Learn to make pasta like an Italian or haggle at the food markets of Spain – here are some of the best cooking classes to travel for.
1. Les Petits Farcis, Nice
Select from the bounty of sun-ripened Provençal fruit and vegetables at the Cours Saleya market, under the tutelage of food critic and cookbook author Rosa Jackson, and walk to her nearby 17th century apartment. Here, guests prepare and learn more about the history of Niçoise classics such as pissaladiere. www.petitsfarcis.com
2. Cass Abrahams, Cape Town
Cass Abrahams, a doyenne of local cuisine who has enriched the body of knowledge on Cape Malay cookery, presents classes in her home near Muizenberg, tracing the history and geography of ingredients like turmeric and ginger. She shares stories acquired over 45 years and teaches recipes more than 300 years old such as bredies and milk tart. www.capefusiontours.com
Read more about Cape Malay cooking and classes in Cape Town
3. Cook & Taste, Barcelona
Tucked in the side streets of the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic), local chefs unpack Spanish classics such as frittata and paella in a bright, funky space. Classes are suited to all ages, and kids take delight in blowtorching the sugar on crema Catalan. You can also take a tour of La Boqueria, one of Europe’s best food markets. www.cookandtaste.net
4. Enrica Rocca, Venice
Born into aristocracy, flamboyant Enrica Rocca enlivens Rialto market with her deep knowledge of the produce and rapport with bawdy vendors. Her hands-on classes are held a short walk away, in a modern apartment in her family’s palazzo, where guests enjoy an intimate glimpse of domestic Venetian life as homestyle dishes such as baked sea bass and squid ink risotto are prepared over wine and chatter. Classes also available in Cape Town. www.enricarocca.it
5. GalilEat, Israel
One of the most culinary diverse areas in Israel, Galilee (the land referenced in the Bible) comprises Jews, Arabs, Druze, Christians and others. Passionate ex-chef Paul Nirens guides cultural visits to the homes of Galilean Arab or Druze families to learn their cherished recipes such as painstakingly stuffed marrows and lamb kebabs. www.galileat.com
