic, French and English.
5. Cafe Clock Cooking School
Cafe Clock has become a Moroccan cultural institution among travelers and the local community. It was first opened as a restaurant in 2006 by British ex-pat Mike Richardson. Inspired by Moroccan youth and tradition, Richardson opened his first café in Fez. Offering a menu of classic Moroccan dishes, Cafe Clock also hosts a cooking school and cross-cultural exchanges and events. Cafe Clock’s first cooking school opens at the UNESCO site in Fez. Classes at the Clock will begin with an overview of Moroccan culture, history, and the ingredients used in the four emblematic dishes that gourmets will create. The cookery course menu includes a salad, a soup, a main course, and a dessert. Starters include Zalouk – roasted aubergine with spices; Khizou M’shrmel – marinated carrot salad; Shlada d l’barba – beetroot salad; and Taktouka – spiced green pepper salad. For soup, choose from Harira – traditional hearty Moroccan soup or Bissara – split pea or broad bean soup with spices, garlic, and olive oil. Main courses include a choice of classic couscous, tagine or bastille. For those with a sweet tooth, the Blighat b timer – date and pastry rolls with a healthy Letshine b l’karfa – orange and walnut salad, is a fine way to end a cooking lesson. The classroom environment is ideal for families with children.
6. Fes Cooking School and food tours in Fes.
The Morocco traditional cooking classes school and cultural tours in Fes, led by a local family with a passion for cooking and sharing the warmth of true Moroccan hospitality, are perfect for an intimate culinary experience. The tailor-made cooking tours start with a visit to the vegetable and meat market in the medina of Fes. This is the best place in town to pick up seasonal produce. Participants will also learn how to select market produce according to color, shape, and size. Classes are held in a small traditional dish and are led by a family chef. The menu consists of starters, a main course, and a vegetable dish. Starters include Moroccan briquettes, crispy triangles stuffed with fresh goat’s cheese, fish vegetables, harissa, a Moroccan tomato-based soup with chickpeas and meat, and zealous, boiled aubergines and tomato salad. For the main course, you can choose between couscous with seven types of vegetables and tagine with quince.
7. Plan-it-Fes, take the family to a well-prepared cooking class.
This homely, charming cookery course is offered by a woman-owned boutique company in Fes that specializes in local activities, from cookery courses to beauty experiences and food tours. The Go-Local, Fes cookery course is a great opportunity to participate in and host a Moroccan family, prepare food, visit souks, and bake in a local Farran. The course ends with a meal in true Moroccan style.
The Fes Go-Local Cookery Course offers a well-prepared cooking course in Fes, including shopping in the local souk, bread preparation and baking, and preserving lemons in the local Farran. You will prepare fresh seasonal Moroccan salads, Moroccan chermoula (special marinade), and tagines of your choice, depending on the season. The workshop will also include the preparation and consumption of Moroccan mint tea, a ritual tradition.
8. L’Atelier Madada Moroccan cooking workshop
L’Atelier on the edge of the medina in Essaouira offers half-day Moroccan cooking workshops. The program starts with a guided tour of the spice market, where a Moroccan chef will give you an insight into the history and secrets of the cuisine of this ancient 18th-century seaside town. After returning to the kitchen of L’Atelier, the lesson begins, led by local chef Souri Dada. After a discussion on ingredients and traditions, participants prepare a group of selected dishes. Examples of the menus include Tchakchouka: boiled salad with peppers, Seffa chicken with vermicelli, and Harira soup. The workshop ends with a relaxed get-together in L’Atelier’s farm-to-table café, where you can eat the dishes you have prepared. The cooking classes are held in English and French.
9. Khadija’s Kitchen, cooking courses in Essaouira.
Khadija’s Morocco traditional cooking Class offers a more intimate experience of local cuisine in Essaouira. Khadija offers a hands-on cooking class at her home in the new city of Essaouira, where food lovers can participate in the preparation of a delicious three-course Moroccan meal of their choice. Moroccan salads, pastillas, couscous, tajines and other delicacies are on offer in a personal step-by-step cooking adventure led by Khadija. The courses are private, so groups of 2 to 8 people can be arranged. All meals are prepared in Khadija’s home kitchen, which is well stocked with Moroccan spices. The wide range of dishes offered in the cooking courses changes daily and is based on seasonal vegetables, meat and fruit. Khadija also caters for vegetarians who want to get to know Moroccan cuisine without meat. A special pastry course is also available on request.
10: Clock Kitchen cooking courses in Marrakech, Fes, and Chefchaouen: 3 locations – Marrakech, Fes, and Chefchaouen
Similar to its sister kitchens in Marrakech and Fes, the Clock Kitchen cookery course in Chefchaouen starts with a tour of the local market. After choosing the ingredients for a three-course Moroccan meal, you return to the blue-hued Clock Cultural Centre for a glass of hot mint tea. The Cafe Clock chef will then guide you in the preparation of your chosen starter, main course and dessert. For those interested in how to bake bread at high altitudes, the Cafe Clock workshop also offers special cake and bread-baking courses.