A Taste of Fez: My 2025 Cooking Class Experience at Palais Bab Sahra

So, you’re thinking about a trip to Fez, and a cooking class is, like, on your list of things to do. I get it. To be honest, I felt the exact same way. Moroccan food is just one of those cuisines that tastes so incredibly good, you sort of want to figure out the magic behind it. That’s actually why I booked the cooking class at Palais Bab Sahra. I had read a few things online, and it seemed pretty popular. I wanted something more than just a simple demonstration; you know, I really wanted to get my hands dirty, so to speak. The whole idea of going to a local market and then cooking inside a real Moroccan palace, well, it was almost too good to pass up. In this review, I’m just going to walk you through my day from start to finish. I’ll tell you what it was really like, the good bits and maybe some things you should know before you go. This is basically just my story of a day spent with food in one of Morocco’s most amazing cities.

First Impressions and a Welcoming Start

Alright, so finding Palais Bab Sahra was actually an adventure in itself, but in a good way. The medina in Fez is famously a tangle of alleyways, and you really do feel like you’re stepping back in time. When I finally found the heavy, ornate door, I honestly had no idea what to expect inside. A friendly staff member greeted me, like, right away with a big smile. The moment I walked through the doorway, it was pretty much like stepping into a different world. It was so quiet compared to the noise of the streets outside. The courtyard was seriously stunning, you know, with intricate tile work—we now know it’s called zellij—climbing up the walls and a beautiful fountain bubbling in the middle. It’s almost exactly what you picture when you think of a traditional Moroccan riad or palace, but maybe just a little more grand.

We were guided to a comfortable seating area in the courtyard where we met our chef for the day, a woman named Karima who had such a warm and friendly presence. Right away, we were served traditional mint tea, which is that super sweet, super refreshing tea that Moroccans are famous for. Karima sat with us and just chatted for a bit. She asked us about ourselves and what kind of Moroccan food we liked, which was a really nice, personal touch. It didn’t feel like a stuffy, formal class at all. It honestly felt more like being welcomed into someone’s very grand home. That initial greeting, well, it really set a relaxed and friendly tone for the rest of the day. It made me feel a lot less like a tourist and a little more like a guest, which, at the end of the day, is a very nice feeling to have.

A Trip to the Souk: More Than Just Shopping

After our tea, Karima said it was time to go get our ingredients. This part, to be honest, was something I was really looking forward to. We walked out of the peaceful palace and back into the energetic hum of the medina. Karima led our small group through the winding streets to the local souk, the open-air market where local people actually do their daily shopping. This was not a tourist market, you know. It was very real. The air was just filled with all these different smells—fresh herbs, earthy vegetables, and the strong scent of the butcher stalls. The colors were incredible, too, with piles of bright red tomatoes, deep green mint, and mountains of olives of every shape and shade. It was a complete sensory experience, and Karima was our guide through it all.

She didn’t just point and tell us to buy things. Instead, she turned the whole trip into a learning opportunity. At the spice stall, for instance, she had us smell different types of cumin and paprika, explaining how to spot the fresh, high-quality stuff. She introduced us to the spice master, a man who had clearly been running his shop for decades. We picked up a special blend called Ras el Hanout, and Karima told us that every shop has its own secret recipe. Then, we moved on to the vegetable stands, where she showed us how to pick the best onions and tomatoes for our tagine. She even haggled a little with the vendors, all with a big laugh, showing us how it’s all part of the local culture. That market trip was so much more than a shopping run; it was a real peek into daily life in Fez and the local food culture. It really helped us connect with the food we were about to cook on a much deeper level.

Getting Hands-On: The Cooking Begins

So, we returned to Palais Bab Sahra with our bags full of fresh ingredients, and you could just feel the excitement in the group. We were taken to the kitchen, which was sort of a perfect blend of old and new. It was a big, airy room with beautiful traditional tiles, but it also had modern cooking stations for each of us, which was pretty neat. Everything was super clean and organized, with our aprons laid out and all the tools we would need. Karima started by explaining what we were going to make: a classic chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives, alongside a few different Moroccan salads like zaalouk, which is a yummy cooked eggplant and tomato salad. She made it all sound so delicious, we basically couldn’t wait to start.

The best part about this class is that it was truly hands-on. Honestly, you do everything yourself, from chopping the onions and herbs to mixing the spices for the chicken. Karima was there every step of the way, of course, but she let us do the work. She’d walk around, checking on everyone, offering little tips in a very gentle, encouraging way. For example, she showed me the proper way to slice an onion so it practically melts into the sauce. I still use that trick at home. She explained the ‘why’ behind each step, like why you need to brown the chicken first or why the spices are added in a certain order. We all gathered around a big table, chopping and talking, and it felt very communal and fun. We learned to assemble our tagines in the classic cone-shaped clay pots, carefully layering the chicken, onions, spices, and herbs. Watching our individual tagines start to bubble away on the stoves was, frankly, very satisfying.

The Grand Finale: Tasting Our Creations

Alright, so while our tagines were simmering away slowly, filling the entire palace with this absolutely incredible smell, we were put to work making the salads. That part was pretty fun too, and it taught us that a Moroccan meal is really about a collection of different flavors and textures. Once everything was ready, the staff led us from the kitchen to a gorgeous dining room. Honestly, the table was set so beautifully, it looked like something out of a magazine. It was a really special touch that made the whole experience feel quite luxurious. And then, the moment of truth arrived. The staff brought out our tagines, still steaming hot in their clay pots, and presented them to each of us. Lifting the lid off my own tagine and seeing the finished dish that I had made from scratch was, well, a really proud moment.

The chicken was so tender it practically fell off the bone, and the sauce, with that mix of ginger, turmeric, preserved lemon, and saffron, was just bursting with flavor. It was genuinely one of the most delicious tagines I’d ever eaten, and the fact that I had made it myself made it taste even better. We all shared the salads we had made, which were fresh and flavorful complements to the rich tagine. We sat around that table for a long time, eating, talking, and just enjoying the amazing meal and the beautiful surroundings. It was more than just lunch; it was the perfect end to a really memorable morning of learning and cooking.

My Honest Recommendation for 2025

So, you’re probably wondering if I’d recommend this class. Honestly, my answer is a definite yes. This experience is really perfect for anyone who loves food and wants to do more than just eat it. It’s for you if you want a real, hands-on cooking experience instead of just watching someone else cook. It felt authentic, from the souk visit to the warm teaching style of the chef. I would say this is great for solo travelers, like me, because it’s a very friendly and social environment. It’s also just as good for couples or even a family with older teenagers who have an interest in cooking. The pace is relaxed, so you never feel rushed or stressed out.

A little piece of advice: wear comfortable shoes. You do a fair bit of walking in the souk, and you’ll be on your feet for a good part of the cooking session. Also, just come with an open mind and a big appetite. You get to eat a very generous amount of food at the end. The class is really well-organized, so you don’t need to bring anything. At the end of the day, you leave not just with a full stomach, but also with new skills and recipes you can actually use back home. For me, that’s what made the whole thing completely worth it and a highlight of my trip to Fez.

Key Takeaways

If you’re quickly scanning, here are the main things you should know about the cooking class at Palais Bab Sahra:

• Genuinely Hands-On: You’ll do all the chopping, mixing, and cooking yourself, which is pretty much the best way to learn.
• Authentic Market Visit: The trip to the souk isn’t a tourist trap; it’s a real look at where locals shop for fresh, quality ingredients.
• Beautiful Setting: Cooking and eating inside a restored Moroccan palace is, like, a very special experience in itself.
• Friendly and Knowledgeable Chef: Our chef was incredibly welcoming and a great teacher, making everyone feel comfortable no matter their skill level.
• More Than Just a Tagine: You learn to make a complete meal, including several traditional Moroccan salads, which gives you a better picture of the cuisine.
• A Meal to Remember: The final lunch is absolutely delicious, and there’s a real sense of accomplishment in eating the food you’ve prepared from start to finish.

Read our full review: [Fez Cooking Class at Palais Bab Sahra Full Review and Details]
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