Egyptian cooking in Cairo with a local family

Meet Somaya

Somaya, a graduate from Cairo university lives in old Cairo with her mother and siblings, in a modest home. She worked at a travel company for a few years and realized her love for meeting people and sharing with them the rich culture and history of Egypt. She now hosts travelers at home for dinners and cooking classes so that she can share her Egyptian cuisine and culinary traditions, and is always thrilled to see the joy on travelers faces when they try her mother's food. Somaya's mother's food is loved by their neighbors, friends and family, and is something that shouldn't be missed when in Cairo! You can expect a delicious, homecooked Egyptian meal, insights into the local culture and culinary traditions, along with memorable conversations.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal (1 - 12 guests) Somaya and her mother are very passionate about cooking traditional Egyptian meals, dishes that are usually cooked and eaten at home, from recipes passed down through generations in her mother's family. A few dishes from family recipes that you can expect to try at Somaya's home are sambusa (triangular pastries) or shorbet lesan el asfour (Egyptian noodle soup), mahashi (a popular Iftar dish of vegetables stuffed with spiced meat and rice and simmered in a tomato sauce) and sahlab (milk pudding) for dessert.

Cooking experience (1 - 12 guests) Somaya learned to cook from her mother, who learned to cook from her mother. So all the recipes you will be cooking in this Egyptian cooking class comes from Somaya's grandmother kitchen -cherished family recipes. Start the class with an introduction to the aromatic and flavorful spices used in Egyptian cooking. Then for your hands-on cooking class, learn how to cook two dishes from scratch - either an appetizer + main course or a main course + dessert. Learn to make mahashi (vegetables stuffed with meat and rice) and shorbet lesan el asfour (Egyptian noodle soup) or sahlab (milk pudding). While you cook, Somaya will introduce you to local ingredients, share stories and tips and tricks to make a delicious Egyptian meal. After cooking, sit down with the family to share the meal you helped prepare.

Instead of the traditional meal, if you'd like to try Egyptian breakfast foods, Somaya can teach you to make falafel or ta'ameya from scratch - blend all the ingredients, shape them into circles and deep fry it. Your will also learn to cook Egyptian shakshuka - combine eggs and fava beans, with garlic, green bell pepper, fresh tomato, all cooked in organic Egyptian ghee from the countryside. Please let Somaya know your preference when booking your Cairo cooking experience online.

Market visit (1 - 12 guests) Meet Somaya at her home and then walk together to the local market in Manial. The Souq El Ghamrawy is a neighborhood street market where they sell fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and meat. Walk through the busy market where locals usually shop, and learn about the local produce while you interact with the vendors and buy a few ingredients for your cooking class.

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW

A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Somaya’s family home and loved meeting the family! We loved spending time with them - they were so hospitable and welcoming. They all speak good English (except for her mother who speaks basic English but with the support of her kids communicates very easily). The food was great and we enjoyed the cooking experience - they provide such an amazing cultural experience. One thing to note is that there is no AC in the living room and kitchen so dress in light clothing during the hot months.

Aziz and Mahmoud, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews