Marrakech, Morocco - 7 nights
Available February/March, October 

Our Moroccan cooking school is located just outside the ancient imperial city of Marrakech, a walled garden city of tall graceful palms set beneath the snow-capped Atlas Mountain range. About ten minutes from the medina, you will find the Palmeraie, a grove of over 150,000 towering palm trees. It is here you will find the luxury villa, aptly named the ‘house of green mint.’

This luxury palazzo, set against the backdrop of the majestic Atlas and Jbel Ette Mountains, was constructed to reflect the traditional style of Moroccan architecture while offering modern conveniences. Magnificent Moroccan antique doors open from the grand columned entrance, as well as in the great hall and dining room. The graceful archways of the villa create a calm and elegant ambience surrounding an interior courtyard filled with scented flowers and the calming sounds of a bubbling fountain.

The eight spacious bedrooms are decorated in traditional Moroccan style and all have bathrooms en-suite, ambient wall lighting, limestone Tadlakt wall finishes, and most rooms feature private fireplaces. The peripheral salon features a rustic fireplace and pergola with underfloor heating for those cool evenings. Swimming pools, a Hammam (Turkish steam bath), an exercise spa, tennis courts, games room, and conference facilities are sensitively integrated among the palm trees.

The Owner’s Villa is a short distance from the main house, a truly remarkable villa with each of the five bedrooms opening to a large traditional central courtyard, shaded by orange trees with a cascading waterfall fountain. The sumptuous three-room master-suite features a private dome-covered bath and the four additional bedrooms contain individual fireplaces and luxurious en-suite bathrooms.

The villa’s rooftop terrace, with a brick oven cooking area and alcove seating, sets the stage for unforgettable lunches and dinners beneath the sparkling Moroccan sky. The seclusion of the private pond-shaped pool, surrounded by flowers and palms, provides the perfect refuge on a hot summer day.

ITINERARY

Day One - Saturday

For our Culinary Guests during our cooking weeks, your program will include hands-on cooking courses. If you are a Gourmet Guest and want to indulge in the exotic dining and fine wine but want to stay out of the kitchen, the allotted time for cooking will instead be for free-time and relaxation or for additional excursions organized by yourself with the assistance of our hostess. We may change items in the program and recipes covered from time to time to allow for local variations in availability for example.

We will meet you at the airport and bring you to our luxury villa. You will be given time to relax and settle into your room - you may even indulge in a steam bath, hot tub or a swim after your long flight.

For those of you who arrive before the evening, you will have your first hands-on cooking lesson about 5:30pm when you'll cook your first Tajine in Morocco. You will have cocktails on the roof terrace with breath-taking views towards the Atlas and Jebl Ette mountains.

Dinner in the grand dining room follows at about 8pm.

Day Two - Sunday

Breakfast at 8:30am followed by a morning hands-on cooking lesson. Lunch is served poolside, weather permitting.

After lunch you will depart the villa for a guided shopping tour of the souk in Marrakech Medina with someone to translate and negotiate for you. Feel free to roam and shop on your own if you wish. There will be a designated location to meet before departure. It is here in the Medina where you will also visit the Museum of Marrakech. The ancient medina is where the souk merchants will tempt you with their textiles, pottery and ceramics, carpets, rugs, jewelry, woodwork, copper, brass, basketware and leather goods.

At 5pm, meet at Djemaa el Fna Square for a tour of the major historic monuments of Marrakech, including the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace. At 7:30pm there will be a special Champagne and cocktail hour with Moroccan musicians on La Terrasse des Berbères. Dinner follows at the villa in the grand Salle à Manger.

Day Three - Monday

Breakfast followed by another hands-on cooking lesson with lunch of your creations.

After lunch, there is free time at the villa to enjoy the botanical gardens, play tennis, have a massage, exercise in the spa, take a steam, swim or relax by the pool. You may choose to go camel riding in the Palmeraie or to take advantage of the equestrian facilities in beautiful the neighbouring Palmeraie Golf Palace or at beautiful Bab Atlas.

At 6:00pm to 7:45pm there is another hands-on cooking lesson outside the unique exterior kitchen with thatched roof and traditional Moroccan bread oven. Dinner to follow.

Day Four - Tuesday

Breakfast followed by a 9am departure for the High Atlas mountains with a visit souk of Tahanoute. Depart Asni/Tahanoute for Imlil with a visit of the village or a mule ride to Kasbah

Lunch at the Kasbah du Toubkal around 1pm. After lunch we depart Imlik and return to Marrakech for dinner in the grand Salle a Manger.

Day Five - Wednesday

Breakfast is followed by another hands-on cooking lesson. After lunch there will be a visit to the subtropical Jardin Majorelle, considered one of the most delightful spots in Marrakech. The garden was created from the 1920s on by the French painter, Jacques majorelle and is now owned and superbly maintained by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.

Another hands-on cooking lesson at 6:30pm followed by a delightful dinner.

Day Six - Thursday

Breakfast followed by a hands-on cooking lesson with a poolside lunch. 

After lunch departure for visit to the vast Djemaa El Fna Square. The hustle and bustle of the square will entertain you with snake charmers, magicians, tumbling acrobats and rows of scrumptious food stalls. You will also have free time to explore and visit the Koutoubia Minaret, considered the most perfect Islamic monument in North Africa. You will also have time to return to the souk for a bit of shopping.

Dinner in the Medina. You can choose between the casual yet lively experience of eating in the square or the beautiful ambience of dining at Restaurant Moha with its central basin and musicians. Please choose in advance, as reservations are required.

Day Seven - Friday

Breakfast at 8:30pm followed by a hands-on cooking lesson. Enjoy a poolside lunch and then for the afternoon you can relax and enjoy the beautiful facilities - perhaps a bit of tennis, a steam in the Hammam,  a dip in the hot tub or simply lounge by the pool. If you book in advance, you can treat yourself to a massage, an aromatherapy capillary head massage, or other salon treatments.

Hands-on cooking lesson  at about 6pm followed by GRADUATION! Get dressed-up for a last ‘soirée’ and receive your diploma - that is if you've been a good student!

Farewell dinner.

Day Eight - Saturday

Breakfast with free-time at the villa and time to pack. There will be a buffet lunch between 12:30pm to 3:00pm. 

Transfers to the airport throughout the day

Some recipe examples:

Harira - Lamb & Chick Pea Soup
Matecha M'assala - Sweet Tomato Confit
Chakchuka - Grilled Pepper & Tomato Salad
Briouat el-Bstila - Quail & Almond triangles
Mechoui - Spiced Roast Lamb
Tajen Djaj bel Btata Lehleewa - Tagine of Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Kseksu Bidawi - Couscous with seven vegetables
Beghrir - Moroccan Pancakes

BOOKING INFORMATION

For further inquiries or to register, click here.

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CANCELLATION POLICY

Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

CLIENT REMARKS

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MAP*

This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 

*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location.

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