Fresh, vibrant Lebanese cooking with homemade manakish, fatayer, mezze, shish tawook and a shared Lebanese feast

Vegetarian and dairy free diets can be easily accomodated

Join us at Ground Up Cookery School in Devon for a relaxed, hands-on Lebanese cookery class exploring the fresh, vibrant flavours of Lebanon.

Lebanese food is all about balance: zingy lemon and sumac, fragrant herbs, smoky aubergine, creamy tahini, punchy garlic, toasted nuts and warm bread straight from the oven. During this half-day cookery workshop, you'll learn how these simple ingredients and flavours come together to create a generous Lebanese feast.

You will make your own Lebanese bread dough from scratch before turning it into za'atar manakish and spinach, onion and sumac fatayer. Alongside the breads, we will prepare classic Lebanese mezze and shish tawook, with demonstrations including silky hummus and fresh, herb-packed tabbouleh.

At the end of the class, we'll bring everything together around our large dining table and enjoy the Lebanese feast you've helped create, accompanied by a glass of wine.

What You'll Make

During the workshop we will prepare:

• Za'atar Manakish – freshly made Lebanese flatbread topped with za'atar and olive oil
• Spinach, Onion & Sumac Fatayer – triangular filled pastries made with your own freshly prepared dough
• Baba Ganoush – smoky roasted aubergine with tahini, lemon and garlic
• Shish Tawook – tender Lebanese marinated chicken, seared and roasted
• Hummus – a demonstration of how to achieve beautifully smooth hummus and balance tahini, lemon and garlic
• Tabbouleh – traditional Lebanese herb salad with parsley, mint, tomato, lemon and a little bulgur
• Orange Blossom & Pistachio Semolina Cake – syrup-soaked semolina cake with fragrant orange blossom and pistachios

At the end of the workshop, everyone will sit down together to enjoy the dishes as a generous Lebanese feast with a glass of wine.

What You'll Learn

Throughout the class we'll cover:

• Making, kneading and proving a versatile Lebanese bread dough from scratch
• Shaping and baking traditional za'atar manakish
  
• Filling and shaping triangular fatayer
  
• Using sumac, za'atar, tahini and other ingredients associated with Lebanese cooking
  
• Creating smoky baba ganoush without losing the texture of the aubergine
  
• How to make exceptional hummus
  
• Making and understanding a traditional garlic emulsion
  
• Marinating and cooking shish tawook
  
• Balancing lemon, herbs, garlic, tahini and acidity
  
• The difference between traditional Lebanese tabbouleh and the grain-heavy versions commonly found in the UK
  
• Creating a selection of mezze and dishes that work together as a relaxed Lebanese feast

This is a practical, sociable workshop designed to give you recipes and techniques that can easily be recreated at home.

Schedule of the Day

Timings are illustrative and may vary slightly depending on the pace of the group.

09:30 / 10:00 – Welcome, refreshments and introduction to Lebanese flavours. Demonstration and making Lebanese bread dough

10:00 / 10:30 – Hummus demonstration. Prepare spinach, onion and sumac fatayer filling

10:30 / 11:00 – Shish tawook demonstration and preparation

11:00 / 11:30 – Baba ganoush and semolina cake demonstration and preparation

11:30 / 12:00 – Refreshment break 

12:00 / 12:30 – Shape and bake za'atar manakish and spinach fatayer

12:30 / 13:00 – Tabbouleh demonstration. Cook shish tawook and bring the Lebanese feast together

13:00 / 13:30 – Sit down together to enjoy the feast with a glass of wine

Private Groups and Team Events

Our Lebanese Cookery Class can also be booked as a private cookery experience for friends, family groups, businesses and corporate team events.

The combination of individual and paired cooking makes this a relaxed, sociable experience, with everyone contributing to the final feast. Please get in touch to discuss private group availability and bespoke bookings.

FAQs

Who is this class suitable for?

This Lebanese cookery class in Chudleigh, Devon is ideal for beginners, home cooks, couples, friends, gift experiences and anyone interested in Lebanese or Middle Eastern food. No previous experience is required.

How is the day structured?

This is a sociable and relaxed workshop combining demonstrations with plenty of hands-on cooking. Some elements are prepared individually, while others are made in pairs, creating a collaborative and enjoyable atmosphere suitable for all abilities.

You'll make your own bread dough individually before turning it into manakish and fatayer, while other elements of the Lebanese feast are prepared in pairs. There will also be chef demonstrations throughout the session.

Courses are hands-on and interactive, with guidance and support available throughout. Guests with more experience may be gently encouraged to take their dishes further.

Although many guests attend on their own, some cooking is done in pairs, which helps keep sessions relaxed and sociable. If working in a pair might be an issue for you for any reason, please contact us in advance and we'll always do our best to accommodate where possible.

The course concludes with a shared Lebanese feast around our large dining table and a glass of wine.

What is included?

The workshop includes all ingredients, recipes, equipment, expert tuition, refreshments throughout the session and, where applicable, a shared meal with a glass of wine or everything you've made to take home.

Can you cater for dietary requirements?

The key dietary details are noted at the top of each course listing, there may be other accommodations that we can make. Please let us know of ALL dietary requirements at the time of booking. We will always aim to accommodate where possible.

Can children attend this course?

Yes, children are welcome as full paying guests.

• Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a full paying parent or legal guardian, who remains responsible for them throughout the class.
  

• Young people aged 15–18 may attend without a parent or guardian. A completed parental consent form is required for all attendees aged 15–18. These courses are aimed at adults, and young people must be able to participate independently and behave appropriately without requiring additional supervision.

Please indicate ages at the time of booking.

Do I need to bring anything?

Everything needed for the course is provided. Guests will be emailed approximately one week before the event with any final information, including whether there is anything specific to bring or any changes to arrangements.

For some courses, there may be food to take home. Where relevant, we recommend bringing containers, this will be noted in advance.

What time will we eat?

Meal times are often unconventional and usually take place towards the end of the class, once the cooking is complete.

Throughout the session there will be tastings, and you'll be encouraged to taste as you cook. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available throughout the day to help yourself.

Schedules are illustrative and timings/content may vary slightly. End times are given as a guide only. As these are hands-on, experiential courses, timings may vary slightly depending on the size and pace of the group and the season.

Is the course accessible?

Accessibility needs vary, and we're always happy to discuss individual requirements in advance.

We have a portable ramp available and can allocate designated parking spaces where needed. Any adjustments are best discussed ahead of time so we can explore how to accommodate you wherever possible.

There can be a lot of standing on hard floors, please contact us if you are concerned about this. There may be adjustments that can be made.

Can I buy this course as a gift?

Our courses make great gifts.

When booking, you can also purchase:

• a physical gift card sent by first class post
  
• a physical gift card sent by second class post

Alternatively you can simply print and present the booking confirmation. If undecided, you can purchase a monetary-value gift voucher, which can be redeemed online against this or any other course.

What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?

We operate a strict four-week cancellation policy. Cancellations or requests to reschedule within four weeks of the course date are not refundable. However, bookings are transferable and someone else can come in your place, we just ask that you let us know.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Booking for full details.

Can I be added to a waiting list for future events?

If a course is fully booked or the date doesn't work for you, please email us and we'll notify you when new dates or related events are released. Even better still, subscribe to our newsletter and we will send sporadic updates or follow us on social media @GroundUpCookery for top tips, foraging and fermentation news and event details.