Uzbekistan · COOKING CLASSES
Plov done properly takes a wood fire, a cast-iron kazan and most of an afternoon. The 11 classes below are priced and honest about how much you cook against how much you watch, and which ones are held in a family house.
Spend a day in rural Uzbekistan with a village walk, family home visit, live-fire plov class, market stop, and shared meal.
“Loved every minute of it. Off the bitten track, for those who seek genuine experience and want to see how local people live. Thanks again to our guides and the host!”
Learn plov and mantu in a village home near Samarkand, cook over an open fire, meet a local family, and enjoy Uzbek countryside hospitality.
“We had a great time with our guide Bekjon who told us all about the village lifestyle and very happily answered to all our curious questions, plus he and his sister in law showed us how to prepare traditional Uzbek manti and plov. The mantis particularly were delicious!”
Cook plov with a Samarkand family, visit Siyob Bazaar, and see local life beyond the city’s famous monuments.
“This was a great way to see how people outside the obvious tourist destinations in Uzbekistan really love. Plus we got to make some traditional food and it was delicious! Akram, our guide, was fantastic - interesting and interested. Highly recommended!”
Cook plov, bake tandir bread, and explore Siab Bazaar before sharing a family meal in Ravot village near Samarkand.
“We had such a great time at our guide’s place. She showed us around her garden full of fruit trees and taught us how to cook plov, the local specialty. It was such a fun and meaningful experience.”
Cook plov or Uzbek bread with a Samarkand family after shopping at a local market, with transfers, hands-on instruction, and a home meal.
“The cooking class was truly wonderful. We had a great afternoon at the market and then had a lot of fun preparing the plov and baking bread. Our hosts were incredibly friendly and we had a lot of fun. The class is highly recommended.”
Cook plov with a Samarkand family, shop a local bazaar, and visit paper, oil, and pottery workshops on this private village tour.
“We had a wonderful day with Goli and her family! She picked us from our hotel and brought us to her local market where we were able to try new things. Cooking was a fun and slow experience. I wish we could’ve participated even more e.g. collecting firewood or rolling the dough.”
Cook Uzbek plov and samsa in a private Tashkent home, learning traditional techniques before sharing the meal you prepare.
“The experience was absolutely wonderful. The host family was incredibly friendly, professional, and welcoming. They prepared a wide variety of traditional snacks, desserts, and tea, which made us feel at home right away. The cooking process was very well organized and hands-on. We didn’t just follow instructions — we learned many useful techniques and details, and the hosts explained everything patiently. The whole family was warm and engaging, and their English communication was excellent. The travel company also arranged a great driver who handled the pickup and drop-off smoothly, which made the whole experience very convenient and stress-free. The food we made was delicious, and they even...”
Cook Samarkand plov with Ali, shop Siyob Bazaar, and share a homemade Uzbek meal in a welcoming local home.
“We enjoyed this tour a lot. The tour started at the bazaar, where Ali showed us around while buying some ingredients for the plov. Then his brother drove us to his home, which is perhaps 10 minutes from the city centre. He and his family had Read more”
Explore Siyob Bazaar, cook Uzbek dishes with a local family, and share lunch in Samarkand on a private six-hour cultural tour.
“This was truly the most unique tour I’ve ever booked. An absolute must for anyone wanting to truly understand Samarkand. Together with Akramjon and Rushana, I had the rare opportunity to learn all the details of making traditional Read more”
Cook plov or Shivit Oshi with Sarvar’s family, shop Khiva’s market, and share a homemade meal in a local home.
“Attività davvero molto interessante. Sarvar ci ha portati prima al mercato per acquistare gli ingredienti e poi a casa sua. Sua madre ci ha mostrato come cucinare il Plov, che a nostro avviso è stato il migliore fra quelli mangiati in Uzbekistan. Sarvar ci ha poi offerto la frutta e il tradizionale tè verde. L’attività è stata davvero piacevole e ci ha permesso di scoprire tantissimi aspetti della vita in Uzbekistan.”
Cook plov with a Samarkand family, shop the local bazaar, and visit paper, pottery, oil-meal, and rug workshops for $65.
“I enjoyed the personal touch of Guli making sure I understood everything well, and also in being able to go to their home to cook the dishes. She was very accommodating, and after the cooking class, we went to the paper making place from the 1st century. We also went to a really interesting famous rug making place, where all the rugs are made by hand. It was great!”
Pick a city, a desert or a kitchen.
