Marrakech: Moroccan cooking class with local Dada & lunch

Summary

Learn Moroccan recipes in Marrakech with a local cook and taste your creations

You’ll roll up your sleeves in a Marrakech riad kitchen, learn secret spice blends from a traditional Dada cook, visit a local bread oven and herbalist, then share your own tagine or couscous on a sunny terrace with Moroccan wine or tea. It’s one of those days you’ll remember long after you’ve left Morocco.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the kitchen to be so alive — thirty-something stations, all clattering and full of little bowls of spices I couldn’t name. The air upstairs in the riad was thick with cumin and something sweet, maybe cinnamon? Our guide, Youssef, grinned when he saw me sniffing around. “Wait until you try to grind it yourself,” he said. I laughed but honestly, I was nervous about messing up the bread dough. The Dada (that’s what they call the traditional cooks here) showed us how to knead it just right — her hands moved so fast, I almost missed the trick.

We wandered out for a bit to see where the real magic happens: the neighborhood bread oven. It’s tucked down an alley that smells like woodsmoke and mint from the herbalist next door. The baker gave us this shy nod as we peered inside; his hands were dusted white from flour. Back at our stations, we tried our hand at pastilla — layers of pastry with chicken and almonds — and I definitely overfilled mine but nobody seemed to mind. Li laughed when I tried to say “briouate” in Arabic — probably butchered it.

Lunch was on the terrace, sun spilling over blue tiles, everyone passing plates of couscous and tagine around like old friends even though we’d only met that morning. There was Moroccan wine if you wanted (I did), and mint tea poured high into little glasses that steamed up my camera lens. The Dada sat with us for a while, telling stories about her grandmother’s recipes. I still think about that view over Marrakech rooftops — smoky air, distant calls to prayer, everyone just quietly eating together for a minute before heading back out into the city.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Moroccan Culinary Experience

• Reception and introduction
• Moroccan bread making demo
• Visit bread oven and herbalist
• Cooking class with Dada
• Moroccan tea ceremony
• Tasting dishes and Moroccan wines
• Visit Moroccan culinary art museum

Top questions

Is this Moroccan cooking class in Marrakech suitable for beginners?

Yes, beginners are welcome and guided step by step by the Dada cook and interpreter.

Does the day trip include lunch?

Yes, you eat the dishes you prepare during the class as lunch on the terrace.

Are drinks included in this Marrakech cooking experience?

Bottled water is included; coffee or tea is served; Moroccan wine tasting is optional.

Is this cooking class wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas including transportation are wheelchair accessible.

Will we visit any local markets during this tour?

You’ll visit a neighborhood bread oven and herbalist shop for spices nearby.

How long does the cooking class last?

This is a half-day experience including all activities listed.

Are infants or small children allowed?

Yes, infants can join; specialized seats are available if needed.

What’s included

Your day includes bottled water throughout, coffee or tea during your meal on the terrace, all ingredients for your hands-on cooking session with a traditional Dada cook in Marrakech, plus lunch featuring your own creations — optionally paired with Moroccan wines before you head back out into the city.