Cooking Classes & Food Tours in Israel
Cooking Classes & Food Tours in Israel
5
About
You will have a very unusual experience with me during this day. We start with breakfast in Carmel market. You will learn about the Israeli cuisine through learning and tasting different ethnic foods & spices along the tour through the market. We will shop for the cooking class at my home. You will cook more than a full meal 6-7 dishes with the fresh ingredients from the market based on local traditional - Mediterranean - middle-eastern recipes and I will share with you all my cooking secrets! I will set the menu upon your requests and preferences. We serve Israeli wine with the meal. You will get to know my family (at least part of them will join us for lunch:-) You will get an apron & a recipe booklet to take back with you as a souvenir. Israel has such a good food to offer to you. You will experience the best food attraction in Israel!! People mostly like the cooking tips & techniques and the homey relaxed atmosphere. 'Cook in Israel ' is my cookbook of Israeli home recipes.
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles170 reviews
Excellent
156
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Char R
Hurricane, UT16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Friends
If you enjoy cooking, learning, and laughing you must enjoy an afternoon with Orly. Her smile is infectious and we felt at home the minute we met her. She catered the menu to our likes and shared some of her secrets on how to slice an onion without crying, how to pick out the perfect garlic bulb, and how do know when the oil is hot enough to begin frying. She was efficient and had all the ingredients ready for us to begin cooking.
Thank you Orly for a wonderful time.
Written April 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NNMESQ
New York City, NY24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2011 • Solo
Orly Ziv is a unique woman. It’s no wonder that her tour is like no other. From the moment she picks you up from your hotel, you know that this is going to be special.

Our tour started with a visit to a bread bakery in an off-the-beaten path location. We were greeted with the warmth and smell of freshly made bread and treated to a tray full of round fluffy loaves of doughy pita. We next had a delicious Israeli breakfast at a charming location near the Shook (the bazaar). Satiated, we started walking the dozens of aisles in the shook, occasionally stopping when Orly would show us a spice here, a taste of freshly fried falafel there, some fruit, a sandwich, while the sounds and smells of the shook assaulted and delighted our senses.


We next took a short car ride with Orly to her home where we were warmly greeted by her family. We felt like we knew them all of our lives and just dropped by for an afternoon visit and some lunch.

The cooking class was next. We watched as Orly taught us a number of dishes to make, each more delicious than the next. Late in the afternoon, we feasted on our fruits of labor with Orly, her husband and her children, feeling enveloped in the warmth of her family and the descending Tel Aviv sun.


This is truly a unique experience and one that I will never forget. If you are looking for an authentic Tel-Avivi experience, this should be on your agenda.
Written August 25, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elizabeth L
Los Altos, CA35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Solo
I have been to Israel three times now and I have to say this last visit i spent one of my days with Orly. She provides the best food tours and cooking experiences in Israel. I met Orly in the Hacarmel Market in the morning, then off we went to shop for our meal. She really taught me so much about the food in Israel. We started in the Yemen Quarter for a traditional Israeli breakfast and coffee with Cardamom. At this point i knew I would be eating all day, and I didn't care. Everything was so good, so fresh, the flavors burst in your mouth. I seriously was in food heaven. The best part of the day was going back to Orly's home and cooking with her and then siting down with her and her family for a wonderful dinner. A day, I will never forget. When you visit Israel, you must do a cooking tour with Orly, you will not regret it.
Written February 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LuckyTravelerJodi
Boca Raton, FL19 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Friends
With all the hype I thought this was going to be the most amazing experience. The tour of the shuk was more of a "let's watch Orlie shop for the ingredients we need." I cannot tell you how bothered I was by the cooking environment - hands were not washed and I would not consider the approach hygienic at all. I may be a germaphobe, but having everyone stick their fingers in to taste just doesn't cut it for me. And then not wash their hands - which were just licked - before resuming. Lunch with Orlie and her husband (that's what lunch with the family means) would have been interesting, except I did not feel that political discussion - and an expression of distaste for American Jewry / American Jewry involvement in Israeli causes - were appropriate. Not such a congenial scenario for a cooking class. You leave with some photocopied pages of the recipes you cook together. Really not what its hyped up to be, and fairly pricey for the experience.
Written January 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Jody, I'm so sorry you didn't taste any of the food along the tasting offerd in the market neither of what we cooked. At the review you filled at the end of the day you wrote: "Orly is really lovely and an excellent cook!" Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Orly
Written January 24, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

isabel s
London, UK5 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2017 • Family
When you think of this class consider how many people are to join you.The house is a small apartment in a tall building, and the kitchen is very small. There is no room for more than 3 people to work in her kitchen. My advise is that you ask Orly how big is the group. Not everyone can have hands on.
The lady is very serious and she does not look like someone that enjoys what she is doing so do not expect to have a jolly atmosphere. She hardly says what she is doing and most of the communication o the day was initiated by the group to which she would reply in one or two words .
She was not welcoming and the atmosphere around the house totally neutral and uninterested to engage with tourists. In fact her daughter was quite unpleasant.
For the price I was expecting someone that would host showing pleasure in what they were doing, asking things about each person making the experience fun. The opposite happened and at the end of the day not even the left overs were offered to us. The food prepared was obviously to feed her family in the first instance.
She has a car that only sits 5 people. As our group was 7 both my daughter and I had to drive our car and got lost on the way to her village. The alternative was to go by taxi but she knew I had a car and forced me to drive. I was late to the lesson and the cake had been already baked! No apologies though. Orly managed to save around 300 shekels in taxis. At the end of a very neutral experience I mentioned a discount for the time and petrol I lost but Orly was again totally not bothered.
Last and most importantly Orly cooked too much with frying onions. There are various delicious salads and cooked vegetables I have had in Israel that I wish Orly had considered.I payed 1380 shekels to learn about spices and how to slice an onion efficiently.
The best part was the visit to Carmel market that I highly recommend but for that you do not need to pay 690 sheckels!
Written May 17, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelSanDiego081
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2013 • Business
...just returned from a fabulous day- a feast for the eyes, ears and especially tasting!!!!
We ate our way through the market- had experiences I would never have been able to find on my own and met vendors and listened as Orly 'picked' her way through the labyrinth of stalls.
She is a most talented and gifted chef and her love for food and understanding of food left me wanting more. The sous chef and her family were a pleasure to meet and although I am full to the brim.. I could do the whole thing over again tomorrow. I will savor and refer back to her recipes and technique over and over again. I wonderful memory created here. Do not miss out on this experience- chef Carolianna- aka the Floating Chef from San Diego, California
Written February 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob M
Seattle, WA6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
We had a wonderful day and cannot recommend Cook In Israel enough!

Our day began in the market, where we walked, talked, sampled various local foods and selected our items for the afternoon cooking -- this in itself made the experience worthwhile. We then proceeded to the apartment, which was charming and comfortable with a great view, and spent a great afternoon cooking the meal and then sitting down to eat our work-of-love with glasses of wine and good conversation.

We really love cooking classes when traveling -- it's the best way to learn about an area and the culture, and this did not disappoint at all. Thank you so much for a wonderful day!
Written September 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KimCL
Johannesburg, South Africa168 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2017 • Family
Met Ziv at the Carmel market in Tel Aviv for a walk through the market. It was so wonderful being transported back in time as we watched bakers making traditional pitas in the same way, using the same recipes that had been passed down the generations. We tasted freshly baked pies, fruits, traditional Lebanese delights made on site, spices to delight in an array of colorful and plentiful barrels - this was a total sensory adventure. Be hungry...because it is a non stop tasting excursion.
We then were taken by Ziv to her apartment and met her warm and friendly family. We cooked, using the ingredients bought at the market to whip up a delicious lunch, which we all enjoyed.
A great Israeli culinary experience - to experience tradition, culture and food.
Written January 15, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Foodie1012
Wilmington, Delaware, USA16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Family
Our family had an amazing day touring the market and cooking with Orly! She is very knowledgeable about Israeli cuisine and was super helpful to have with me at the spice market - where I made great purchases of hard to find items in the states - which has allowed me to keep cooking good Israeli food at home. It's always fun to cook with a local - to learn both the food and culture of the area. I picked up some great techniques to improve my hummus and eggplant. We also make couscous from scratch - which was a first for us. Truly enjoyable day. Pro tip: show up VERY hungry - you will be overfed today! We were all stuffed full before we even left the market, which made it hard to then enjoy the wonderful meal we prepared. Enjoy!
Written January 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jbrown68
Arlington, MA310 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2017 • Family
Our group was a little bigger than what Orly usually takes, but she happily allowed our group of 8 to join her in her cooking class. We were four adults, two tweens and two teens, and the class was an absolute highlight of our time in Israel.

We met in the Carmel Market, where we both shopped for food and tasted different foods. From learning (and tasting) the different local breads to the coffee to the most delicious hummus (still dreaming about that hummus!), we worked our way through the market. We also learned about different chick peas, fava beans, and spices.

From there we traveled to Orly's house where the cooking began in earnest. Everyone took part. We all made tahnini cookies, shaped pita bread, and worked on salads. My daughter loved making homemade cous cous (I had no idea that one *could* make homemade cous cous) while my son enjoyed frying up falafel balls. At the end, we all sat down to a delicious meal together. The best thing about Orly's class is that she communicates with you ahead of time to find out what you want to make, what you like and don't like. She was able to accommodate all of us.

Orly's class is truly fantastic and I would not only recommend it, I'd take it again to learn how to make new Israeli treats!
Written July 13, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Cooking Classes & Food Tours in Israel - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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