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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Defne

Lisbon, Portugal

USD
$62-$124 per person

Portuguese cooking in Lisbon, influenced by various cultures

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

Meet Defne

Defne is a globe wanderer, and a nomad, her travels have taught her the value of connection, community, and empathy. Originally from Istanbul, she has a deep passion for exploring, discovering, and finding connections between cultures, food, people, places, and tastes. Join her on a mission to break down cultural barriers, one delicious bite at a time! Defne will be your culinary guide, helping you explore how Portuguese food connects different cultures and traditions. You'll learn not only about the timeless flavors of Portugal but also the rich stories behind the food and its connection with other cultures.

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: (1-7 guests) Join Defne in her beautiful apartment for a Portuguese culinary adventure. While researching Portuguese gastronomy, she discovered its commonalities with many other cultures that Portugal interacted with in the past, and infused their dishes, recipes and ingredients from around the world. Come savor the rich history of Portugal through this culinary journey with Defne. During your experience with her, you can expect to enjoy classic Portuguese dishes, each one having a story and a trace of history - from the Mediterranean and beyond. Enjoy a fresh, seasonal meal at Defne’s beautiful dining table in her living room or outdoors in the garden, when weather permits. A few dishes that you mish try are tremoços (pickled beans) and olives, salada de grão-de-bico (chickpea salad), caldeirada de peixe (fish stew) and arroz de doce (rice pudding). Your meal will be served with two glasses of Portuguese wine.

Please note Defne’s menu is seasonal and will change depending on the availability of local produce. If you have any preference, please let her know in advance.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Join Defne for a Portuguese cooking class in Lisbon and cook together three dishes from scratch. In your 1.5 hour hands-on class you will learn to make an appetizer, main dish and dessert. You can sip on your wine and watch Defne cook or don an apron and get your hands dirty, while you help her prepare a few Portuguese dishes. While you cook she will share stories behind the dishes, how they are cooked in other cultures, and will share lots of tips and tricks! End your Lisbon cooking class with some coffee and a taste of Ginjinha, a classic Portuguese liqueur from Lisbon.

Notes: Defne can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request. Please inform her in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, while booking your Lisbon cooking class online.

Languages spoken: English, Turkish, Portuguese

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.
  • Tremoços (pickled beans) and olives
  • Salada de grão-de-bico (chickpea salad)
  • Caldeirada de peixe (fish stew)
  • Arroz de doce (rice pudding)
  • Vinho verde (Portuguese wine)

Traveler reviews

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

$62-$124 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
$74 $66 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
$124 $100 $94
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$74 $66 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
$124 $100 $94
Alcohol
$0 per person
*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

Meet Defne

Defne is a globe wanderer, and a nomad, her travels have taught her the value of connection, community, and empathy. Originally from Istanbul, she has a deep passion for exploring, discovering, and finding connections between cultures, food, people, places, and tastes. Join her on a mission to break down cultural barriers, one delicious bite at a time! Defne will be your culinary guide, helping you explore how Portuguese food connects different cultures and traditions. You'll learn not only about the timeless flavors of Portugal but also the rich stories behind the food and its connection with other cultures.

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: (1-7 guests) Join Defne in her beautiful apartment for a Portuguese culinary adventure. While researching Portuguese gastronomy, she discovered its commonalities with many other cultures that Portugal interacted with in the past, and infused their dishes, recipes and ingredients from around the world. Come savor the rich history of Portugal through this culinary journey with Defne. During your experience with her, you can expect to enjoy classic Portuguese dishes, each one having a story and a trace of history - from the Mediterranean and beyond. Enjoy a fresh, seasonal meal at Defne’s beautiful dining table in her living room or outdoors in the garden, when weather permits. A few dishes that you mish try are tremoços (pickled beans) and olives, salada de grão-de-bico (chickpea salad), caldeirada de peixe (fish stew) and arroz de doce (rice pudding). Your meal will be served with two glasses of Portuguese wine.

Please note Defne’s menu is seasonal and will change depending on the availability of local produce. If you have any preference, please let her know in advance.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Join Defne for a Portuguese cooking class in Lisbon and cook together three dishes from scratch. In your 1.5 hour hands-on class you will learn to make an appetizer, main dish and dessert. You can sip on your wine and watch Defne cook or don an apron and get your hands dirty, while you help her prepare a few Portuguese dishes. While you cook she will share stories behind the dishes, how they are cooked in other cultures, and will share lots of tips and tricks! End your Lisbon cooking class with some coffee and a taste of Ginjinha, a classic Portuguese liqueur from Lisbon.

Notes: Defne can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request. Please inform her in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, while booking your Lisbon cooking class online.

Languages spoken: English, Turkish, Portuguese

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.
  • Tremoços (pickled beans) and olives
  • Salada de grão-de-bico (chickpea salad)
  • Caldeirada de peixe (fish stew)
  • Arroz de doce (rice pudding)
  • Vinho verde (Portuguese wine)

Traveler reviews

This is a new host who does not yet have any reviews. You can see reviews of our other Lisbon Traveling Spoon experiences on TripAdvisor:
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$74 $66 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
$124 $100 $94
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$74 $66 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
$124 $100 $94
Alcohol
$0 per person
*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
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.