Traditional Azerbaijani Cuisine Workshop

Overview

Available languages

English

5 hours

Mobile ticket

Due to its favorable geographical location, Azerbaijan has always been in the crossroads of cultures. This in return has always affected our local cuisine. At the same time, Azerbaijan has 9 out of 11 climate zones that provide suitable lands to grow different types of fruits and vegetables in the country. This cuisine is not only rich with delicious food variations, but also with sweets. Therefore, different parts of the country have its different food and dessert styles and tastes. The main intention of this tour is to deep dive into our culture and cuisine and provide you with an exquisite cooking class.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Dress code is casual

Not recommended for travelers with walking issues, as the apartment is located on the seventh floor of the building

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Exclusive souvenir postcard

Dinner

Small recipe journal

3-course lunch/dinner

Beverages

Coffee and/or Tea

Transport by private vehicle

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

We will go to a cozy apartment in the suburban area of Baku. Before we get to cooking, you will get to know the ingredients used, how to choose them and peculiar details of preparing original local dishes. Depending on your preferences, you will have three options to choose from: 1) plov with chicken or 2) vegetarian one with greens, plums and chestnut or 3) dolma (eggplants, tomatoes and bell peppers with stuffed red meat). You will also prepare the appetizer and kompot drink together with your friendly and professional chef. By the end of the tour, sit down with the family to drink delicious black Azerbaijan tea and sweet delights.

Sample Menu

starter

Beetroot salad with mayonnaise, garlic and walnuts

main

Plov or Dolma (eggplants, bell peppers and tomato with meat)

Plov: 1) Meaty option: served with chicken meat, chestnut and raisins 2) Vegetarian option: with greens, chestnut and raisins

dessert

Quymaq (pronounced as: gooi-makh)

Dessert made of flour, sugar and butter

Options

Vegetarian

Vegetarian menu: Vegetarian plov (entree meal), traditional salad, local dessert and "kompot" drink (made from fresh fruits).
Pickup included

Entree meal with meat

Entree includes chicken meat
Pickup included

Private Tour

Private: You can choose any specific time slot to start the workshop
Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

7 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Enjoyable and educational experience, followed by a wonderful meal.
K7197FYaaronp,
Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I did this workshop on my first day in Azerbaijan. What a wonderful introduction to the country as a whole - not only the cuisine, but the whole cultural experience. I got so much more out of it than just learning how to make local dishes. My guide Riad picked me up from my hotel and we went to the chef's place, Yeqanə, for the workshop. Yeqana was an absolutely lovely person who made me feel very welcome, not to mention a great chef and teacher! Riad was great too. He was there every step of the way to help translate, answer any questions I had, and basically giving me an overview about Azerbaijan as a whole. We made a variety of Azerbaijani dishes, all vegetarian as per my request, and everything turned out absolutely great. I'm looking forward to recreating some of these dishes for myself at home! We had an absolute feast after creating these dishes. I am fairly hands on, so I did a little of the chopping, mixing, etc. But I feel that if I only wanted to observe, that would have been ok too. I would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone interested in various cuisines. I had a wonderful time with wonderful company. I would also do this again to learn other dishes next time!!
Discovering Azerbaijan Through Food
Global45080529860,
Sep 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I joined this cooking class because I enjoy taking part in cooking workshops when I travel, and I saw it as a chance to discover the culture of Azerbaijan — a country that was new to me. The atmosphere was warm, friendly, and full of hospitality. An Azerbaijani mother led the cooking while I helped, and another staff member provided clear and fluent explanations in English. The whole experience felt relaxed, and I could naturally step in and out of the cooking process without pressure. We prepared plov with chicken and semi-dried fruits, as well as a beet-based salad — both everyday dishes in Azerbaijan. There’s also a traditional cold yogurt drink, but it was already prepared at that time. What stood out most was how much I learned about Azerbaijan beyond the kitchen. The staff shared insights about food, religion, history, neighboring countries, and music. Their kindness and fluency made me feel comfortable, even though my own English was limited. Above all, the mother’s warmth and hospitality were unforgettable. As a solo traveler, that rare and genuine connection became a highlight of my trip. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to understand Azerbaijan on a deeper level and experience a perspective beyond the typical tourist spots. The location is a bit outside the city, so even the journey there added to the memorable experience.
Cooking in the Caucasus
S9586KCchristinaf,
Jan 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I had a wonderful time with Vusal preparing a traditional beet salad and Dushbara. We also enjoyed a nice dessert and tea while having wonderful conversations. This was a nice experience.
A Great Local Meal, Cooking and Visiting with Two Great Hosts in Their Home.
Robert,
Jan 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Just an incredible experience!! I was the only patron, so they made me feel like a guest of honor at their home. The driver picked me up at my hotel in Baku. It was about a 30min drive to their house. Lots of traffic in Baku upon my return, so that took nearly 80-90mins to get back to the hotel. Ali the chef and his friend, I will call her Auntie, even though they were not related, were just the most gracious of hosts! Ali and I (mostly Ali) did all the prep and cooking of the dishes under some guidance from Auntie. It was a good 4-5 hours of cooking to make the entire 4-5 course meal with desert. During the cooking Ali explained all the details/ingredients of each dish. If you enjoy cooking, this is a must tour for you. You enjoy cooking, cutting onions etc. right in their kitchen. Their home is a local home outside yet still part of Baku area. It was beautiful and you really feel the experience of being at a local residents home and having a home cooked meal. Just amazing. Ali is a wonderful young man with a culinary degree who explains everything in a very simple yet detailed manner. Auntie throws in the older guidance of the dishes. She also made an amazing soup with chicken infused in dough balls for our 1st entree, just delicious. They truly made me feel like an honored guest and even a member of the family. After cooking, we all sat down and had a feast to eat. It was so delicious and one of the best meals of my trip. The local food we cooked was all just most scrumptious, very delicious, and an interesting combination of flavors. I highly recommend this tour whether you like cooking or not. You enjoy a great meal of local Azerbaijan dishes with two wonderful, people in their home. The experience is one I will cherish for life.
Great insight into Azerbaijani cooking
801danielaw,
Sep 11, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We were collected by cab to join Eltaj's friend and Eltaj's mum for a cooking experience his mum's house. This was a wonderful experience. Eltaj's friend, the cook, explained the procedure for each dish carefully and his mum served us with her wonderful Kompot. We learnt a lot from both of them about life in Azerbaijan. I think Eltaj should explain that his mum's flat is very far outside the centre of Baku. We also feel that the cost of that experience was very high.
Homey home cooked traditional meals!
Nhattan-TA,
Aug 2, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was an absolutely lovely experience with Chef Ali! I was picked up to head to the home of our host, where chef Ali guided me through the preparation of a vegetarian meal. I had limited time, so deeply appreciated the team for adapting the workshop to the 3 hours I had, but we still managed to make 3 fantastic vegetarian dishes!
Delicious and happy in Baku
seattleskiers,
Aug 1, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was an incredible experience! They picked us up right on time and communicated perfectly. We then met our amazing chef Ali in a cozy home setting. We had tea and then started cooking. We learned so much about history and how food played a role. We ended up staying longer having so much fun with our hosts. We would definitely recommend and the food was delicious!