Top 14 South Africa Cooking Classes

1.Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 515 reviews · 2h 30m · from $49Our pick

Spend 150 minutes in Bo-Kaap with local chef Faldela, cooking Cape Malay dishes such as curries, rotis, samosas, and stews. You’ll work with turmeric, ginger, fennel, star anise, and tamarind, then eat the meal together in her home. Ingredients, equipment, soft drinks, and recipes are included.

“Absolutely amazing What a lovely experience, it felt like a real authentic insight into Capetown. We learned some great things and cooked some delicious food. highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 236 reviews · from $57Top rated

At Pahari African Restaurant in Salt River, Caleb introduces the history and ingredients behind Southern African cooking, then Florence leads you through Sadza, chicken stew, beef bones, greens, chakalaka, and sugar beans. You help prepare the meal, eat communally, and finish with African tea or coffee. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

“This was an awesome experience and introduction to Southern Africa cuisine. Our host were welcoming, kind, knowledgeable, and considerate. They provided us with the history and meaning behind each dish. Definitely should make this apart of your itinerary!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 120 reviews · 2 hours · from $52

Spend two hours in Bo-Kaap cooking a three-course Cape Malay meal with a local host. You will prepare dishes from scratch, learn how spices, folding, and family traditions shape the cuisine, then sit down for lunch and soft drinks. English and Afrikaans are available. Transport is not included.

“It was very nice and amazing experience and most importantly very good food!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 105 reviews · 4 hours · from $68

Walk Bo-Kaap with local guides such as Faldela, Gadija, or Ilyas, then cook a Cape Malay meal in a host’s home. You’ll learn to fold samosas, make roti, prepare chicken curry and salsa salad, and finish with koesisters and cardamom tea. The four-hour experience combines local history, spices, food, and conversation.

“I learned so much about the Bo-Kaap area and Faldela is a fantastic cook.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 2h 30m · from $71

At Pahari African Restaurant, Florence and Caleb guide you through a traditional African meal, from mealie meal and sugar beans to chicken stew, chakalaka, and vegetables. You will hear how recipes passed through their family, sample African drinks and snacks, cook in a group of up to 10, then share the meal communally. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

“I totally loved the experience: amazing and knowledgeable hosts, superb food, great insights into the food, history and culture! Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $100

Spend about three hours in Grassy Park with Lorette and Desmond, learning two or three Cape Malay dishes in their home kitchen. You may make roti, chicken curry, bobotie, yellow rice, roasted vegetables, or malva pudding, then sit down together to eat what you prepared.

“My husband and I spent wonderful evening with Lorette and Desmond learning about Malay food, history and culture. Preparing the food was enjoyable and we were allowed to have hands on experience cooking not just observing Lorette. The conversation over dinner was fun, entertaining, and educational. We highly recommend this cooking class.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.GQ: City Walking Tour & African Cuisine Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11 reviews · 2 hours - 210 minutes · from $56

Explore Gqeberha’s Campanile, Donkin Reserve, markets, and street art with local guide Rawson, then cook and share an African meal at a local home. Choose the walking tour alone or add the cooking class, with pickup around Port Elizabeth, groups capped at 10, and vegetarian options available.

“It was I good idea to get to know the city better. He was a great guide”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.South African Cooking in Cape Town with Local Chef Richard

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · from $76

Meet chefs Richard and Gillian in their Wynberg home for a private, three-hour South African cooking demonstration and meal. Help prepare two or three dishes, learn how Cape Malay, Afrikaans, English, and African traditions shape the menu, and enjoy wine with lunch or dinner. Richard can also share local wine and Cape Town tips.

“It was a great evening! We came a guests and left as friends! The hosts are very friendly and the meal was great!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Johannesburg: Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 210 minutes - 4 hours · from $102

From Sandton, you’ll visit a local market or supermarket, then cook and eat in a Johannesburg home with a chef such as Chef Tee or Noni. Choose a vegan organic or meat menu, learn about African ingredients, and share wine, stories, and a home-cooked meal in a small group.

“While I think the experience did reflect a locals day-to-day, and the host were extremely friendly, I can’t say it was the experience I expected. It was supposed to start at 4, but we were not actually picked up from the hotel until about 5:40 and the communication for the lateness was barely there. We kept having to contact them ourselves for updates on where driver was. Once we were finally picked up, they took us shopping. Where they didn’t seem to have a plan on what we were going to cook since we were running late. The “street market” was about 5 booths in a pitch black alley way.…”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Private Authentic Cape Malay Cooking Class in Manenberg with Locals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $92

Meet Colleen and Ruth at Ruth’s home in Manenberg for a private, hands-on Cape Malay cooking class. Prepare samosas, half-moons, fried spring rolls, tomato bredie, yellow rice, and dessert from family recipes. The four-and-a-half-hour visit includes about two hours of cooking, a shared meal, alcoholic drinks, and personal instruction.

“Such a memorable day from start to finish. I was by myself and felt like I was with friends the entire time, Coleen and Ruth really make you feel at home. The food was amazingly flavorful and well explained. I’m so happy I booked this, easy Uber there and back, and had plenty Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Langa Township and Bokaap Cooking Class Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $142

Travel from your Cape Town accommodation to Langa with guide Kelvin and local guide Glen, then visit Bo-Kaap and District Six before cooking and sharing a three-course Cape Malay meal in a local home. Expect about four to five hours, air-conditioned transport, bottled water, and pickup and drop-off.

“Had a wonderful tour with Kelvin as our guide. Our first stop was Langa Township with Glen as our local guide. It was a real eye opener as to the hardships these people live under and something we will never forget. We then went to the CasRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Cape Town Shore Excursion| South African Cooking & Port Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $106

Leave Cape Town’s cruise terminal for a private home in Wynberg, where chefs Richard and Gillian teach you two South African dishes. You’ll share a home-cooked meal with wine and dessert, with port pickup and drop-off included. Ask ahead for vegetarian options, allergies, or dishes you want to learn.

“Unfortunately I missed this event due to emergency surgery. The rest of our group attended and report a fabulous time with wonderful hosts. Food, beverage and commeradery were all excellent.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Cape Malay/Creole Cooking Class and Local Shopping in Salt River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $74

Start with guide Nadia at Fargo Trading spice shop, then walk Salt River for ingredients and street art before cooking Cape Malay/Creole food at a local home in Woodstock. Roll rotis, make onion and tomato sambal, learn about Cape Muslim culture, and share a three-course meal. No cooking experience is needed.

“Very interesting tour and Nadia is absolutely lovely! Great for anyone who wants to explore a different part of the city and appreciates street art”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $82

Spend three hours with Annika, a Cape Town culinary school graduate of South African and Danish heritage. In her 1934 Victorian-style home in Kensington, you will prepare an appetizer and main dish, learn family cooking secrets, and share a private meal featuring Cape Malay and African Township food.

“Being able to participate in the food preparation from scratch and learning her mother’s cooking secrets.”

Check availability →Read our full review