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Host: Hilena

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

USD
$50-$130 per person

Traditional Ethiopian meal in a local home in Addis Ababa

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

Meet Hilena

Hilena is a native of Addis Ababa, she has been cooking since her childhood and is an expert when it comes to traditional Ethiopian dishes, that she learned from her parents. For a few years she lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, where she learned to cook Arabic dishes as well. Apart from cooking, Hilena is also passionate about traveling and meeting people from different cultures and learning new languages. Currently she runs a guest house and loves to welcome travelers into her home, to share her food, stories, knowledge and culture – so that they can experience the Ethiopian way for life. Please note that Hilena is not very fluent in English, so her brother will be present throughout the experience to help translate.

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: (1-6 guests) Hilena will welcome you to her modest home for a traditional Ethiopian meal. She will be cooking dishes that she usually makes for her family at home. It will be a simple, home-cooked meal using family recipes and fresh ingredients. A few of the dishes you will be sharing at Hilena's dining table are beyaynetu (Ethiopian vegetable platter) or atkilt (Ethiopian cabbage and potatoes), shiro (Ethiopian chickpea stew), genfo (Ethiopian porridge) and anebabero (Ethiopian bread) or kita (unleavened bread). End your meal with some delicious Ethiopian coffee.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Learn to make two dishes from scratch in your Addis Ababa cooking class. The cooking class happens in Hilena's home kitchen and can take up to 2 hours. It is a hands-on cooking class where you will learn to make simple, traditional Ethiopian dishes, using family recipes. Learn to make shiro (Ethiopian chickpea stew) and anebabero (Ethiopian bread), using Hilena's tips and tricks. Please note the menu can vary depending on the season, so please feel free to check with your host what you will be cooking together.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) You will be visiting a local market called Haron, which a neighborhood market where all the locals shop. Meet your host at her home and then walk for 10 mins to arrive at the open, street side market. Here you will witness the everyday lives of locals while they shop for ingredients and bargain with vendors. You will find stalls selling grains, vegetables, fruits, live chicken, sheep, clothing etc. Walk through the market, learn about the produce that grows locally and buy a few ingredients, before you walk back to Hilena's home for your cooking and meal experience.

Notes: Hilena runs a guest house, so while there may be other travelers present, your Traveling Spoon cooking class will be private. Also, Hilena's home is in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, in Sansusi, about 20 km from the airport. Since public transportation is not very convenient and there are no clear postal addresses in Ethiopia, Hilena prefers arranging transportation for you. If you would like this option please select "Yes" to transportation in the booking form, and a hotel pick up and drop off will be arranged at an additional cost.

Hilena can offer a vegetarian meal on request, so please let her know in advance while booking your Ethiopian cooking class in Addis Ababa online.

Languages spoken: English and Arabic

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.
  • Beyaynetu (vegetable platter) or Atkilt (cabbage and potatoes)
  • Shiro (chickpea stew)
  • Genfo (porridge)
  • Anebabero (Ethiopian bread) or Kita (unleavened bread)

Traveler reviews

This is a new host who does not yet have any reviews. You can see reviews of our other Addis Ababa Traveling Spoon experiences on TripAdvisor:
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Hilena

$50-$130 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • No waiting! Booking confirmed instantly
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $58 $50
Cooking Experience + Meal
$98 $90 $80
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
$130 $104 $98
Transportation
$64 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $58 $50
Cooking Experience + Meal
$98 $90 $80
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
$130 $104 $98
Transportation
$64 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:30am-1:30pm 4:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Hilena

Hilena is a native of Addis Ababa, she has been cooking since her childhood and is an expert when it comes to traditional Ethiopian dishes, that she learned from her parents. For a few years she lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, where she learned to cook Arabic dishes as well. Apart from cooking, Hilena is also passionate about traveling and meeting people from different cultures and learning new languages. Currently she runs a guest house and loves to welcome travelers into her home, to share her food, stories, knowledge and culture – so that they can experience the Ethiopian way for life. Please note that Hilena is not very fluent in English, so her brother will be present throughout the experience to help translate.

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: (1-6 guests) Hilena will welcome you to her modest home for a traditional Ethiopian meal. She will be cooking dishes that she usually makes for her family at home. It will be a simple, home-cooked meal using family recipes and fresh ingredients. A few of the dishes you will be sharing at Hilena's dining table are beyaynetu (Ethiopian vegetable platter) or atkilt (Ethiopian cabbage and potatoes), shiro (Ethiopian chickpea stew), genfo (Ethiopian porridge) and anebabero (Ethiopian bread) or kita (unleavened bread). End your meal with some delicious Ethiopian coffee.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Learn to make two dishes from scratch in your Addis Ababa cooking class. The cooking class happens in Hilena's home kitchen and can take up to 2 hours. It is a hands-on cooking class where you will learn to make simple, traditional Ethiopian dishes, using family recipes. Learn to make shiro (Ethiopian chickpea stew) and anebabero (Ethiopian bread), using Hilena's tips and tricks. Please note the menu can vary depending on the season, so please feel free to check with your host what you will be cooking together.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) You will be visiting a local market called Haron, which a neighborhood market where all the locals shop. Meet your host at her home and then walk for 10 mins to arrive at the open, street side market. Here you will witness the everyday lives of locals while they shop for ingredients and bargain with vendors. You will find stalls selling grains, vegetables, fruits, live chicken, sheep, clothing etc. Walk through the market, learn about the produce that grows locally and buy a few ingredients, before you walk back to Hilena's home for your cooking and meal experience.

Notes: Hilena runs a guest house, so while there may be other travelers present, your Traveling Spoon cooking class will be private. Also, Hilena's home is in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, in Sansusi, about 20 km from the airport. Since public transportation is not very convenient and there are no clear postal addresses in Ethiopia, Hilena prefers arranging transportation for you. If you would like this option please select "Yes" to transportation in the booking form, and a hotel pick up and drop off will be arranged at an additional cost.

Hilena can offer a vegetarian meal on request, so please let her know in advance while booking your Ethiopian cooking class in Addis Ababa online.

Languages spoken: English and Arabic

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.
  • Beyaynetu (vegetable platter) or Atkilt (cabbage and potatoes)
  • Shiro (chickpea stew)
  • Genfo (porridge)
  • Anebabero (Ethiopian bread) or Kita (unleavened bread)

Traveler reviews

This is a new host who does not yet have any reviews. You can see reviews of our other Addis Ababa Traveling Spoon experiences on TripAdvisor:
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $58 $50
Cooking Experience + Meal
$98 $90 $80
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
$130 $104 $98
Transportation
$64 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $58 $50
Cooking Experience + Meal
$98 $90 $80
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
$130 $104 $98
Transportation
$64 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:30am-1:30pm 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.