Host offerings
Passionate about Georgian food, cooking and people, Dinara has been in the food industry for many years. Dinara learned to cook from her grandmother who was an excellent cook and continued to train in several restaurants. A former café owner, Dinara is a city guide who enjoys sharing the knowledge of her city and culture with travelers. Dinara says that being a Traveling Spoon host gives her the opportunity to combine her profession and her passion. Dinara lives with her husband, daughter and friendly dog in an apartment in Tbilisi. As a family Dinara, her husband and daughter love having guests over to share traditional Georgian food together. Dinara skillfully blends eastern and western cooking techniques to introduce you to traditional Georgian cuisine.
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) Meet your host Dinara at her Tbilisi apartment with a large dining table and open kitchen. Sip on a refreshing drink as your host shares stories about life in Georgia. Join your host at her dining table to enjoy a traditional Georgian meal. Your family-style meal includes dishes such as khachapuri (cheese and egg filled bread), a Georgian salad, khinkali (Georgian dumplings) or Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a garlic sauce) and pkhali (a dish of minced vegetables, nuts and herbs). Your meal will conclude with a Georgian dessert like matsoni, yoghurt with honey and nuts.
Cooking experience (1 - 12 guests) Join your host Dinara at her large open kitchen to learn to cook a traditional Georgian meal from recipes that have been passed down through generations of her family. Your hands-on cooking class involves learning to make 3 dishes made from scratch and will last about 2.5 hours. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing Georgian cuisine cooking before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with host Dinara. Dinara is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Tbilisi. She can also accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free in her Georgian cooking class.
Notes: Dinara can accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Please indicate your dietary restrictions, if any, when making your booking.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007ffaebb99568>
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.
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
Our hours spent with Dinara and her family in Tbilisi were delightful. The afternoon incorporated the two most important components of a great dining experience: delicious food and wonderful company. Dinara smiles easily and has a contagious laugh; we instantly felt at ease with her. We enjoyed learning a few cooking secrets and the fine Georgian art of making a successful toast. (Making at least one toast to Georgia’s success is essential, Dinara explained.) After the experience, Dinara was even kind enough to share copies of the recipes by email. We have a few dietary restrictions, but Dinara was easily able to accommodate them. (One of us eats a gluten-free diet, and both of us only eat poultry and fish.) Dinara taught us how to make eggplant filled with a walnut paste (garnished with pomegranate seeds); spinach and peppers filled with a walnut paste; Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a sour cream and garlic sauce); cheese rolls stuffed with a ricotta-like cheese and mint (garnished with pumpkin seeds), Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgia’s celebrated “cheese and egg bread boat”); Kakheti salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, Kakheti oil, Svaneti salt, basil, and walnuts; Georgian yogurt with walnuts, apricots, plums, and honey; and a fruit plate with pears, oranges, grapes, and peaches. Beverages included homemade feijoa fruit juice, as well as a semi-dry white wine from Georgia’s Kakheti region. Since we had been in Tbilisi for a few weeks prior to the experience, we had already tried some of these dishes. However, Dinara’s eggplant rolls were much more flavorful than the ones we had eaten in Tbilisi’s restaurants. The Shkmeruli chicken was also delightfully creamy. (Of note: the Khachapuri was not gluten-free, so we didn’t both eat it. Finding gluten-free flour in Tbilisi can be a challenging feat, but perhaps you could bring a bag of flour from home and see if it offers the right consistency for making Khachapuri.) The dishes were presented in an attractive fashion. Dinara set the table using vintage cutlery that belonged to her grandmother, pretty wine glasses, and attractive serving boards for the colorful pkhali and eggplant rolls. We got to Dinara’s apartment by using Tbilisi’s metro system, and it was easy. Her home is just a few minutes’ walk from the metro station. Finally, a review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention Dinara’s adorable dachshund, Bruno. He’s small, but he’s got a big personality. After the meal, ask Dinara if you can toss the ball to Bruno. You’ll be impressed by his jumping abilities. :)
Tricia and Shawn, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Home Meal | $60 | $50 | $45 |
| Cooking Experience + Meal | $75 | $65 | $50 |
| Alcohol | $15 per person | ||
| Transportation | $15 per car | ||
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| In-Home Meal | 12:00pm - 02:00pm | 7:00pm - 09:00pm |
| Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:00am - 02:00pm | 5:00pm - 09:00pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
