Cookies! They are not just something we eat. This site uses cookies so we can provide you the best user experience and deliver advertising and offers that are relevant to you. To read more about our cookie policy, including how to change your cookie settings, please read our Privacy and Cookie Policy. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our cookie policy.
I accept
VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Dinara

Tbilisi, Georgia

USD
$74-$124 per person

Learn to make khachapuri with a Tbilisi food and city expert

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

Meet Dinara

Passionate about Georgian food, cooking and people, Dinara has been in the food industry for many years. Dinara learned to cook from her grandmother who was an excellent cook and continued to train in several restaurants. A former café owner, Dinara is a city guide who enjoys sharing the knowledge of her city and culture with travelers. Dinara says that being a Traveling Spoon host gives her the opportunity to combine her profession and her passion. Dinara lives with her husband, daughter and friendly dog in an apartment in Tbilisi. As a family Dinara, her husband and daughter love having guests over to share traditional Georgian food together. Dinara skillfully blends eastern and western cooking techniques to introduce you to traditional Georgian cuisine.

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: (1-12 guests) Meet your host Dinara at her Tbilisi apartment with a large dining table and open kitchen. Sip on a refreshing drink as your host shares stories about life in Georgia. Join your host at her dining table to enjoy a traditional Georgian meal. Your family-style meal includes dishes such as khachapuri (cheese and egg filled bread), a Georgian salad, khinkali (Georgian dumplings) or Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a garlic sauce) and pkhali (a dish of minced vegetables, nuts and herbs). Your meal will conclude with a Georgian dessert like matsoni, yoghurt with honey and nuts.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Join your host Dinara at her large open kitchen to learn to cook a traditional Georgian meal from recipes that have been passed down through generations of her family. Your hands-on cooking class involves learning to make 3 dishes made from scratch and will last about 2.5 hours. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing Georgian cuisine cooking before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with host Dinara. Dinara is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Tbilisi. She can also accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free in her Georgian cooking class.

Notes: Dinara can accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Please indicate your dietary restrictions, if any, when making your booking.

Languages spoken: English, Russian

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.
  • Khachapuri (traditional bread topped with cheese)
  • Salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and nuts in a vinaigrette
  • Khinkali (dumplings) or shkmeruli, fried chicken in a milk and garlic sauce
  • Pkhali (a dish of minced vegetables, nuts and herbs)
  • Matsoni, Georgian yoghurt with nuts and honey
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Our hours spent with Dinara and her family in Tbilisi were delightful. The afternoon incorporated the two most important components of a great dining experience: delicious food and wonderful company. Dinara smiles easily and has a contagious laugh; we instantly felt at ease with her. We enjoyed learning a few cooking secrets and the fine Georgian art of making a successful toast. (Making at least one toast to Georgia’s success is essential, Dinara explained.) After the experience, Dinara was even kind enough to share copies of the recipes by email. We have a few dietary restrictions, but Dinara was easily able to accommodate them. (One of us eats a gluten-free diet, and both of us only eat poultry and fish.) Dinara taught us how to make eggplant filled with a walnut paste (garnished with pomegranate seeds); spinach and peppers filled with a walnut paste; Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a sour cream and garlic sauce); cheese rolls stuffed with a ricotta-like cheese and mint (garnished with pumpkin seeds), Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgia’s celebrated “cheese and egg bread boat”); Kakheti salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, Kakheti oil, Svaneti salt, basil, and walnuts; Georgian yogurt with walnuts, apricots, plums, and honey; and a fruit plate with pears, oranges, grapes, and peaches. Beverages included homemade feijoa fruit juice, as well as a semi-dry white wine from Georgia’s Kakheti region. Since we had been in Tbilisi for a few weeks prior to the experience, we had already tried some of these dishes. However, Dinara’s eggplant rolls were much more flavorful than the ones we had eaten in Tbilisi’s restaurants. The Shkmeruli chicken was also delightfully creamy. (Of note: the Khachapuri was not gluten-free, so we didn’t both eat it. Finding gluten-free flour in Tbilisi can be a challenging feat, but perhaps you could bring a bag of flour from home and see if it offers the right consistency for making Khachapuri.) The dishes were presented in an attractive fashion. Dinara set the table using vintage cutlery that belonged to her grandmother, pretty wine glasses, and attractive serving boards for the colorful pkhali and eggplant rolls. We got to Dinara’s apartment by using Tbilisi’s metro system, and it was easy. Her home is just a few minutes’ walk from the metro station. Finally, a review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention Dinara’s adorable dachshund, Bruno. He’s small, but he’s got a big personality. After the meal, ask Dinara if you can toss the ball to Bruno. You’ll be impressed by his jumping abilities. :)

Tricia and Shawn, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (3)
For us, it was really a pleasure and exciting to do this class with Dinara in Tbilisi. We had nice and funny conversations, so we felt very welcomed at her nice home. In the beginning we could taste some awesome georgian cheese with really good dry red saperavi wine. We made some Kinkhali, Salad und Chakhokhbili. She told us a lot of her cooking secrets and the taste was amazing. We definitely can recommend this to everbody, who loves delicious and authentic kitchens.
- Manolo October 04, 2022
Dinara was wonderful since the moment we booked the experience. We were welcomed with wine and delicious homemade chips; we always felt comfy and at home. We chose to learn how to make khinkali and she was super patient the whole time. Dinara guides you every step of the way and explains to you why things are made the way they are made. I also have to mention she’s very knowledgeable about Georgian culture and will share it with you. Everything we made was delicious, and she even gave us some Georgian candy/dessert and a bottle of wine for us to take home. And her dogs are adorable! So playful and cute, they made the experience even better. I will remember this experience with much love!
- Nomad December 29, 2021
Dinara's class was relaxed, fun, and very interesting. We decided to learn how to make khinkali instead of khachapuri, and thanks to Dinara's patience and teaching skills, we were able to make beautiful and tasty khinkali! We also learned how to make several other Georgian dishes and learned a lot about Georgian food, history, and culture. Easily my favorite part of my trip to Tbilisi, only wish I had time to take more of her classes! Highly recommended!
- sully_08 December 28, 2021
058a9fc2 3704 4a58 bb28 170615a1f4f4

Dinara

$74-$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
 $100 $84 $74
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $110 $84
Alcohol
 $24 per person
Transportation
 $26 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $100 $84 $74
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $110 $84
Alcohol
 $24 per person
Transportation
 $26 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Dinara

Passionate about Georgian food, cooking and people, Dinara has been in the food industry for many years. Dinara learned to cook from her grandmother who was an excellent cook and continued to train in several restaurants. A former café owner, Dinara is a city guide who enjoys sharing the knowledge of her city and culture with travelers. Dinara says that being a Traveling Spoon host gives her the opportunity to combine her profession and her passion. Dinara lives with her husband, daughter and friendly dog in an apartment in Tbilisi. As a family Dinara, her husband and daughter love having guests over to share traditional Georgian food together. Dinara skillfully blends eastern and western cooking techniques to introduce you to traditional Georgian cuisine.

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: (1-12 guests) Meet your host Dinara at her Tbilisi apartment with a large dining table and open kitchen. Sip on a refreshing drink as your host shares stories about life in Georgia. Join your host at her dining table to enjoy a traditional Georgian meal. Your family-style meal includes dishes such as khachapuri (cheese and egg filled bread), a Georgian salad, khinkali (Georgian dumplings) or Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a garlic sauce) and pkhali (a dish of minced vegetables, nuts and herbs). Your meal will conclude with a Georgian dessert like matsoni, yoghurt with honey and nuts.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Join your host Dinara at her large open kitchen to learn to cook a traditional Georgian meal from recipes that have been passed down through generations of her family. Your hands-on cooking class involves learning to make 3 dishes made from scratch and will last about 2.5 hours. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing Georgian cuisine cooking before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with host Dinara. Dinara is excited to share her culture through food and offer an authentic/traditional cooking class in Tbilisi. She can also accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free in her Georgian cooking class.

Notes: Dinara can accommodate dietary requests like vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Please indicate your dietary restrictions, if any, when making your booking.

Languages spoken: English, Russian

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.
  • Khachapuri (traditional bread topped with cheese)
  • Salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and nuts in a vinaigrette
  • Khinkali (dumplings) or shkmeruli, fried chicken in a milk and garlic sauce
  • Pkhali (a dish of minced vegetables, nuts and herbs)
  • Matsoni, Georgian yoghurt with nuts and honey
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Our hours spent with Dinara and her family in Tbilisi were delightful. The afternoon incorporated the two most important components of a great dining experience: delicious food and wonderful company. Dinara smiles easily and has a contagious laugh; we instantly felt at ease with her. We enjoyed learning a few cooking secrets and the fine Georgian art of making a successful toast. (Making at least one toast to Georgia’s success is essential, Dinara explained.) After the experience, Dinara was even kind enough to share copies of the recipes by email. We have a few dietary restrictions, but Dinara was easily able to accommodate them. (One of us eats a gluten-free diet, and both of us only eat poultry and fish.) Dinara taught us how to make eggplant filled with a walnut paste (garnished with pomegranate seeds); spinach and peppers filled with a walnut paste; Shkmeruli (fried chicken in a sour cream and garlic sauce); cheese rolls stuffed with a ricotta-like cheese and mint (garnished with pumpkin seeds), Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgia’s celebrated “cheese and egg bread boat”); Kakheti salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, Kakheti oil, Svaneti salt, basil, and walnuts; Georgian yogurt with walnuts, apricots, plums, and honey; and a fruit plate with pears, oranges, grapes, and peaches. Beverages included homemade feijoa fruit juice, as well as a semi-dry white wine from Georgia’s Kakheti region. Since we had been in Tbilisi for a few weeks prior to the experience, we had already tried some of these dishes. However, Dinara’s eggplant rolls were much more flavorful than the ones we had eaten in Tbilisi’s restaurants. The Shkmeruli chicken was also delightfully creamy. (Of note: the Khachapuri was not gluten-free, so we didn’t both eat it. Finding gluten-free flour in Tbilisi can be a challenging feat, but perhaps you could bring a bag of flour from home and see if it offers the right consistency for making Khachapuri.) The dishes were presented in an attractive fashion. Dinara set the table using vintage cutlery that belonged to her grandmother, pretty wine glasses, and attractive serving boards for the colorful pkhali and eggplant rolls. We got to Dinara’s apartment by using Tbilisi’s metro system, and it was easy. Her home is just a few minutes’ walk from the metro station. Finally, a review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention Dinara’s adorable dachshund, Bruno. He’s small, but he’s got a big personality. After the meal, ask Dinara if you can toss the ball to Bruno. You’ll be impressed by his jumping abilities. :)

Tricia and Shawn, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (3)
For us, it was really a pleasure and exciting to do this class with Dinara in Tbilisi. We had nice and funny conversations, so we felt very welcomed at her nice home. In the beginning we could taste some awesome georgian cheese with really good dry red saperavi wine. We made some Kinkhali, Salad und Chakhokhbili. She told us a lot of her cooking secrets and the taste was amazing. We definitely can recommend this to everbody, who loves delicious and authentic kitchens.
- Manolo October 04, 2022
Dinara was wonderful since the moment we booked the experience. We were welcomed with wine and delicious homemade chips; we always felt comfy and at home. We chose to learn how to make khinkali and she was super patient the whole time. Dinara guides you every step of the way and explains to you why things are made the way they are made. I also have to mention she’s very knowledgeable about Georgian culture and will share it with you. Everything we made was delicious, and she even gave us some Georgian candy/dessert and a bottle of wine for us to take home. And her dogs are adorable! So playful and cute, they made the experience even better. I will remember this experience with much love!
- Nomad December 29, 2021
Dinara's class was relaxed, fun, and very interesting. We decided to learn how to make khinkali instead of khachapuri, and thanks to Dinara's patience and teaching skills, we were able to make beautiful and tasty khinkali! We also learned how to make several other Georgian dishes and learned a lot about Georgian food, history, and culture. Easily my favorite part of my trip to Tbilisi, only wish I had time to take more of her classes! Highly recommended!
- sully_08 December 28, 2021
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $100 $84 $74
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $110 $84
Alcohol
 $24 per person
Transportation
 $26 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $100 $84 $74
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $110 $84
Alcohol
 $24 per person
Transportation
 $26 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
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.