Multi-generational Lebanese food experience in Beirut

Amal and her family were amazing hosts! We enjoyed our evening and the cooking and food 😊 with them a lot, the whole family is just adorable! Thank you a lot again for the great experience and all the best!

Amal and her family were really welcoming and amazing! My ten year old daughter wanted to take the class, and Amal was very patient with her. Amal’s parents, husband, Khalid, two daughters, and sisters were also there. We shared the meal together. After we ate, we were able to chat, and I learned a lot about the Lebanese culture. It was so fun and relaxing. It has been one of the best experiences of our trip so far!

Des cours de cuisine bien expliqués, un repas délicieux et copieux, mais surtout une famille chaleureuse, accueillante. En plus d’une expérience culinaire, ce fut une merveilleuse rencontre. Merci encore mille fois Amal pour cette fabuleuse et inoubliable journée ! ( well explained cooking course, a delicious meal and above all a warm, welcoming family. Thank you again Amal for this wonderful day !)

We were welcomed like old friends into Amal's family home where her father gave us a tour of the productive garden and his delightful traditional house in the hills just outside Beirut. We learned to make some delicious Lebanese dishes with Amal's mother showing us proper techniques, and wiled away the afternoon with conversation that gave new insights into Lebanese culture and politics. Thanks to all the family for a delightful and memorable experience.

I had no idea what to expect when I booked a private cooking class with Amal. She and her husband picked me up at my hotel and drove me to the lovely home of her parents. When we arrived I was greeted by Amal's parents like I was a long lost member of the family. I felt very comfortable from the start. We all sat down to get to know each other a bit. Amal's mother brought in freshly picked and squeezed pomegranate juice and plates of pickled vegetables. After some conversation Amal took me out to show me the extensive garden in the back. Her parents grow all the fruits and vegetables they serve to family and guests. They also make their own vinegar from the grapes. I was raised on Lebanese and Syrian food so I am familiar with many dishes. Amal taught me how to make "Kibbee Sayneya." She added a couple of ingredients that I had never thought to include. While Amal put the meat and vegetables through the grinder, her mom was busy making the stuffing for the kibbee. It was lovely to watch mother and daughter work together to create the dish.A couple of whole unpeeled eggplants were cooking on the stove while the kibbee was being prepared. Once the kibbee was assembled in the pan and put in the oven, she began preparing the now cooked eggplants for Mutabal also known as Baba Ghanouj. She skillfully peeled and mashed the eggplant by hand. Added garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and labna, along with salt and pepper to finish it off. Amal's mom then made the dough for "Maakaroun" cookies. They consist of a light dough, fried and then drenched with rose water sugar syrup (Attar). It was obvious she is a professional at mixing the dough and forming the cookies with her hands and the side of a grater. She was quick and each cookies was uniform with a pretty honeycomb like design. I was very impressed. Once the cookies were done, we all went into the dining room for lunch. The entire table was covered with appetizers, salads, main dishes, fresh and pickled vegetables, olives and bread. It was a feast for the eyes to see. Every dish was delicious, fresh and authentically Lebanese. Needless to say I wished I could have eaten more. Amal's adorable father kept serving me extra portions of his favorite foods. He offered and I accepted a couple glasses of Arak to go with the meal. Since I got full quickly and didn't get to try everything, Amal and her mother packed cookies and food for me to take back to my hotel. After the main meal we all sat down in another room to have dessert, coffee, tea and fresh fruits. Amal's father even peeled some freshly picked pink pomegranate for me to try. The Maakaroun cookies were delicious. I also got to meet Amal's daughters who are both attending university. We all had a wonderful time, sharing good conversation. I have never felt more welcomed than I did spending the afternoon with Amal and her family. Amal is a skillful cook who has a flair for teaching as she puts together a dish. I would recommend without reservation booking a private class with her. It will be an experience you won't forget. I am grateful I did it. Sahtein to those of you who do it in the future. My deepest heartfelt thank you to Amal and her entire family for a wonderful experience and very full stomach!

What I like most about traveling to new places is when I go with very high expectations and then enjoy those expectations being exceeded So, we arranged a dinner + cooking lessons with Amal in her family home. Location (just outside of Beirut) is perfect and it gives a lovely extra taste of Lebanon. Amal and her husband Khaled ensure maximum comfort by dropping us from and to our hotel. The house is amazing - literally a mini museum with lovely stories all over it (the workshop, the olive millstone, the ironwork, the photos...) The cherry on top is of course the magnificent garden where everything grows - even pomelo! And so the dinner table was full of healthy, organic ingredients. But the mini tour around the house/garden was just the beginning.We agreed to go with soup, tabouleh, home-made falafel, mtabal, raas asfour and the makaroon dessert. Needles to say the table was packed with plenty of other yummy dishes to try and there was no way to decide which one tasted better.Spending some time with Amal and her mother in the kitchen was so joyful! Now I know how to make a perfect tabouleh and I’ve learned to appreciate an effort behind a real falfel wrap - which tastes better than any burger in the world, I kid you not.I guess the most memorable moment from the cooking class was learning those small but all-important tricks about shaping the pieces of falafel/makaroon with the help of appropriate tools. And I could even do it properly The value of this activity and unreal food experience was multiplied with fantastic chat with Amal, her parents, husband and daughters. We learned so much about Lebanese culture and felt so good in the company of like-minded people who like to share stories and experience along with good food and a few drinks. This travel experience was second to none. Amal was such a great host and the value of this encounter by far exceeds anything massive tourism has to offer. Needless to say we will definitely come back!

"You have to eat the bean stew," Amal's father Amin told me. "After all, they are picked from what is YOUR garden now," he said. After picking me up in Beirut, driving up in the hills above the city, showing me around the wonderful vegetable garden, Amal and her mother showed me how to make the kibbeh paste, how to hollow out the ball of paste with my index finger, making the walls as thin as possible, and filling the shell with meat and closing it into the characteristic oval shape of the kibbeh. It was just one of many delicious dishes on the table in the large living room: Baba ganoush, hummus, fried potatoes, manakish, bean stew and deep fried cauliflower was also on the table. Not to forget the tabouleh with the important pomegranate ingredient. Most of all, I will always remember the generosity and warmth of the people, that from now on is my new Aramoun family!

Meeting the family and taking part of their cooking rituals was an unforgettable and unique experience. They all welcomed me and my mother as part of the family and we felt closer as ever to our Lebanese origins. We learned a lot from Mr. Amin's fertile garden, which proudly enough produces almost all greens and vegetables that the family consumes. We left the house plants, seeds, spices, homemade eggplant and with our hearts full of good memories! Every minute was priceless and I wish we had spent even more time talking to each one of them.

From the minute we met Amal and Khalid, we felt like old friends. They were kind, genuine and warm people. Meeting her parents and seeing their beautiful garden was an absolute joy. As a garden professional, I love seeing other people's gardens and the vegetable garden was beautiful. Amal and her mother are very giving and patient teachers. We learnt a lot... and ate a lot. We were told by Amal's father that we had to try everything at the table - and we ate so much, we could hardly walk! Everything was delicious and almost everything fresh from their garden. I was very excited to do a cooking class in Beirut as Lebanese food is one of our favourite types of food - and we definitely had ample choice as vegetarians - the whole meal was vegetarian. I realised part way through our time with Amal and her family that the food was secondary to the experience of spending time with this delightful family. Do not miss out on this cooking class - you will not be disappointed. In fact, you will gain a new family - as well as new cooking skills and ideas. We can't wait to see everyone again and hear about their life experiences - especially Amal's parents' overseas adventures.Thank you all for an unforgettable experience. Three cheers for Hummus Amin!!

I booked this experience looking for something to do in Lebanon durning the day with no real expectations other than a nice evening of cooking but this experience has exceeded every expectation i could have possibly had! The host amal was so sweet! I cant even put into words how kind her and her family are! Their energy was so positive and kind and loving! They make you feel happy and at home from the moment they greet you! Their home was lovely and everything was perfect, the food we made was easy but beyond delicious, the friend i brought along was not too experienced in cooking but found everything easy to do, i cook often but learned so much so the class was perfect for people on all levels, the dinner we had together was honestly one of the best meals i’v had in my life, i truly didnt want the experience to end, had a smile on my face all day! Would recommend this experience to anyone visiting Lebanon 100% ! Truly and from the bottom of my heart wish nothing but happiness for this beautiful family for giving me such a wonderful experience i will never in my life forget!

From being collected from our hotel by Amal and Khalid,we were then driven to her family home with her welcoming parents. We were shown and participated in making delicious,traditional Lebanese food. We felt like old friends and sat and ate with them chatting(when we could get Ali to be quiet!). We were shown around the amazing garden, where most of the produce had come from and were even given some treats to take home. Thank you all for such a wonderful time and I simply couldn't recommend it more.

My friends and I wandered the garden, eating fresh vegetables from the vine, then worked with Amal and her mom to make some traditional dishes. Our dishes met with things Amal and her family had prepared. Cured sour grapes, delicious chickpeas, and everything that tasted fresher than anything in the store. I can’t recommend this experience enough!!!!

This class was so special! It was lovely to meet Amal and her family, walk through their gorgeous garden, and make some yummy Lebanese dishes! We really enjoyed learning more about Amal's family, local culture, and Lebanese cuisine.

If you’re a foodie or just want to have an authentic and unforgettable experience you simply must do this. From the minute I was picked up at my b&b to being dropped back, I couldn’t quite believe how lucky I was to spend an evening with such lovely people. Amal and her family are super hospitable and immediately made me feel very welcome. Their home is a beautiful house and garden that have been in the family for generations and it was so lovely to be in this quiet village high up over Beirut. I just wouldn't have seen this part of the country any other way. Amal's Dad grows all their fruit, vegetables and herbs organically and very kindly gave me some to take away with me. The preparation of the food was a lot of fun, especially making the kibbeh and rolling the maakarouni! Amal and her Mum clearly love to cook and are experts in the kitchen. They gave me some great tips. The meal was a feast and the recipes so delicious I quickly realised that this was the first time I had ever tasted proper tabouli, mtabal/baba ganoush, kibbeh, labneh ... I also learned a great deal, not only about food but about local history and culture and the Lebanese outlook on life. It was a wonderful evening with wonderful people and wonderful tastes - the highlight of my first trip to Lebanon and easily one of the best experiences I've ever had on my travels.