Cook and Connect: Tunisian Culinary Adventure with a Local Family

A wonderful morning and early afternoon! Helping shop at the market made me feel like a local. Helping prepare the meal and then dining with the family was great too. The only things better were the hospitality and warmth. Very highly recommended!

What a wonderful experience. It’s one thing to walk through the market, quite another to go shopping for the ingredients you will use to cook a traditional meal. And to be welcomed with gracious hospitality and to learn and help prepare the meal with a local family. Wow! Very highly recommended!

From the first contact, we felt supported. The family Khairallah arranged personal transport from our hotel in Mahdia and as soon as we met Nabil, we felt welcomed and at ease. Nabil expertly guided us around the souks and seemed to know everyone there. In a previous holiday, we visited the souks in Marrakech by ourselves and felt the experience quite stressful. This time, we felt relaxed and enjoyed all interactions. We visited some shops and markets and Nabil knew where to go to get the best quality ingredients for the meals we asked to cook. The family home is modern and spotless. We were delighted to immediately sit down to tea, coffee and treats! When the cooking started we were expertly guided by master chef Neesa. We loved learning how to cook Tunisian food and really enjoyed our part in helping prepare food. The family prepared an amazing feast and we sat down and enjoyed great food and company. Honestly the food was exceptional. All ingredients were fresh and top quality and the food had an amazing blend of textures and flavours. Nabil seems to be on a mission to break down barriers and perceptions and give people a real experience of Tunisian culture and people. We were treated like members of the family and we were relaxed and happy throughout the day. If you have any interest in authentic Tunisian food and culture then this is a must do experience.

Nabil and his family were lovely. He picked me up, we went to the market in the Medina to buy ingredients. He took me to a local coffee shop, then to another couple of suppliers where I got to try olives. I then cooked with Nabil and his wife. They could not have been more welcoming. Best part of my holiday.

**TL;DR:** The most authentic, all-day, tailored cooking experience — truly the best tour in Sousse. As a mom who’s taken plenty of cooking classes around the world, nothing compares to this one. We ended up with a fully private, kid-focused experience—Nabil even drove us to multiple stores to hunt down flour so my 5-year-old could make a chocolate cake. I’d done the medina tour the day before, but Nabil’s tour was on a whole different level. He bought candy for my child, snapped photos for us, and made everything feel personalized. Then we headed to their actual home to cook. You’re welcomed with a “snack” (basically a light lunch), and you immediately feel like part of the family. His wife is incredibly warm, their cat is adorable, and the whole experience feels like cooking with your mom and dad. They tailored every step to my short attention spanned and adapted the menu for my picky eater. By the end, we’d cooked a full three-course meal with 8–9 different dishes, all delicious and way more than we could finish. And when my child needed a break? They let her nap on their couch while we wrapped up with tea and dessert. If you’re in Sousse with kids (or honestly, without!), this is *the* tour to book.

A warming and wonderful insight into Tunisian food and home life. I would most certainly recommend for anyone looking for a genuine and homely experience. The hosts were incredibly welcoming and humble and the food was fantastic. The market is incredible, although a little bit intimidating to those who may not have experienced such a place. However with our local guide Nabil we never felt unsafe. That man seems to know everyone in this town. The butchers and fish markets are not for the faint of heart and make sure you get a coffee whilst you're out.

A real taste of Tunisia ! Nabil Nabil picked us up at the hotel promptly and was a friendly and engaging guide through throughout the day. Great fun going round such a bustling, lively market with somebody to guide us. All the ingredients were so fresh. Arriving at their home, we were made to feel so welcome by Nabil and his wife. A delicious breakfast was provided with lots of information about what it was and the best way to eat it. After that we began cooking. We were given clear instructions and it was fascinating to see how traditional Tunisian food is prepared in a home setting with recipes handy down through the generations. The food at the end was amazing just wish we could’ve eaten more You won’t be disappointed or leave hungry if you take this tour.

I have attended many cooking classes in different countries over the years and this experience was by far was the most comprehensive and memorable. This is not a typical cooking class, it is an occasion to experience a Tunisian cultural and culinary interaction in a family home. Your hosts welcome you to their beautiful home and you leave as if you’ve been good friends. Nabil and his lovely wife will guide you in the creation of whatever you decide from a vast array of items from Sousse’s local markets to hands-on preparation of a “multi-course” meal. I wanted seafood as my main protein and Nabil guided me to the freshest options in the fish market. I was joined by another couple who were vegetarians. We both were able to prepare dishes specific to our wants seamlessly. After eating our meals together at the table, we enjoyed sweet treats, coffee and tea on their lovely backyard patio. You will regret not participating in this extra special cooking class in Sousse.

I have attended many cooking classes in different countries over the years and this event by far was the most comprehensive and memorable experience. This is not a typical cooking class, it is an occasion to experience a Tunisian cultural and culinary interaction in a family home. Your hosts welcome you to their beautiful home and you leave as if you’ve been good friends. Nabil and his lovely wife will guide you in the creation of whatever you decide from a vast array of items in Sousse’s local markets to hands-on preparation of a multi-course meal. I wanted seafood as my main protein and Nabil guided me to the freshest options. I was joined by another couple who were vegetarians. We both were able to prepare dishes specific to our wants seamlessly. After eating our meal together at the table, we enjoyed sweet treats, coffee and tea on their lovely patio. You will regret not participating in this extra special cooking class in Sousse.

While your enjoying your Holiday in Sousse, you'll be offered a variety of trips to enjoy during your stay, this is the one you need to do as this is an authentic feel of Tunisian culture and food, you will not be disappointed, Nabil got in touch with us prior to our day together, which was a great way to put us at ease, we'd never done anything like this before and we were a little apprehensive , in hind sight we had nothing to worry about, on the day Nabil was waiting for us outside the hotel with a big smile and an even bigger welcome. Into the car an away to the medina , chatting and getting to know what we'd like to cook, me and my wife differ greatly in what we enjoy I love spicy food and her not so much, but that wasn't a problem there is something for every palate. Nabil is a knowledgeable guide, our visit to the medina wasn't just about shopping for ingredients , it was a sharing of his home town culture and its significance and he loved sharing his knowledge with us, we came away enlightened on many things, ask him about the two door rings and why there different. If your wanting to pick up a few souvenirs let Nabil know what your after and he will help you with your purchases, we were able to get some beautiful hand made wood spoons , fruit bowels and the like, all made from seasoned olive wood, we also got some quality perfumes leather belts etc, Nabil will help you feel at ease with any purchase you wish to make , while never making you feel pressured to buy or rushed. You'll get to experience the hustle bustle of the markets , the sights the sounds the smells are hard to put into words , but when you experience them then you'll know exactly what I mean, not to mention the bantering and bartering that goes along with it, it may well be spoken in Arabic but you feel you understand the "how much, no too much , no my friend i couldn't possible pay that, your joking, it would be cheaper to give you my arm" IT's an experience that will stay for a long time, and that is just the start of your day. Then back to Nabil's home where you'll meet the lovely Neesa, Nabil's English is excellent and is easy to converse with him, Neesa doesn't speak much English but this in no way possess a problem, her French is excellent and thankfully i do remember some of my school boy French, but it really wouldn't have mattered in a very short time you feel like you've known each other a lifetime. We then sat down and tried a Turkish coffee , some local bread, olives , olive oil, peppers figs homemade lemonade, there's this nutty paste to put on your bread very tasty, be warned there is a lot of food to be enjoyed and sampled throughout the day, you wont need breakfast in fact you probably wont need eat anything else for the rest of the day we certainly didn't. So what did we cook, to be honest we cooked a lot of things and I'm not proud to say that I don't remember all their names we cooked so many things ,Kafteji, Tajine , pomegranate and beetroot salad ,Shakshouka to name a few, there was a lovely spicey soup too .Everyone says try the brik and I would definitely endorse that idea, Neesa helps you through every stage of the cooking process ensuring that you feel comfortable through the whole process . we had so much food on the table that there wasn't anymore room for anything. don't forget to try the mint juice wow just love the mint After our meal we sat outside and enjoyed pomegranate and dates with a mint green tea a great way to finish the meal. At the end of your day Nabil will send you a link to the recipes that you made so you can try them at home along with the picture he took throughout the day As I’ve said before if you only do one thing in Tunisia then this is the trip to go on you will not regret it is the full package the prepping and cooking are just the tip of the iceberg Nabil and Neesa give 100% you are welcomed in as a part of the family, Nabil makes an excellent guide, and just loves to share with you his love for his culture and food. Nabil and Neesa it was a pleasure to meet you and we look forwards to meeting you again next year when we can try out more recipes