Yerevan Private Cooking Class: Learn Traditional Armenian Dishes

Manya's family joins you for the meal you cook together in her home.

A private cooking class in a local Yerevan home where you learn to prepare 2–3 traditional Armenian dishes from family recipes, then share the meal with your host Manya and her family. The experience includes round-trip hotel transfers and local wine. A market tour option lets you shop with Manya at a neighborhood farmers market before heading to her kitchen.

The experience

You'll spend three hours in Manya's residential kitchen in Kotayk, a Yerevan neighborhood, learning to make a salad or side dish, a main course, and a dessert using family recipes passed down through generations. Manya is a chef, environmentalist, and kitchen furniture designer who teaches hands-on: you're cooking alongside her, not watching a demonstration. The menu shifts with the season and your preferences. You might prepare khashlama (lamb stew), khorovats (barbecued Armenian kebab), or harissa (wheat mixed with meat), paired with fried eggs and tomatoes or grilled vegetables, and finished with fresh fruit, homemade jam, or pahlava. Local wine is included.

If you book the market option, the experience starts at Nor Nork Farmers Market, where Manya walks you through the produce, herbs, and spices that define Armenian cooking and introduces you to her favorite vendors. You'll buy a few ingredients together, then drive about five to seven minutes to her home to begin cooking. Without the market add-on, you go straight to the kitchen. Either way, after cooking, you sit down with Manya, her husband Eduard, their son Vazgen, and her parents Saharuni and Larisa (whoever is home that day) to eat the food you've made.

Round-trip transfers from your Yerevan hotel are included. Manya speaks English and Russian. Vegetarian options and any dietary restrictions can be arranged in advance.

What’s included

• A hands-on cooking lesson where you prepare 2–3 traditional Armenian dishes in Manya's home kitchen.
• local wine.
• the meal you cook together, shared with Manya's family.
• round-trip hotel transfers from your Yerevan accommodation.
• a guided tour of Nor Nork Farmers Market and ingredient shopping (if you choose the market option).

Options for this experience

4 options

Cooking+Dinner+Alc+RTTGuide in English or Russian · 18:00includes pickup

Cooking+Lunch+Alc+RTTGuide in English or Russian · 11:00includes pickup

Mrkt+Cook+Lunch+Alc+RTTGuide in English or Russian · 10:00includes pickup

Mrkt+Cook+Dinner+Alc+RTTGuide in English or Russian · 17:00includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 11:00, 17:00 and 18:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Book the market option if you want to understand where Armenian ingredients come from and meet local vendors before you cook. Skip it if you'd rather spend the full three hours in the kitchen and go straight to cooking when you arrive.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What dishes will I learn to cook in Manya's kitchen?

You'll prepare a salad or side dish, a main course, and a dessert using family recipes. Main options include khashlama (lamb stew), khorovats (barbecued Armenian kebab), or harissa (wheat with meat and spices), paired with sides like fried eggs with tomatoes and peppers or grilled vegetables, and finished with fresh or dried fruit, homemade jam, or pahlava.

Does the cooking class include a visit to the market?

A market tour is available as an add-on option. If you choose it, you'll start at Nor Nork Farmers Market with Manya to learn about local produce and spices, meet her favorite vendors, and buy ingredients together before heading to her home for the cooking lesson.

Will I eat the food I cook, or is it just a lesson?

You eat the meal you prepare. After cooking, you sit down with Manya and her family (her husband, son, and parents, when they're home), to share the dishes you've made together.

What's included in the price?

The cooking class includes the hands-on lesson in Manya's kitchen, local wine, your meal afterward, and round-trip hotel transfers from your Yerevan accommodation. If you book the market option, the guided tour of the farmers market is included as well.

Can I request vegetarian dishes or accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes. Vegetarian options are available, and Manya can adjust the menu for any allergies or dietary preferences if you let her know when you book.