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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Afaf and Ahmed

Amman, Jordan

USD
$70-$154 per person

Traditional Jordanian cooking in Amman with a local family

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Afaf and Ahmed

Ahmed has been working in the tourism industry for many years now, and in 2022 he started hosting cooking classes in his home, with his wife, Afaf. Afaf learned to cook from her mother and grandmother, and later received professional culinary training through a program facilitated by the USAID here in Jordan. Together they are so excited to share their food, culture and culinary traditions with travelers visiting Amman. Through this experience you can expect to learn about traditional Jordanian cooking while sharing customs, traditions, and stories inspired by their rich heritage.

What to expect

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: (1-8 guests) Ahmed, Afaf and their daughters, Reema and Jana will welcome you to their traditional home in Amman. You will be welcomed with Arabic coffee while they introduce you to the customs, traditions and way of life in Jordan. Later join the family at the dining table to enjoy a traditional Jordanian meal, prepared using family recipes passed down through generations. A few dishes that you might try are lentil soup, salad, hummus and maqlubeh (upside down chicken and rice) or mansaf (spiced lamb with rice and yogurt sauce) or musakhan (sumac chicken with onions and flatbread). For dessert you will be served harissah (coconut cake) or toffee pudding. And end your meal with some refreshing mint tea.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Don your apron and join Afaf in her home kitchen to learn to cook a traditional Jordanian meal. In your 2-hour hands-on Amman cooking class, learn to make a salad or hummus, main dish and dessert. Afaf speaks limited English, so Ahmed will be present to translate. She will introduce you to the ingredients and guide you through the step by step process of making the dishes that she learned to cook from her mother and grandmother. While you cook Ahmed will share some interesting facts on how these dishes became part of the their rich heritage, while Afaf will share some valuable tips and tricks. After cooking, prepare the table and join the family to share the meal you helped prepare.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) Ahmed will pick you up from your central Amman hotel and drive you to the popular vegetable market downtown. This is a market for fresh produce with some of the best vegetables and fruits in Amman. The produce is local, seasonal and affordable - you will find most of the locals prefer shopping here than in a supermarket. Take a stroll through the souk and enjoy the vibrant smells and the stalls filled with brightly colored, fresh fruits and vegetables, while listening to call of the vendors enticing you to their stalls. Enjoy the entertaining interactions with the vendors, who are friendly and warm, while you pick up a few ingredients for your cooking class.

Notes: Afaf and Ahmed can accommodate lactose free, gluten free and vegetarian meals, on request. Please advise them for your dietary restrictions and allergies while booking your Amman cooking class online. Your experience cost includes pick up and drop off from a central Amman hotel.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

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.
  • Appetizer: Lentil soup, salad and hummus
  • Main: Maqlubeh (upside down chicken and rice) or Mansaf (spiced lamb with rice and yogurt sauce) or Musakhan (sumac chicken with onions and flatbread)
  • Dessert: Harissah (coconut cake) or Toffee pudding
  • Drink: Mint tea and Arabic coffee
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Afaf and Ahmed

$70-$154 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $116 $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $108 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $154 $124 $116
Transportation
 $0 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $116 $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $108 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $154 $124 $116
Transportation
 $0 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Afaf and Ahmed

Ahmed has been working in the tourism industry for many years now, and in 2022 he started hosting cooking classes in his home, with his wife, Afaf. Afaf learned to cook from her mother and grandmother, and later received professional culinary training through a program facilitated by the USAID here in Jordan. Together they are so excited to share their food, culture and culinary traditions with travelers visiting Amman. Through this experience you can expect to learn about traditional Jordanian cooking while sharing customs, traditions, and stories inspired by their rich heritage.

What to expect

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: (1-8 guests) Ahmed, Afaf and their daughters, Reema and Jana will welcome you to their traditional home in Amman. You will be welcomed with Arabic coffee while they introduce you to the customs, traditions and way of life in Jordan. Later join the family at the dining table to enjoy a traditional Jordanian meal, prepared using family recipes passed down through generations. A few dishes that you might try are lentil soup, salad, hummus and maqlubeh (upside down chicken and rice) or mansaf (spiced lamb with rice and yogurt sauce) or musakhan (sumac chicken with onions and flatbread). For dessert you will be served harissah (coconut cake) or toffee pudding. And end your meal with some refreshing mint tea.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Don your apron and join Afaf in her home kitchen to learn to cook a traditional Jordanian meal. In your 2-hour hands-on Amman cooking class, learn to make a salad or hummus, main dish and dessert. Afaf speaks limited English, so Ahmed will be present to translate. She will introduce you to the ingredients and guide you through the step by step process of making the dishes that she learned to cook from her mother and grandmother. While you cook Ahmed will share some interesting facts on how these dishes became part of the their rich heritage, while Afaf will share some valuable tips and tricks. After cooking, prepare the table and join the family to share the meal you helped prepare.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) Ahmed will pick you up from your central Amman hotel and drive you to the popular vegetable market downtown. This is a market for fresh produce with some of the best vegetables and fruits in Amman. The produce is local, seasonal and affordable - you will find most of the locals prefer shopping here than in a supermarket. Take a stroll through the souk and enjoy the vibrant smells and the stalls filled with brightly colored, fresh fruits and vegetables, while listening to call of the vendors enticing you to their stalls. Enjoy the entertaining interactions with the vendors, who are friendly and warm, while you pick up a few ingredients for your cooking class.

Notes: Afaf and Ahmed can accommodate lactose free, gluten free and vegetarian meals, on request. Please advise them for your dietary restrictions and allergies while booking your Amman cooking class online. Your experience cost includes pick up and drop off from a central Amman hotel.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

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.
  • Appetizer: Lentil soup, salad and hummus
  • Main: Maqlubeh (upside down chicken and rice) or Mansaf (spiced lamb with rice and yogurt sauce) or Musakhan (sumac chicken with onions and flatbread)
  • Dessert: Harissah (coconut cake) or Toffee pudding
  • Drink: Mint tea and Arabic coffee
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $116 $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $108 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $154 $124 $116
Transportation
 $0 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $116 $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $108 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $154 $124 $116
Transportation
 $0 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

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.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.