Free cancellation
Galilean Cooking Workshop
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
A Galileat cooking workshop that allows you to learn about the cultures of the Galilee region through cooking with your hosts, in their kitchen. It is fun, informative and very tasty. There is no better way to experience a slice of village life in the Galilee, whilst learning to cook great new dishes. You will arrive home having met a real family in the Galilee, learned a little of their culture and food and seen a side of Israel that you would otherwise not have been able to see.
Inclusions
What's included
- Local guide
- Lunch
What's not
- Gratuities
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 527
- 41
- 30
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 28 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Highlight of our trip
We absolutely loved our Druze cooking experience with Galileat. Paul was a wonderful guide, so helpful and easy to talk to. Our hosts, Wajid and Amira, welcomed us into their home and immediately made us feel comfortable. We cooked an incredible vegetarian meal together, but what made the experience truly special was learning about Druze culture and having the chance to ask questions and talk openly. The food was delicious, the hospitality was amazing, and the whole experience felt warm, personal and authentic. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and I highly recommend it!
5Highlight of our vacation in Israel
Our reaction to the cooking workshop with a Druze couple echoes that of other reviewers. We were graciously and warmly welcomed and began with a discussion of Druze culture and religion. Next we donned aprons and set about preparing a multi-course dinner. We were two couples and needed to avoid various ingredients (including sesame and garlic) due to food intolerances. Our hosts did a fabulous job accommodating our requirements—better and more cheerfully than most restaurants. We’re looking forward to receiving the recipes so that we can prepare these dishes for friends back in the U.S. Both the food and the cultural exchange were highlights of our Israel vacation. The views from our hosts’ home were to die for.
5A truly special and memorable experience—and my favorite meal in Israel!
I cannot recommend GalilEat strongly enough! Our guide, the excellent Baruch of Touring With Baruch, suggested that we do an Arabic cooking class while on our trip. To be honest, I’m not sure I would have gone for this if not for the fact that my mom, who was on this trip to Israel, did something similar when she visited India and said it was a fabulous experience. I really value eating well when I travel, and I love visiting restaurants. So to do this home cooking class meant not going to a restaurant one night. Well thank goodness we did this home cooking class! Because, as it turns out, it was my favorite meal in Israel. More importantly, it was a beautiful experience of the profound joy that is making new friends in other countries, and a reminder that language barriers and geographical distance are no match against everyone’s common humanity. How it worked: Baruch drove us to the home we were visiting, which was the home of a lovely woman named Pnina. There, we also met up with Paul, who owns and runs GalilEat. When we arrived, we visited in Pnina’s living room and asked her questions about her life in Israel and her Druze faith. Paul functioned as the translator. My family and I knew nothing about the Druze, and it was utterly fascinating to learn about their long-ago break from the Muslim faith, their history across time, and their lives in modern-day Israel. Pnina happily fielded or questions, answering all of them, and Paul was the ever-ready middleman, making the conversation feel natural and seamless. Pnina also asked some questions about us, which we were just as happy to answer. Eventually, we moved into Pnina’s kitchen, quite literally rolled up our sleeves, and got cooking! In advance of our arrival, she made the more labor-intensive and time-consuming dishes of our dinner. We helped her with a salad, an appetizer, and this crazy delicious bread that I’m still thinking about. At some point prior to our trip, I mentioned to Baruch that I’d recently been introduced to the wondrous dessert that is knafeh. He asked Paul if we might be able to make knafeh, and Pnina very graciously granted this request! I was blown away by everyone’s kindness and flexibility, as it was so much fun to make fresh knafeh (and oh my goodness was it good). In time, dinner was ready, and all of us—Pnina, Paul, Baruch, my six family members, and I—gathered in Pnina’s dining room and broke bread together. It was so special to share in a meal with strangers-turned-friends. We had lively conversation, and Paul always took care to translate to Pnina so she could remain just as engaged as the rest of us. And, as I said, the food was phenomenal. All in all, this was way better than a restaurant! It was a way more personal experience than any restaurant, no matter how great their food, could have ever offered. I will never travel overseas again without scheduling a similar home cooking experience whenever possible. It’s such a unique and fun way to learn about a country, its people, its culture. It’s a truly immersive experience, and one that comes with the bonus of incredible food. I enthusiastically recommend an evening with GalilEats—it’ll be among your most memorable experiences on your trip to Israel.
5Wonderful cooking class / experience
Wonderful authentic experience learning to cook traditional food at a locals home. Defiantly worth the visit! Food was fabulous and experience was not to be forgotten
5Learning about cooking, culture and history from a Druze family
A spectacular experience. My wife and I spent an evening with a Druze couple, learning about both culture and cuisine in their house. The only thing more amazing than the delicious food was the experience of connecting with them, with Paul as our guide. It was one of the most memorable parts of our trip to the Middle East.
5Amazing Druze workshop and mea!
The most amazing experience ever!! Pnina is the kindest, and most wonderful host and chef. She taught us to create delicious Druze dishes, which we were able to enjoy at her table. Paul was great at translating and explaining what we would be doing at the workshop and the background of Druze culture and cuisine. Thank you for letting us experience and enjoy this workshop and meal. It was the highlight of our tour and we encourage all visitors to book this workshop. Thank you, Paul and Pnina, for sharing these recipes with us.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- We meet according to where you will be doing the activity, as we have 8 places throughout the Galilee
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Galileat
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A minimum of 4 people per booking is required
- Child rate, 3-10 y.o. Age 11+ Adult.
- Infants less than three years old, no charge
How it compares in Tiberias
- Its from-price is 60% below the median of the 28 experiences we list in Tiberias.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 28.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Tiberias
Tiberias is a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, with hot springs, ancient synagogue mosaics and a lakeside promenade.
Tiberias was founded around 20 AD by Herod Antipas and named for the Roman emperor Tiberius, and after the destruction of Jerusalem it became a centre of Jewish learning. It is counted among the four holy cities of Judaism, and the tombs of the philosopher Maimonides and Rabbi Akiva are among the sites visitors seek out. The town lies roughly 200 metres below sea level on the western shore of the lake.
