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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Jacqueline

Los Angeles, CA, United States

USD
$174-$288 per person

Authentic Middle-eastern cuisine on the outskirts of Los Angeles

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

Meet Jacqueline

Jacqueline grew up in the Middle East watching her grandmother and mother cook every meal for the family from scratch. She has fond memories of helping her grandmother knead the dough as a child and of the delicious smells of her grandmother’s freshly baked pastries wafting through the kitchen. Jacqueline is of Lebanese origin, was born in Jordan, and lived in Palestine where food has important cultural and symbolic meanings that go beyond what is on the plate. She now lives with her husband and their 2 sons in America where she enjoys hosting friends and family for Middle Eastern-themed dinners. Jacqueline welcomes you with “ahlan wa sahlan” which means welcome. Hospitality and generosity are ingrained in Jacqueline's culture and she truly makes you feel like part of the family. Jacqueline says she loves living in Los Angeles because of the food, the people, and the weather! It was as she was helping her son with his food truck business that she realized her true passion was cooking and serving people. Jacqueline has been cooking for over 38 years and still loves to see how her food brings joy to people’s faces and enjoys interacting with guests from all over the world. Experience the warmth and generosity of the Jordanian culture without leaving LA.

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: (2-8 guests) Meet your host, Jacqueline, at her California home in the Canoga Park neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley in the greater Los Angeles area. Sip on a welcome drink of traditional Arabic arak or a non-alcoholic refreshing beverage as Jacqueline shares stories about her life in Southern California. Then, join her for a generous gourmet Middle Eastern dining experience. Over drinks at her dining table, experience Middle Eastern food, culture, and traditions. Learn about the history of Middle Eastern cuisine, its origins, and how Jacqueline infuses Californian produce with the flavors of cardamom, sumac, and za'atar.

Your four-course meal will include a couple of appetizers such as baba ghanoush, hummus or fattoush. For the main course, you might enjoy kabsah, a mouth-watering spiced chicken and rice dish, or mussakhan, a classic Palestinian dish of roast chicken served on flatbread that absorbs the flavorful roasting juices accented with allspice and sumac, or falafel if you are vegetarian. Your meal will conclude with a dessert of basboosah or Lebanese nights, and Arabic coffee with hints of cardamom or mint or chamomile herbal tea. Enjoy a positive atmosphere - laughing, learning, and maybe even belly dancing!

On days they are available, Jacqueline's husband George, her son Jacob, or Rajai may join you at the dining table. If you have a special dish you would like to learn about, please include your request when creating your reservation and Jacqueline will do her best to prepare it for you.

Cooking experience: (2-5 guests) Join your host, Jacqueline, in her kitchen and learn to transform Californian produce into an authentic Middle Eastern meal with spices like cumin, sumac, and za'atar that she brings back from her travels. Learn Middle Eastern recipes that have been passed down through generations of her family. Your hands-on cooking class (or cooking demonstration, if you prefer to just watch) will last approximately 2.5 hours. During your cooking lesson, you will learn to cook a four-course meal that includes two appetizers, one main dish, and a dessert from scratch. Appetizer options include hummus, baba ghannoush, foul muddamas, or fattoush. You will cook dishes such as shawarma, kabob, and shish tawook if you are a meat-lover, or falafel and manakeesh (savory pastries) if you are vegetarian. For dessert, Jacqueline can teach you how to prepare Middle Eastern desserts such as bassbosah and Lebanese nights. When you confirm your booking, Jacqueline will send you an email with the menu. The fresh, tasty, and unique dishes that you will cook and eat are prepared from recipes that locals in the Middle East use every day. Jacqueline will also share some of her best-kept secrets on how to prepare some of the most notable Middle Eastern foods. After cooking, enjoy your private meal over conversation with Jacqueline as she shares stories about Middle Eastern food and traditions.

Notes: Wine, beer, or arak are included in the cost of your experience. Please let Jacqueline know of any dietary preferences, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, when creating your reservation request. She is happy to accommodate and offers meals to fit those needs

Languages spoken: English, 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.
  • Baba ghannouj and Hummmus with Pita bread
  • Beef or Chicken Shawarma
  • Wine or arak
  • Arabic coffee or herbal tea
  • Bassbosah
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

THAT. WAS. INCREDIBLE! Jacqueline is the best, and I was there for almost 4 hours talking and cooking and meeting a truly special woman. My Traveling Spoon experience enjoying a Middle East feast with Jackie and her family was truly a magical experience. This is a woman who is living with all her stars out- full of adventure and interest in other people and experiences. She has lived everywhere from Amman to Bethlehem to Philadelphia and now LA, and we got to talk about much of her story as I watched her put the finishing touches on a beautiful array of Jordanian and Lebanese dishes. She also told me the stories of some of the dishes themselves, and was continually making connections between the ingredients she was adding to her homemade Baba Ghannouj or Musakhan (a Palestinian chicken dish with sumac and stewed onions) and the history of the countries she has called home. As Jackie dropped bay leaves into a pot, she told me how the bay leaf is a traditional symbol of peace. As I dipped a piece of bread first in a dish of honey-colored olive oil and then rolled it in za'atar, she taught me that because this dish is thought to be "brain food," Jordanian students eat it before exams in hopes it will give them an extra boost. Jackie is also just fun- greeting me with a glass of Arak, donning a belly-dancing skirt instead of an apron, and inviting me to join in the dance as we cooked. Once at the table, we were joined by her husband George and brother Jad, who were just as lively conversation partners as Jackie. Together we dove into a feast of Hummus, Fatoush, herbed Labneh with preserved lemon, and Baba Ghannouj for mezze. The main course was Musakhan with yogurt cucumber salad. As we ate, we talked about life and language, philosophy and career, family and travel, and by the time it was time for tea and Kunafah (a cheese pastry sprinkled with pistachios and drizzled with orange blossom syrup) in the garden, we had become fast friends. Another delightful component of the experience was George's garden, from which much of the produce for the meal was grown. It is a small, suburban garden, but with Jackie the seed procurer (she brought back seeds for most of the plants from the Middle East) and George the master gardener, it is wonderfully diverse. Figs, grapes, cucumbers, zucchini, lemons, and kumquats are just some of its offerings. George, who is perhaps less gregarious than Jackie but just as friendly, is a passionate gardener and showed me his plants with the same pride that he later showed me pictures of his grandsons. Jackie, before I had seen the full scope of her culinary skills, plucked a grape leaf from the vine and showed me how to roll fresh dolmas. By the end of dessert, I felt like a fully-welcomed new member of the family. I also felt full. Like, really really full. Full of life and gratitude for these kind of experiences and...well...I cannot emphasize enough...full of delicious food.

Martha, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Jacqueline went above and beyond our expectations. She was prepared for our cooking class visit and all dishes were precut with ingredients easily accessible. Her environment is clean and the food is so natural and healthy with all the herbs and lemons coming from her garden. This was a surprise day planned for my best friend's birthday an Jacqueline was accommodating with me bringing balloons, cake, and our favorite margaritas. Her mom even baked an orange cake as a surprise. We even had food left over which Jacqueline graciously provided styrofoam containers for. Portions are big and she is very giving so go hungry and don't be shy. It's well worth the money spent here, as we would have spent the same or more for these amount of appetizers in a nice restaurant. Healthy, authentic, and delicious!
- DGJ September 05, 2019
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Jacqueline

$174-$288 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
 Not offered $216 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $288 $270
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $216 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $288 $270
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm 5:30pm-8:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm 5:30pm-8:30pm

Meet Jacqueline

Jacqueline grew up in the Middle East watching her grandmother and mother cook every meal for the family from scratch. She has fond memories of helping her grandmother knead the dough as a child and of the delicious smells of her grandmother’s freshly baked pastries wafting through the kitchen. Jacqueline is of Lebanese origin, was born in Jordan, and lived in Palestine where food has important cultural and symbolic meanings that go beyond what is on the plate. She now lives with her husband and their 2 sons in America where she enjoys hosting friends and family for Middle Eastern-themed dinners. Jacqueline welcomes you with “ahlan wa sahlan” which means welcome. Hospitality and generosity are ingrained in Jacqueline's culture and she truly makes you feel like part of the family. Jacqueline says she loves living in Los Angeles because of the food, the people, and the weather! It was as she was helping her son with his food truck business that she realized her true passion was cooking and serving people. Jacqueline has been cooking for over 38 years and still loves to see how her food brings joy to people’s faces and enjoys interacting with guests from all over the world. Experience the warmth and generosity of the Jordanian culture without leaving LA.

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: (2-8 guests) Meet your host, Jacqueline, at her California home in the Canoga Park neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley in the greater Los Angeles area. Sip on a welcome drink of traditional Arabic arak or a non-alcoholic refreshing beverage as Jacqueline shares stories about her life in Southern California. Then, join her for a generous gourmet Middle Eastern dining experience. Over drinks at her dining table, experience Middle Eastern food, culture, and traditions. Learn about the history of Middle Eastern cuisine, its origins, and how Jacqueline infuses Californian produce with the flavors of cardamom, sumac, and za'atar.

Your four-course meal will include a couple of appetizers such as baba ghanoush, hummus or fattoush. For the main course, you might enjoy kabsah, a mouth-watering spiced chicken and rice dish, or mussakhan, a classic Palestinian dish of roast chicken served on flatbread that absorbs the flavorful roasting juices accented with allspice and sumac, or falafel if you are vegetarian. Your meal will conclude with a dessert of basboosah or Lebanese nights, and Arabic coffee with hints of cardamom or mint or chamomile herbal tea. Enjoy a positive atmosphere - laughing, learning, and maybe even belly dancing!

On days they are available, Jacqueline's husband George, her son Jacob, or Rajai may join you at the dining table. If you have a special dish you would like to learn about, please include your request when creating your reservation and Jacqueline will do her best to prepare it for you.

Cooking experience: (2-5 guests) Join your host, Jacqueline, in her kitchen and learn to transform Californian produce into an authentic Middle Eastern meal with spices like cumin, sumac, and za'atar that she brings back from her travels. Learn Middle Eastern recipes that have been passed down through generations of her family. Your hands-on cooking class (or cooking demonstration, if you prefer to just watch) will last approximately 2.5 hours. During your cooking lesson, you will learn to cook a four-course meal that includes two appetizers, one main dish, and a dessert from scratch. Appetizer options include hummus, baba ghannoush, foul muddamas, or fattoush. You will cook dishes such as shawarma, kabob, and shish tawook if you are a meat-lover, or falafel and manakeesh (savory pastries) if you are vegetarian. For dessert, Jacqueline can teach you how to prepare Middle Eastern desserts such as bassbosah and Lebanese nights. When you confirm your booking, Jacqueline will send you an email with the menu. The fresh, tasty, and unique dishes that you will cook and eat are prepared from recipes that locals in the Middle East use every day. Jacqueline will also share some of her best-kept secrets on how to prepare some of the most notable Middle Eastern foods. After cooking, enjoy your private meal over conversation with Jacqueline as she shares stories about Middle Eastern food and traditions.

Notes: Wine, beer, or arak are included in the cost of your experience. Please let Jacqueline know of any dietary preferences, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, when creating your reservation request. She is happy to accommodate and offers meals to fit those needs

Languages spoken: English, 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.
  • Baba ghannouj and Hummmus with Pita bread
  • Beef or Chicken Shawarma
  • Wine or arak
  • Arabic coffee or herbal tea
  • Bassbosah
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

THAT. WAS. INCREDIBLE! Jacqueline is the best, and I was there for almost 4 hours talking and cooking and meeting a truly special woman. My Traveling Spoon experience enjoying a Middle East feast with Jackie and her family was truly a magical experience. This is a woman who is living with all her stars out- full of adventure and interest in other people and experiences. She has lived everywhere from Amman to Bethlehem to Philadelphia and now LA, and we got to talk about much of her story as I watched her put the finishing touches on a beautiful array of Jordanian and Lebanese dishes. She also told me the stories of some of the dishes themselves, and was continually making connections between the ingredients she was adding to her homemade Baba Ghannouj or Musakhan (a Palestinian chicken dish with sumac and stewed onions) and the history of the countries she has called home. As Jackie dropped bay leaves into a pot, she told me how the bay leaf is a traditional symbol of peace. As I dipped a piece of bread first in a dish of honey-colored olive oil and then rolled it in za'atar, she taught me that because this dish is thought to be "brain food," Jordanian students eat it before exams in hopes it will give them an extra boost. Jackie is also just fun- greeting me with a glass of Arak, donning a belly-dancing skirt instead of an apron, and inviting me to join in the dance as we cooked. Once at the table, we were joined by her husband George and brother Jad, who were just as lively conversation partners as Jackie. Together we dove into a feast of Hummus, Fatoush, herbed Labneh with preserved lemon, and Baba Ghannouj for mezze. The main course was Musakhan with yogurt cucumber salad. As we ate, we talked about life and language, philosophy and career, family and travel, and by the time it was time for tea and Kunafah (a cheese pastry sprinkled with pistachios and drizzled with orange blossom syrup) in the garden, we had become fast friends. Another delightful component of the experience was George's garden, from which much of the produce for the meal was grown. It is a small, suburban garden, but with Jackie the seed procurer (she brought back seeds for most of the plants from the Middle East) and George the master gardener, it is wonderfully diverse. Figs, grapes, cucumbers, zucchini, lemons, and kumquats are just some of its offerings. George, who is perhaps less gregarious than Jackie but just as friendly, is a passionate gardener and showed me his plants with the same pride that he later showed me pictures of his grandsons. Jackie, before I had seen the full scope of her culinary skills, plucked a grape leaf from the vine and showed me how to roll fresh dolmas. By the end of dessert, I felt like a fully-welcomed new member of the family. I also felt full. Like, really really full. Full of life and gratitude for these kind of experiences and...well...I cannot emphasize enough...full of delicious food.

Martha, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Jacqueline went above and beyond our expectations. She was prepared for our cooking class visit and all dishes were precut with ingredients easily accessible. Her environment is clean and the food is so natural and healthy with all the herbs and lemons coming from her garden. This was a surprise day planned for my best friend's birthday an Jacqueline was accommodating with me bringing balloons, cake, and our favorite margaritas. Her mom even baked an orange cake as a surprise. We even had food left over which Jacqueline graciously provided styrofoam containers for. Portions are big and she is very giving so go hungry and don't be shy. It's well worth the money spent here, as we would have spent the same or more for these amount of appetizers in a nice restaurant. Healthy, authentic, and delicious!
- DGJ September 05, 2019
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $216 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $288 $270
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $216 $174
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $288 $270
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm 5:30pm-8:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm 5:30pm-8:30pm
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.