Daniel and Tigist’s home is in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, a neighborhood not frequented by tourists that is calmer and greener than central Addis Ababa. Their home is comfortable, clean and homey, decorated with pictures of their three boys, who you may meet if your experience takes place during the evening or on the weekend. Ethiopian cuisine is comprised of a variety of spices in its wots (stews) and tibs (curry), making the cuisine hot and piquant. You will eat as Ethiopians do, from communal plates lined with injera, a traditional fermented bread. Injera acts like an edible plate with other dishes served on top of it. The juices soak into the injera, which diners tear off into morsels to eat and even feed each other in a gesture called gursha that is meant to strengthen bonds. Teff flour is used to make the injera bread, which is soft, spongy and perfect to mop up the delicious gravies that soak through it. Your meal will be served family style with injera served alongside an assortment of meat, fish, vegetables and lentils. You will sit around the injera and enjoy your meal from one single platter. As Ethiopia is the birth place of coffee, you will enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony after your meal.
After you meet your host at his home, he will take you to the Keta/Asco market, a 15-20 minute walk from his home. Here you will be introduced to local ingredients that you will use in your cooking class later. The market is a daily local market known for its spices, cereals, vegetables and other industrial materials. While the market is open on all days, Wednesdays and Saturdays are especially good for visits. Saturday is considered market day all over the country and the market teems with life and people. Your market tour lasts about an hour.
Your cooking class will take place in Daniel and Tigist’s home kitchen. During your two hour class, Tigist will show you how to make a traditional Ethiopian dish as well as how to pour and cook the perfect injera. You might learn to make shiro (chickpea or broad bean stew) or tibs (stir-fried meat with vegetables and spices) in addition to injera. You will also learn to roast coffee beans. If you're interested in learning to make an additional dish, include it in the "notes" section of your booking - please note that it will extend the cooking time.
Daniel is excited to share his culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Addis Ababa. He can also accommodate vegetarian diet in his Ethiopian cooking class.
Daniel’s home is in the outskirts of Addis Ababa and about 25 km from the airport. Since public transportation is not very convenient and there are no clear postal addresses in Ethiopia, Daniel prefers arranging transport for you. He is happy to offer hotel pick up and drop off for an additional cost. If you would like this option please select "Yes" to transportation in the booking form.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Daniel and his wife Tigist are from the Oromia region of Ethiopia but love to cook dishes from around the country, so prepare to be served pan-Ethiopian cuisine. Tigist learned to cook helping her mother around the house as a child, and ran her own kitchen after marrying Daniel. Daniel speaks perfect English and enjoys discussing diverse subjects from food and history to politics. Tigist is less confident speaking English but is incredibly friendly - together they make a great team. Daniel has a master's degree in social anthropology and is a tourism professional - he has led trips around Ethiopia for over a decade. He enjoys meeting people from different cultural backgrounds and sharing his rich heritage with them. They are blessed with three handsome boys who may join you during your experience if it's on a weekend.
Please note that on days that Daniel is traveling, his friend and business partner Yadassa will host you along with Daniel's wife, Tigist at their home.
"Their home is comfortable, clean, and homey and everything was great! The food was fresh and delicious. We'd eaten a week's worth of injera at many restaurants, including top rated trip advisor restaurants, and the flavor and freshness at Daniel's home was better than anything else, especially for the vegetable dishes. Daniel was the best English speaker we met in Ethiopia, and we were able to ask him questions we had had to give up on with other Ethiopians because of language barriers - like about politics and history. The month before Easter in Ethiopia, everyone typically only eats vegetarian food so I actually hadn't had meat in days (weeks really) but Daniel and Tigist sourced some beef with some effort that was amazing! Additionally, we loved the coffee and popcorn, and the vegetables were the freshest and tastiest we had in Ethiopia. My favorite thing was talking to Daniel and Tigist, and playing with their incredibly adorable baby boy :)"
"Excellent Cooking Class and Dinner in Private Home! Daniel picked us up at our hotel and drove us to his home. Our family of four - including sons who are 16 and 21 - had a wonderful experience cooking Injera and Shiro Wat with Daniel and his wife, Tigist, in their kitchen. We then ate dinner together - an array of excellent dishes - and enjoyed one of the best Ethiopian meals of our stay in Addis Ababa. The food was fantastic and the conversation with Daniel, Tigist and their son made for a truly delightful evening. It was also a treat to visit their neighborhood and be out of the hustle and bustle of the city center for an evening. Coffee ceremony was also offered. Daniel then drove us back to our hotel. Transport is additional and was much appreciated. We highly recommend this experience."
"I had a wonderful time with Daniel and his family. Daniel picked me up from my hotel and we went to the market for some items. The cooking class was a good balance of me cooking and some pre-cooked items. I also enjoyed the coffee afterwards. Nice family! And communication throughout was excellent. I would recommend!"
"Daniel is an excellent guide. He has a teaching degree, a bachelors degree in history, and a masters in sociology. His depth of knowledge and ability to answer questions made the day a great experience. The market had a calm day when I went, Sunday, but that meant that we could walk calmly as he told me about all the ingredients for sale. His wife and family are very kind and taught me a lot about food and coffee. I even made injera. I feel confident that if I can find the ingredients I will be able to keep making the dish they prepared for me at home. I could not recommend this tour enough."
"Daniel was a friendly and informative host. The instructions prepared us well for class. We loved getting to meet his family and learn all about the dishes we were cooking!"
"Thank you very very much to Daniel and his wife for such a fantastic experience. They taught the lesson beautifully with lots of explanation and adaptations. Everything tasted delicious - I can't wait to make it again! It was also great to speak to them about Ethiopia and hear about the travel guiding Daniel does making me desperate to go there on a trip as soon as everything settles down a bit. I couldn't recommend this higher for an experienced or novice cook."
"Daniel was very friendly, helpful and informative. We learned about the culture of Ethiopia, and how they live, cook, and eat. We met his charming family, and really enjoyed cooking It's going to take more practice before we can say we've mastered Injera, but this was a good place to start!"
"Our cooking experience with Daniel was such a wonderful and memorable experience for our family! We learned so much about Ethiopian cuisine and culture, and Daniel was very helpful and supportive through every step--from selecting ingredients ahead of the class, to substitutions and product selection, to preparation time ahead of the day of class. Our kids had a great time participating in the cooking process and also learning about Ethiopian traditions, history, and music. It was a pleasure to meet Daniel's lovely family during the session as well! Such a great experience for us--we look forward to joining Daniel again soon!"
"Daniel and his family were very kind and the class extremely interesting. They were really good at guiding us through the steps of the preparation, and the result was delicious! 100% recommended."
"Daniel was an excellent cook and teacher! He helped us prepare in advance our Injera batter and helped us perfect the art of making the flat bread. The Shiro was excellent, and we have since made it again. He helped us track down the right ingredients and was a wonderful teacher."
"Daniel and his family were a pleasure to cook with! Knowledge was excellent and Daniel was available via Whatsapp before the class to help with preparing the Injera batter. Daniel even sent a second recipe for us to try out afterwards! Very happy, highly recommended!"
"We were very pleased with our Ethiopian cooking class with Daniel. He and his wife were gracious hosts, gave very clear directions and made the whole experience fun and enlightening. And the meal was delicious! We highly recommend this class for people who love Ethiopian food or want to try it in a unique experience."
"Daniel and his wife were excellent hosts and teachers. Both the cuisine and online cooking class were new experiences for us and the two were courteous and helpful to get us all setup. Daniel was able to offer support days earlier for the injera recipe and gave good critiques to guide our cooking. The outcome was delicious, a memorable experience and gift, and must recommend. We hope to one day venture to Ethiopia and experience the cooking, coffee, and local customs by Daniel."
"Thank you Daniel for a lovely class and introducing us to your family. It was very interesting and delicious. We hope to meet with you again soon."
"I am so excited to know how to make my favorite Ethiopian foods now! Daniel and his wife Tigist are amazing. They made our class easy and fun and made us feel very welcome and capable. We had the perfect mix of chatting and getting to know each other with the cooking guidance. I can't wait to visit and do an in-person class when we can travel."
"Daniel and his wife were excellent hosts and teachers. Both the cuisine and online cooking class were new experiences for us and the two were courteous and helpful to get us all setup. Daniel was able to offer support days earlier for the injera recipe and gave good critiques to guide our cooking. The outcome was delicious, a memorable experience and gift, and must recommend. We hope to one day venture to Ethiopia and experience the cooking, coffee, and local customs by Daniel. "
"We had a fantastic time cooking with Daniel and Tigist! Daniel checked in with us via Whatsapp several times throughout the week before our class to offer help with the injera batter prep, which needs to ferment for a few days before cooking. When we finally met on Zoom, he and Tigist were friendly, patient, and generous, and we thoroughly enjoyed the conversation in addition to the food. When we sat down to dinner (about midnight our time due to the time difference), it was absolutely DELICIOUS! Absolutely worth staying up late for a midnight dinner. Definitely a rare highlight of a very weird year."
"Daniel and his wife, Tigist, were excellent hosts. Daniel was available before the class to coach us through making the injera, since it takes four days to ferment. We can't wait to visit them in person when it is safe to do so, and see them again for the coffee ceremony! Have already recommended them to a few friends."
"Daniel and his wife, Tigist, were excellent hosts. Daniel was available before the class to coach us through making the injera, since it takes four days to ferment. We can't wait to visit them in person when it is safe to do so, and see them again for the coffee ceremony! Have already recommended them to a few friends."
"Our class with Daniel and Tigist was an absolute favorite! Because of the advance prep needed when making injera, we had some additional time with Daniel - checking on our batter, exchanging photos of its progress via WhatsApp, all culminating in our online class together. The whole process was incredibly informative, and we learned so much about how and why their meals include injera. Daniel & Tigist are excellent, warm, personable teachers!"
"My husband and I were picked up at our hotel promptly, and Daniel led us through the Akso market, patient with our questions, and guiding us through the etiquette of taking pictures. His wife led the cooking demo and is a delightful person as well, clear in her explanations. In their lovely home we ate a huge variety of dishes, and enjoyed more conversation over delicious coffee. They have a charming family we enjoyed meeting as well."
"My husband and I were picked up at our hotel promptly, and Daniel led us through the Akso market, patient with our questions, and guiding us through the etiquette of taking pictures. His wife led the cooking demo and is a delightful person as well, clear in her explanations. In their lovely home we ate a huge variety of dishes, and enjoyed more conversation over delicious coffee. They have a charming family we enjoyed meeting as well."
"Excellent experience learning to cook with Daniel and his family. We had an excellent time with Daniel and his family on our trip in 1/2020. We started off in the market which was very local and out of the city center, which made for a relaxing and educational experience. We bought some produce and spices and went back to his family's house where we learned how to cook shiro with his wife. Watching her cook was very helpful and I have since then been able to make this dish at home several times, which I am certain would have been more difficult if I had relied on cookbooks or videos. It is helpful to see in real-time just how long you cook the berbere mixture for example before adding water (hint: a long time!). We also were allowed to make some injera with a mixture which was lovely.
He was very helpful given we were short on time and offered to pick us up from the airport and gave us a recommendation on which date/time to come to experience the market in full swing, which was really an exceptional offer and showed how honest of a man he is. We ended our meal with a traditional ethiopian coffee ceremony which was truly a wonderful and warm experience.
The one thing I would change would be to include another dish or two to see different cooking styles, and it may be worthwhile to ask about this when making your booking with traveling spoon. I am sure they would be accommodating of such a request.
We had such a wonderful time and cannot recommend this experience enough. Truly the highlight of my 10 days in ethiopia."
"Marketing, cooking,lunch and coffee with Daniel. Daniel and Tigris were wonderful hosts and guides to their culture. The tour was very informative, the cooking lesson lots of fun and lunch delicious. To top it off, Tigris created a coffee ceremony for us, and we enjoyed their knowledge in answering our questions over great coffee. We highly recommend this experience!"
"Really cool experience! Very warm and lovely family and even though I cook Ethiopian already, was able to learn new recipes and techniques.
I was supposed to go on the Monday of Timkat, but due to the parades and celebrations, I was not able to leave the neighborhood I was at. Daniel and the family were very gracious and changed the dates so I would still be able to experience this. Very thankful for that.
Their house is about 45 minutes out of town. So definitely check traffic AND call a RIGHT Cab so you don't get overcharged. Looking at about $8-$10 each way in taxi fees, but if you get a regular cab, they will try and charge you a lot more."
"Daniel and his family were fabulous. Daniel came all the way across the city to pick me up (for a fee). That was very helpful. Everything was clean, and Daniel's wife, Tisgist, is a good cook and good at explaining as she goes along. I tried my hand at pouring an injera. It was a bit misshapen, but it was fun to try. I felt very comfortable asking questions about their culture, and they were very informative."
"Lovely. I arranged this experience as a way to explore the flavours of Ethiopia and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the opportunity to wander through the local market, and learn about local foods. Daniel and his family were warm and welcoming when I visited their home. I had an opportunity to test my abilities to make injera along with a significant variety of other traditional foods. The coffee ceremony was a wonderful end to the meal. Thank you for the lovely afternoon!"
"I really enjoyed my time with Daniel. Being picked -up from the hotel is really necessary. I loved walking through the market and would have enjoyed it even more had Daniel made purchases but this organized family buys their produce before."
"Daniel welcomed us and drove us to his neighbourhood. We parked near his local market and walked around; looking at all the food and homeware etc for sale there. It remains one of the highlights of our time in Addis Ababa. We bought a clay coffee pot but could have bought so much stuff- as it was local prices and some beautifully hand made. Then we returned to the family home to make shiro wot and pour injera onto the grill. The family were wonderful, our son played football with the children in the yard. The food and coffee afterwards were absolutely delicious. Totally recommend as a great way to spend your first day in Addis ( or any other ) especially as you get to see the suburbs a little too, and as the local market is so wonderful to visit. Thanks Daniel and family, we loved our time with you. CM , Red and Steve."
"My fiancee set up this experience for me while he was at work, and I felt so welcomed by Daniel and Tigist. It was amazing to see the market, and then to see how a meal is prepared and try my hand at injera. It was my favorite meal I'd had yet! Highly recommend."
"Daniel and his whole family welcomed us to their home which was a perfect way or getting to know a little more about life in Addis Ababa. We helped cook shiro wot and injera- then ate lots more dishes together then watched coffee being roasted and made . Everything was flawless the family couldn’t have been more welcoming, we spent a most wonderful day with them. The visit with Daniel to the local market with no other tourists there was absolutely brilliant too- mounds of chilies , onions, coffee pots( we bought one for home :) and garlic. (Etc) Totally recommend the whole trip . The home was on the outskirts of the city, up near Entoto(sp?) mountain and it was ace to see more suburban life and feel a little less weight of traffic fumes. Totally recommend . Merry Christmas!!"
"I was solo travelling through Ethiopia (from New York) and booked this activity with Daniel inclusive of hotel pickup, market tour, cooking class, and coffee ceremony - it’s one thing to eat local food, or visit famous local eateries, but nothing beats the chance to cook and eat with a family in their home. From the time I connected with Daniel, everything was perfect - prompt replies, flexibility in scheduling/itinerary, and of course the meal that his wonderful wife, Tigist, prepared. We sat, ate, and enjoyed each other’s company, and finished it off with delicious home prepared coffee. Daniel and Tigist are warm, welcoming hosts with an adorable son that I got to meet. What made my experience so special was that it happened to be on Christmas Day - so even though I was not with my family, I was still with an amazing family all the same.This was an amazing experience that I will never forget, and I would recommend this activity with complete confidence to any traveller looking for a truly authentic culinary experience with wonderful people. Thank you, Daniel and Tigist for having me into your home - I will always remember you!!"
"We enjoyed our experience w Daniel and his family. There was some confusion about exact pickup location and we had no cell phone for communication. Luckily, Daniel was persistent and found us. Unfortunately this impacted the duration of the market tour. The class was more of a demonstration.but we were able to do some things (eg chop onion, pour enjera). They were able to accommodate our dietary requirements which was a relief. The food itself was fantastic and better than we had anywhere in the prior week of.traveling throughout the north and Addis."
"The afternoon we spent going to the market and cooking with Daniel and Tigist was a definite highlight of our trip to Addis Ababa. They welcomed us into their home, taught us how to cook shiro and injera, and explained so much about their culture and ways of life in Addis. And, they have the three cutest, most well-behaved children. It was special to see a glimpse into what their family life is like--I don't think there is a better way to get an authentic local experience. And, I must mention that the food was amazing! It was my favorite Ethiopian meal by far--Daniel and Tigist are both amazing cooks. 10/10 I would recommend!"
"What an amazing way to spend our Thanksgiving! Our family of 6 with adult children had the most lovely evening. Daniel and his wife Tigest hosted us in their home...Started with a visit to the local market on the way-where they purchase their products...Tigest had an excellent demo for a traditional Ethiopian base used with many dishes and then we all participated in the injera making! The other dishes were prepared in advance and perfectly timed...Followed by a sit down dinner and coffee ceremony. Thank you for this memory!"
"Our afternoon with Daniel and Tigist was one of the highlights of our trip. We loved learning to make shiro wat, and they were both really wonderful with our 9 and 2 year old kids. I highly recommend!"
"If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Addis Ababa, and want to spend the day with a lovely local family, and learn to cook and eat delicious Ethiopian food, then you will enjoy this experience. Daniel was a history teacher before he opted to do tourism full-time so he is a wealth of information. Daniel’s home is in Oromia at least 30 minutes outside of Addis so I recommend (like one of the other reviews said) that you also arrange for Daniel to pick you up and bring you back because it could be difficult to find the house otherwise. It also gives more time to hear Daniel’s stories. It was a relaxing and interesting day."
"Our small group enjoyed our time in the home of this fantastic family. They were very welcoming and graciously shared parts of their culture with us. thank you so much for opening your doors to us an demonstrating how wonderful and engaging the traditions of Ethiopia are!"
"We had a wonderful time with Daniel and Tigist. Their home is warm and cozy, their English is very good, and they made us feel right at home. This is the perfect break from your hotel, and from the hubbub of Addis."
"Fantastic cuisine and wonderful people. It was truly a lovely experience spending time with Daniel and Tigist in their kitchen learning how to cook Shiro Wat and injera. The food was amazing, the company even better and the coffee was magical. Thank you both for a wonderful time."
"Daniel picked us up at the hotel lobby and we left Addis to move to Anco, the place where he and his beautiful family live. A peaceful area outside the traffic and the Addis craziness; we first went to the market and Daniel showed us everything, the spices, the false banana leaf and how to make a sort of bread with part of that, the berberè and much more. We then went to his house, where his 3 sons and wife welcomed us like we were part of the family.
Then we went to the kitchen were together with Tigist my mom and my sister made our lunch, we made Shiro, cooked vegetables like beetroot and carrots (super tasty ad delicious) and other things; we manly cooked vegetarian because I don't eat meat.
Then we made the injera and also that has been amazing!!
When everything was ready we ate all together and then Tigist, as end of the lunch, made for us the coffee ceremony with incense and popcorn...
It has been a memorable experience, cooking with them, talking, sharing stories and food.. This is for me traveling, getting into the real life through the people that live in the place!
I highly recommend Daniel and Tigist if you're looking for a cooking class-show cooking in the Addis area."
"Daniel picked us up at the hotel lobby and we left Addis to move to Anco, the place where he and his beautiful family live. A peaceful area outside the traffic and the Addis craziness; we first went to the market and Daniel showed us everything, the spices, the false banana leaf and how to make a sort of bread with part of that, the berberè and much more. We then went to his house, where his 3 sons and wife welcomed us like we were part of the family.Then we went to the kitchen were together with Tigist my mom and my sister made our lunch, we made Shiro, cooked vegetables like beetroot and carrots (super tasty ad delicious) and other things; we manly cooked vegetarian because I don't eat meat.Then we made the injera and also that has been amazing!!When everything was ready we ate all together and then Tigist, as end of the lunch, made for us the coffee ceremony with incense and popcorn...It has been a memorable experience, cooking with them, talking, sharing stories and food.. This is for me traveling, getting into the real life through the people that live in the place!I highly recommend Daniel and Tigist if you're looking for a cooking class-show cooking in the Addis area.Michele"
"It was truly a lovely experience spending time with Daniel and Tigist in their kitchen learning how to cook Shiro Wat and injera. The food was amazing, the company even better and the coffee was magical. Thank you both for a wonderful time."
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"Daniel and his family shared a once in a lifetime experience in their home showing me how to cook Ethiopian food including injera and the traditional coffee preparation. Every aspect of it was amazing."
"One of the reason we picked this class was because he picked us up. It was a little trip but worth it. Daniel was very nice and his family was a joy. He and his wife work well together and we were made to feel welcome and comfortable. The food was good we are vegetarian and they adjusted for that. Daniel is also very knowledgeable about Ethiopia. Thank you"
"The organisation and communication of this cooking class was not the best. Pick-up/drop-off place on the schedule was Japan Market, but ended up being Asko Bus Station which is in the north west end of the city and took us an hour to get there. Also, they couldn't bring us back there from their home after the cooking class so we had to take a taxi back to the Bus Station. The food was absolutely the best we've had on our whole trip, but chopping half of an onion and tomato is not what I consider a cooking class. Making Injera and grinding coffee by hand was a nice experience though. We haven't gotten the recipes yet - almost 3 weeks later. Overall we enjoyed it but it's not worth paying that much!"
"If you’re traveling to Addis Ababa, visiting Daniel’s home is a must! A friend of mine in New Zealand found Daniel Ademe’s contact details for me and I booked in for me and a friend to go and learn how Shiro and Injera is made. A couple of other friends found out we’re to go on a short tour to the outskirts of the city and on very short notice, as in 30 minutes, Daniel agreed for me to bring 2 extra guests along. Three of us are blind and Daniel and his wife made us feel very welcome. The aroma of the herbs and other ingredients was to die for! We were running out of time at the end but nothing phased Daniel and his driver. They got us back to the Elilly International Hotel in time for our conference to start even though the traffic was something else.We also experienced a coffee ceremony at his home and they described step-by-step about grounding the beans, roasting it, having incense burning in the background, etc.“When you drink a cup of coffee, the ideas march in like an army” – Balzac.Restaurants in Addis Ababa are great re serving traditional Ethiopian food, but nothing beats being at a real person’s home while they entertain you.We got told to all eat from this one big basket, for the belief is that if you all eat from the same dish you won’t fight, something we can all learn from..Note from Jocelyn: This review was written by Martine who visited Daniel's home for this meal and coffee making in October 2019. Martine is blind so I uploaded this review for her. I am the New Zealand friend that Martine mentioned who found this travel experience for her on Trip Advisor. Daniel was really helpful to talk to when planning this experience and I felt reassured by him and his wife that Martine would have a great time and be well looked after. All true. Thank you Daniel and family."
"Really special experience. I can’t recommend Daniel & Tigist’s cooking class highly enough! My husband and I took this cooking class as a part of our honeymoon.
Daniel was doing another tour, so we were fortunate enough to have Yade pick us up from our AirBnB and give us the market tour. He explained all the different spices, grains, vegetables, and cookware that are used in traditional Ethiopian cooking and the coffee ceremony.
Afterwards, we went to Tigist’s house and were warmly welcomed by her and her three delightful sons. Tigist cooked shiro with us, then showed us how to pour the injera batter onto the clay stove. After that, we each had a turn at pouring the injera batter. It’s harder than it looks!
Tigist had already made five other traditional Ethiopian dishes. We ate injera and all the dishes with Yade.
After eating, we did the coffee ceremony where Tigist roasted coffee beans over charcoal in the living room. The coffee was strong and delicious.
The whole time, we were talking to Tigist, her sons, and Yade about Ethiopian culture, cooking, the new year celebrations, and their family.
We have done many cooking classes in other countries and this was truly unique and special!"
"We had an amazing time! Yade gave us a great market tour and showed us all the ingredients we would use in the class. We even bought some tea from the market as a souvenir. Tigist and her family were extremely welcoming into their home and we enjoyed the time with the family. The cooking was really fun especially attempting to pour the injera! The food was great and so was the coffee. It was a great experience where we had a great time and learned a lot. Would highly recommend."
"I can’t recommend Daniel & Tigist’s cooking class highly enough! My husband and I took this cooking class as a part of our honeymoon. Daniel was doing another tour, so we were fortunate enough to have Yade pick us up from our AirBnB and give us the market tour. He explained all the different spices, grains, vegetables, and cookware that are used in traditional Ethiopian cooking and the coffee ceremony.Afterwards, we went to Tigist’s house and were warmly welcomed by her and her three delightful sons. Tigist cooked shiro with us, then showed us how to pour the injera batter onto the clay stove. After that, we each had a turn at pouring the injera batter. It’s harder than it looks!Tigist had already made five other traditional Ethiopian dishes. We ate injera and all the dishes with Yade.After eating, we did the coffee ceremony where Tigist roasted coffee beans over charcoal in the living room. The coffee was strong and delicious. The whole time, we were talking to Tigist, her sons, and Yade about Ethiopian culture, cooking, the new year celebrations, and their family.We have done many cooking classes in other countries and this was truly unique and special!"
"Great hostesses, amazing local food and authentic coffee ceremony "
"We had a wonderful visit with Daniel and his wife and 3 adorable and kind boys. We learned a lot about Ethiopia, the people, the food, geography, and culture. Daniel is an extremely knowledgeable guide with a deep background in history. His wife is a fabulous cook and we learned how to make Injera (the staple bread of Ethiopia) and Shiro the most popular chick pea dish. We had a very delicious lunch and coffee ceremony."
"Daniel and his wife Tigist were warm and welcoming, and their young son who joined us was adorable and entertaining. As hobby cookers ourselves, it was a delight to watch and help Tigist prepare lunch and chat with both her and Daniel. The food was delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After lunch, Tigist performed a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Even those in our group who aren't coffee drinkers absolutely loved the coffee. This experience was definitely one of the highlights of our first visit to Addis Ababa, and we would highly recommend it."
"Wonderful way to explore a market and learn the real Ethiopian cooking techniques. A wonderful Saturday spent with Daniel and his family learning all about their food and way of life."
"A wonderful Saturday spent with Daniel and his family learning all about their food and way of life."
"Great experience at warm atmosphere. I learned a lot from Daniel to know about Ethiopia, not only their food culture, also their great tradition, current situation and history of the country.
After our visit to the local market, lecture about topical spices and food ingredients from Daniel, I enjoyed my first cooking experience of the most popular menu in Ethiopia, and tasted it with their family at home. Coffee ceremony is also a wonderful time to enjoy the origin of the culture.
I could feel like to be invited to local friend house.
Thank you!"
"I learned a lot from Daniel to know about Ethiopia, not only their food culture, also their great tradition, current situation and history of the country.After our visit to the local market, lecture about topical spices and food ingredients from Daniel, I enjoyed my first cooking experience of the most popular menu in Ethiopia, and tasted it with their family at home. Coffee ceremony is also a wonderful time to enjoy the origin of the culture.I could feel like to be invited to local friend house. Thank you!"
"We enjoyed seeing the city during the trip across Addis Ababa (about 45 minutes from the airport) and touring the market with Daniel's brother-in-law. It was interesting to get out of the commercial center and see a neighborhood. In retrospect, this was a great way to visit the market without being hassled. On another day, we tried to explore Addis on our own but were overwhelmed by people approaching us.Tigist greeted us and immediately set us to work helping cook lunch. We learned how to make injera, the teff bread of Ethiopia as well as a stew. She had already prepared several other dishes and we sat down to a tasty meal, followed by a traditional coffee ceremony. Their three young sons were very polite and amazingly quiet for several hours.Overall, it was an excellent experience and we would highly recommend it."
"I had a great experience the entire day! I would highly recommend paying a small additional fee to have Daniel come pick you up/drop you off to avoid any hassle in getting there. This was my first time in Ethiopia and Daniel was extremely willing to give me all of the background and knowledge I needed about the culture and history of Ethiopia. Daniel and his family are very welcoming; I felt like part of the family! The food and coffee were both amazing! Being a solo woman traveler I felt extremely safe the whole time and will plan to go back if travel takes me back to Ethiopia."
"This cooking class was great! It was in Daniel and Tigist's home, which was super fun. Their children were around and it was a fun comfortable atmosphere. It was a bit outside the city, the cab was about $10 USD. It is a small kitchen, definitely not a kitchen designed for a cooking class. We have taken classes in kitchens like that, but this worked fine since it was just the two of us. It would be a squeeze for a large group. We made injera which was very interesting to see, and we got to taste it right when it came off the stove - it tastes different than when it's cooled! Tigist showed us how to make the base that's used for several dishes, and then we turned it into shiro, which is a chickpea wot. Then we ate the shiro we made, plus 5 other wot and it was SO GOOD. Some of the best food we've had in the city. We did feel like the class was a little bit expensive, especially since it didn't include transportation."
"We had a great time learning to cook Ethiopian food with Daniel, Tigist, and Kaku. Tigist was an excellent teacher and chef, and we learned a lot about Ethiopian culture, history, and politics from Daniel. The experience was well organized and communicated. I would recommend taking Daniel up on his offer to provide transportation -- we did not, but I think it would have just been easier overall if we had, for the same price. The food was absolutely amazing, among the best Ethiopian food I've had, and we also enjoyed the company of Kaku :)"
"Daniel and good family were great hosts and teachers. We enjoyed meeting them and cooking together, and the food was delicious. They were able to do a vegetarian meal for us. My only issue was that It's quite expensive to reach there by taxi from the middle of Addis."
"This truly was a special and unique experience and I would highly recommend it to any traveler! Daniel and his wife and children are beautiful and warm hearted and I had such a lovely time chatting with them about their lives and experiences. Tigist is wonderful and so patient as she let me try to help chop onions, stir the shiro and pour the injera batter into an uneven mess lol! Watching the coffee beans being roasted and freshly ground by hand and the whole ceremony around it was cool to experience. The aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee was heavenly! Their home has a warm and welcoming vibe and it was an absolutely perfect way to spend an afternoon and a once in a lifetime experience! "
"What a great time we had on this tour!! Outstanding experience and the family we had our home cooked lunch with were so beautiful! Highly recommend that one should experience the day to day life of local Ethiopians."
"From the first hello, Daniel was very friendly and accommodating. He took us to a local market where he explained about the spices and ingredients and afterwards we were warmly welcomed into their home by Tigist and their 2-year old. We made and ate an amazing dinner and to top it off enjoyed a coffee ceremony with an extra appearance of their little boy performing a charming incense ceremony of his own. Would definitely recommend."
"My partner and I took the cooking class with Daniel and Tigist the last night of our trip. It was the perfect note to end on! Daniel picked us up at our hotel and took us back to his home for the class. We met his family and then started the class in the kitchen. Tigist showed us each step of making the base that is not only for shiro but most Ethiopian dishes. They both answered our many questions about the berbere and chickpea flour (both are not straight ingredients, but rather home blends they make!). After making the shiro, we moved into the next room, where the injera batter and machine is kept. It was much easier to watch Tigist pour the injera than do it ourselves, but fun nonetheless! Fresh, warm injera is delicious, though for meals it's typically served cold as it's been made in batches. We made several injera, then it was time to warm up the other dishes they had pre-prepared for us. Then, to eat! What a delicious meal, wow! We tried 6 different dishes, all of which were really savory and enjoyable. Afterwards, we learned the traditional way to roast coffee beans and do the coffee ceremony. I must say it's a process, but also, I do not drink coffee at all, and yet LOVED this experience and the coffee itself. Delicious. While Tigist was roasting and making coffee, we chatted easily with Daniel about his work, traveling Ethiopia and other parts of Africa, history and so many other topics. It was an easy way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and we left full, happy and smiling."
"My partner and I took the cooking class with Daniel and Tigist the last night of our trip. It was the perfect note to end on! Daniel picked us up at our hotel and took us back to his home for the class. We met his family and then started the class in the kitchen. Tigist showed us each step of making the base that is not only for shiro but most Ethiopian dishes. They both answered our many questions about the berbere and chickpea flour (both are not straight ingredients, but rather home blends they make!). After making the shiro, we moved into the next room, where the injera batter and machine is kept. It was much easier to watch Tigist pour the injera than do it ourselves, but fun nonetheless! Fresh, warm injera is delicious, though for meals It's typically served cold as It's been made in batches. We made several injera, then it was time to warm up the other dishes they had pre-prepared for us. Then, to eat! What a delicious meal, wow! We tried 6 different dishes, all of which were really savory and enjoyable. Afterwards, we learned the traditional way to roast coffee beans and do the coffee ceremony. I must say It's a process, but also, I do not drink coffee at all, and yet LOVED this experience and the coffee itself. Delicious. While Tigist was roasting and making coffee, we chatted easily with Daniel about his work, traveling Ethiopia and other parts of Africa, history and so many other topics. It was an easy way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and we left full, happy and smiling."
"It was such an wonderful experience with Daniel and Tigist, a lovely family! We went to a local market and Daniel kindly show me different ingredients which we would use to cook Ethiopia traditional food Injera and the shiro sauce. You can join the cook with Tigist to make your own Injera and sauce with berbere spices. The part of coffee ceremony at their home also a nice way to get into their life and Ethiopia Culture. Thanks to Daniel and Tigist treating us like a family. A NICE DAY"
"Amazing. It was such an wonderful experience with Daniel and Tigist, a lovely family! We went to a local market and Daniel kindly show me different ingredients which we would use to cook Ethiopia traditional food Injera and the shiro sauce. You can join the cook with Tigist to make your own Injera and sauce with berbere spices. The part of coffee ceremony at their home also a nice way to get into their life and Ethiopia Culture.
Thanks to Daniel and Tigist treating us like a family. A NICE DAY"
"It was such an wonderful experience with Daniel and Tigist, a lovely family! We went to a local market and Daniel kindly show me different ingredients which we would use to cook Ethiopia traditional food Injera and the shiro sauce. You can join the cook with Tigist to make your own Injera and sauce with berbere spices. The part of coffee ceremony at their home also a nice way to get into their life and Ethiopia Culture.Thanks to Daniel and Tigist treating us like a family. A NICE DAY"
"A perfect Way to Have lunch. I was picked up by Daniel from my hotel at 9 30..
went to the market
the home and Tigist thought me ways of cooking Ethiopian Food.. i made Injera (wasnt perfect injera ) but good for the first timers..
learned alot ,had lots of fun
a great idea to spend time with An Ethiopian Family, have Ethiopian food and participate in cooking it..it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon..
highly recommended."
"I was picked up by Daniel from my hotel at 9 30.. went to the marketthe home and Tigist thought me ways of cooking Ethiopian Food.. i made Injera (wasnt perfect injera ) but good for the first timers..learned alot ,had lots of funa great idea to spend time with An Ethiopian Family, have Ethiopian food and participate in cooking it..it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.. highly recommended "
"A most memorable one-day cooking experience with Daniel & his wife Tigist in their home. Daniel took me to market to buy fresh greens, spices & herbs. We made Shiro Wet a thick vegetable sauce followed by other cooked vegetables & meat (option)& arranged on Injera the huge crumpet like bread.this was followed by a full coffee ceremony. I was invited to participate in the preparation of the meal. A delicious meal & excellent introduction to Ethiopian cuisine in a lovely home with well informed hosts and little 2 year old son Kaku."
"To walk around the market with Daniel, discussing herbs and spices and then cooking with Tigist, trying to make injera, what a fantastic afternoon in a home, eating, talking, coffee roasting from raw beans, i would recommend this to eveyone who’s interested in Ethiopian cousine and traditions."
"A fantastic way to come close to Ethiopian Culture and tradition with great flavours."
"I love Ethiopian food and so I couldn't pass up the change to have a meal and cooking class with locals. Daniel and his wife Tigist were excellent hosts. I learned to cook shiro and injera (super fun to use the injera oven!). And we also had a traditional coffee ceremony which is quite involved and interesting. The meal was delicious, and Daniel, his wife, and their three boys were friendly and welcoming. It's a treat to have the opportunity to learn about the culture and history of a country over a delicious meal shared with locals. I opted for the transportation option and Daniel picked me up in the taxi himself and provided some commentary and history about the city of Addis Ababa as we drove through it."
"Authentic, Enlightening, and Delicious Experience - Don't miss it! We have been fans of Ethiopian cuisine for years, and hoped to learn how to make some ourselves as part of our first visit to Addis Abeba. We were pleasantly surprised from the outset by the friendly and welcoming communication from Daniel, as well as the smooth organization of travel from our hotel to his home and back. Since this was on our first evening in Ethiopia, it provided a wonderfully immersive introduction to the culture, and already gave us a springboard for understanding things later in our visit.
Tigist was wonderful at showing and explaining us how to first prepare the ingredients for shiro, then pour injera. The preparations completed, we then shared a delicious vegetarian Beyanetu. (The beets were my favorite!) Throughout the evening, we asked many questions about the food and life in Ethiopia overall, which were rewarded by enlightening, honest answers. We really felt we got an insight into real life in the capital city of Ethiopia, and would recommend the experience to the culinary- and/or culturally curious."
"We have been fans of Ethiopian cuisine for years, and hoped to learn how to make some ourselves as part of our first visit to Addis Abeba. We were pleasantly surprised from the outset by the friendly and welcoming communication from Daniel, as well as the smooth organization of travel from our hotel to his home and back. Since this was on our first evening in Ethiopia, it provided a wonderfully immersive introduction to the culture, and already gave us a springboard for understanding things later in our visit. Tigist was wonderful at showing and explaining us how to first prepare the ingredients for shiro, then pour injera. The preparations completed, we then shared a delicious vegetarian Beyanetu. (The beets were my favorite!) Throughout the evening, we asked many questions about the food and life in Ethiopia overall, which were rewarded by enlightening, honest answers. We really felt we got an insight into real life in the capital city of Ethiopia, and would recommend the experience to the culinary- and/or culturally curious."
"We thoroughly enjoyed the cooking and eating!"
"A great intoduction to a lovely country and its delicious food"
"Communication prior to the cooking experience was excellent. Transportation was arranged for us (seems expensive at $60...?) and we were brought from our hotel to a market. Market was interesting, we were not hassled or at all uncomfortable as is usually the case in foreign markets. Daniel, the host, looked after us the entire time , showing us lots of different foods and spices. After the market we went to Daniels home. His wife and gorgeous little son were there. His wife gave us a cooking demonstration in which we could participate at times. We sat & had the delicious food after, plenty of food for us. After dinner we had a coffee ceremony where we were shown how to roast the beans etc. Entire experience took approximately 5-6 hours and worth the money- everyone in the group really enjoyed it! "
"Daniel and Tigist are wonderful hosts and great teachers! Daniel also has a degree in history and is extremely knowledgeable on Ethiopian history, culture and current events.Daniel picked us up at our hotel promptly and took us to the local market where we were able to see and taste different ingredients. We then went to Daniel and Tigist's beautiful home and met their adorable boys. Tigist then taught us how to make shiro and injera. We also learned to make tibs because we requested it before the visit.We shared a delicious dinner together, which included more dishes Tigist had prepared earlier. We had injera, beef tibs, beats, lentils and shiro. After dinner, Tigist prepared traditional coffee for us while Daniel answered dozens of questions about Ethiopian history, culture and politics, showing us maps of the country and even their wedding photos.I would recommend this experience to anyone interested in Ethiopian food and culture!"
"I am just back from my first trip to Ethiopia and have to write about one of the true highlights of our trip. Several friends and I enjoyed a Sunday cooking class and afternoon meal hosted by the wonderful Daniel Ademe Tirfe, his wife Tigist, and their three engaging children. We all have heard that in order to get the best of a local cuisine, you've got to eat in someone's home....well, this was the answer. Daniel picked us up at our hotel, and brought us to his home on the outskirts of Addis Ababa where we got to watch and help Tigist prepare the Shiro for our meal; using chickpea powder, onions, garlic and a combination of spices. We also discussed the variations of stews, wots and the spices - including the flavorful berbere chili popular in Ethiopian cuisine. Tigist then walked us all through the preparation of Injera talking about the teff (the grain used), the fermentation, and the consistency for a perfect injera. We then each had the chance to make one ourselves - none of ours came our quite as good as Tigist's but we had a great time laughing at our attempts. When the meal was ready we sat around the table enjoying every single bite. It was absolutely delicious. As important as the great food, we had great conversation too. Daniel took his time to answer all of our questions, culinary, current events, history.....it was a wonderful exchange of culture over a delicious table of food. Following lunch, the coffee was washed roasted, pounded and prepare for us to enjoy. I just feel like we had a very unique and special opportunity to witness and join in the life of a family living in Addis - that have so generously opened their home to welcome 'strangers' curious of their food and culture. Daniel and his family made us feel completely welcome and I cannot thank them enough. Without a doubt it was a perfect day spent over the stove and the table. I look forward to another visit. David Lindsay"
"Daniel and his family welcomed us into there home warmly. We visited the market first to discover a variety of spices and other unfamiliar foods. Next we cooked a portion of our meal in Daniels home. You can participate as much or as little as you like. Once the meal was finished we ate in a traditional family style way. "
"Had a lovely time at Daniel's home meeting his wife and three sons. His wife taught me how to make shiro, and then we cooked a few injera breads together. Afterwards, we ate a beyaynetu and had a traditional coffee ceremony. The drive to Daniel's home is a good chance to see a local neighbourhood."
"Wonderful evening of food and friendship. Having booked a three-day layover in Addis Ababa, we began a search for what to do while there. We both love cooking, eating and meeting new people. The opportunity to help prepare and eat an authentic Ethiopian dinner in the home of a local family seemed perfect. We had no idea how perfect.
Daniel and Tigist and their three boys are wonderful hosts. Daniel and Tigist are very comfortable in English (as is their 12-year-old son), knowledgeable on a wide range of topics and, oh yeah, very good cooks. Over the course of the afternoon, we helped pour the batter and bake the injera, prepare the shiro (the base sauce for many dishes), then assemble it all for a dinner enjoyed from a common platter by hand.
After dinner, Tigist showed us how to wash, roast (on a charcoal burner) and grind (using a large mortar and pestle) raw sundried coffee beans. From these she prepared perfect cups of rich strong Ethiopian coffee. Our conversation over coffee then capped our perfect Ethiopian evening.
If you happen to be in Addis Ababa, this is an experience not to be missed."
"Having booked a three-day layover in Addis Ababa, we began a search for what to do while there. We both love cooking, eating and meeting new people. The opportunity to help prepare and eat an authentic Ethiopian dinner in the home of a local family seemed perfect. We had no idea how perfect. Daniel and Tigist and their three boys are wonderful hosts. Daniel and Tigist are very comfortable in English (as is their 12-year-old son), knowledgeable on a wide range of topics and, oh yeah, very good cooks. Over the course of the afternoon, we helped pour the batter and bake the injera, prepare the shiro (the base sauce for many dishes), then assemble it all for a dinner enjoyed from a common platter by hand. After dinner, Tigist showed us how to wash, roast (on a charcoal burner) and grind (using a large mortar and pestle) raw sundried coffee beans. From these she prepared perfect cups of rich strong Ethiopian coffee. Our conversation over coffee then capped our perfect Ethiopian evening. If you happen to be in Addis Ababa, this is an experience not to be missed."
"This experience truly made our Ethiopia trip special. We were so lucky to find this experience to include on our holiday. Tigist was a such a warm and helpful host. Not only did she patiently teach us how to cook Ethiopian food and teach us about the coffee ceremony, she went out of her way to help us to buy the groceries we wanted, to take back to India. The whole meal that Tigist had prepared was just amazing. Nothing beats a home cooked meal and this was by far the best food we ate while on our holiday. I would recommend this experience to everyone."
"This was one of the highlights of our time in Addis. Daniel and his family are incredibly nice and welcoming. The food was amazing, we learned a lot about the spices that are essential to Ethiopian cooking on the market tour, had a delicious lunch and lovely coffee ceremony. I would definitely do this again if I'm ever back in Addis. Support this wonderful family!"
"On a beautiful Saturday afternoon my boyfriend Jey and I had the pleasure to meet Daniel, his wonderful family and his business partner. As I was looking for a birthday gift to give to Jey, I came across the traveling spoon website and I immediately got excited. Jey loves to cook and even though we both live in Addis and love injera, we never make it ourselves. Its either at family or we go to restaurants, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to learn. The afternoon started with a relaxed market tour where you can find the freshest ingredients. The class already started there, because Daniel thought us a lot about the different herbs and what they're used for and the process of kotcho(fermented flatbread made form the banana tree). After the tour we went to Daniels cozy home where his wife Tigist and their three boys welcomed us. Tigist then took over and the cooking part started. She showed us how to make the base paste, which is the start of most of Ethiopian stews and sauces. Then we continued to make the Injera, this is more difficult than you think. We had a lot of fun, but we need more practice. We then started the coffee ceremony, meanwhile Tigist started to set the table for dinner. She had made a variety of sauces and vegetable dishes and every single bite was heavenly. Jey and I couldn't stop eating, we closed the afternoon/evening of with the delicious coffee and popcorn. Throughout the day we had good conversations with Daniel and Tigist in a very relaxed atmosphere. We went home happy and satisfied, we recommended all our friends to do this and we might do this again real soon!"
"Daniel's home is comfortable, clean, and homey and everything was great! The food was fresh and delicious. We'd eaten a week's worth of injera at many restaurants, including top rated trip advisor restaurants, and the flavor and freshness at Daniel's home was better than anything else, especially for the vegetable dishes. We were able to ask Daniel questions we had had to give up on with other Ethiopians because of language barriers - like about politics and history. The month before Easter in Ethiopia, everyone typically only eats vegetarian food so I actually hadn't had meat in days (weeks really) but Daniel and Tigist sourced some beef with some effort that was amazing! Additionally, we loved the coffee and popcorn, and the vegetables were the freshest and tastiest we had in Ethiopia. My favorite thing was talking to Daniel and Tigist, and playing with their incredibly adorable baby boy :)"
""It was a genuine and wonderful afternoon and night with Daniel and his family! We very much enjoyed his personal service and attendance to our individual family. It was so nice to visit a small market, prepare some of the food together with him and Tigist and eat the tasty food together. We have travelled a lot and to be received and hosted in the way Daniel did towards our family is truly rare. We had the chance to really experience authentic Ethiopia thanks to his family! Further, we got the opportunity to discuss political as well as social matters and all sorts of other issues with some one with great insight. We would absolutely recommend this experience to others!""
