cooking holidays

i found out about on the menu at taste of london a few weekends back. i was aware of cooking schools but the concept of cooking on holiday was quite new to me. it sounds super fun and adventurous. flipping through the gorgeous brochure, i was immediately excited just thinking about learning from the locals in exotic destinations like marrakech in morocco, san miguel de allende in mexico, hoi an in vietnam, arezzo in tuscany and goa in india to name just a few. on the menu's ethos is to deliver "undaunting and hands on cooking" in lovely locations. the emphasis is on having fun. it's about shopping at local markets and cooking with fresh produce. about meeting new friends with the same passion for cooking and travel. and about soaking up a new culture through the lens of is cuisine. personally, i can't think of a more fun holiday!

i'm planning to take a cooking holiday to marrakech for four days in august. i would take the longer full week holiday to morroco that is also offered but work is unfortunately relentless and i won't be able to get away for that long on top of all the other little trips (croatia, amalfi coast) that i'd love to sneak in this year as well. we'll be staying at an exqusite small hotel located within the walls of the old medina in marrakech close to the bustling jemma el fna. cooking lessons are in the kasbah in the gardens by the pool. our teacher will be a traditional cook who is supposed to have hands of gold. she'll be sharing some secrets of moroccan cooking from how to make a flawless briouate dough to cooking the perfect couscous that defies gravity. we'll be cooking with fresh vegetables from the hotel's kitchen garden and eating under the olive and fig trees. there'll also be plenty of time to go shopping in town or laze in the hotel's sumptous hammam.

here's what's included in the four day weekend:
- 3 night luxury accomodation with breakfast daily
- 2 cooking lessons with a traditional moroccan cook
- lunch of what you've created after each session
- an escorted trip to the souk
- arrival and departure airport transfers

what your significant other can do if not taking the lessons with you:
- shop at the fascinating soukd for tagines, spices, carpets, cermacs and jewellry
- visit the museum of moroccan art
- spend a day trekking in the atlas foothills
- have massages and mud baths or just soak up the incredible atmosphere

can't wait to experience this holiday!