Come into my home kitchen in Tokyo and experience the warmth of a Palestinian family table.
**This is a women-only cooking experience**, created as a comfortable and welcoming space where women from different backgrounds can cook, eat, connect, and experience Palestinian hospitality together.
Together, we will prepare one of Palestine’s most loved dishes: **maqluba**, meaning “upside down.” We’ll layer seasoned rice, chicken, vegetables, and aromatic spices before turning the entire pot upside down for the moment everyone waits for!
While we cook, I’ll introduce you to Palestinian spices and cooking techniques while sharing family traditions, stories, and the cultural significance behind the food. We’ll also prepare fresh **Palestinian fattoush** and a traditional **yogurt-cucumber salad** to accompany our maqluba.
Once everything is ready, we’ll sit around the table together and enjoy the meal we’ve prepared, followed by **Arabic coffee or tea and something sweet**.
This is more than a cooking lesson. It’s an opportunity for women to gather around a Palestinian table, experience our hospitality, and discover Palestinian food and culture right here in Tokyo.
**Please note: This experience is exclusively for women.**
Join me in my home in Tokyo for a hands-on Palestinian cooking experience centered around **Maqluba**, one of the most loved dishes in Palestinian homes. Maqluba means “upside down” in Arabic, named after the exciting moment when the finished pot is flipped onto a serving platter.
We will begin with a welcome drink and a short introduction to Palestinian cuisine and the ingredients we will be using. Together, we will prepare **chicken maqluba with rice, eggplant, cauliflower, and traditional Palestinian spices**. Guests will learn how to prepare the vegetables, season the chicken and rice, balance the spices, and carefully layer the ingredients inside the pot before cooking.
While the maqluba cooks, we will prepare **Palestinian fattoush**, using fresh vegetables, toasted pita, sumac, and a tangy dressing, as well as a refreshing **yogurt and cucumber salad** traditionally served alongside rice dishes.
Then comes my favorite part: **flipping the maqluba!** Guests can participate in the final reveal before we sit down together to enjoy everything we have prepared.
During the experience, I will share stories about Palestinian food culture, family traditions, spices, hospitality, and why dishes such as maqluba are so connected to family gatherings and eating together.
We will finish our meal with **Arabic coffee or mint tea and a Palestinian sweet**.
This is not only a cooking lesson. I want guests to leave knowing how to recreate the dishes at home while also experiencing the warmth and hospitality of a Palestinian family table.
Approximate duration: 3 hours.
aida
I’m Aida, a Palestinian home cook and founder of Aida Makes, based in Tokyo. Through my cooking, I share authentic Palestinian food, family recipes, and the stories and traditions behind each dish. I host warm, hands-on cooking experiences where guests can learn to prepare Palestinian favorites while discovering more about our culture and hospitality. My classes are relaxed, welcoming, and designed to feel like gathering around a Palestinian family table. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and connecting through food. I look forward to welcoming guests into my kitchen in Tokyo for a delicious and memorable Palestinian experience.
The closest station
shinagawa station
How to get to the station?
From takanawa gateway station: 10mins
Free pick up service
This host can pick up you for free from the closest station!
Exact location provided after booking.
Duration of this cooking class is 3.5 hours.
Up to 10 people can join aida's cooking class.
Please go to shinagawa station which takes 10 mins from takanawa gateway station. Then aida (host) will pick you up there!
It costs 60 per person.
You will receive the confirmation within 24 hours.
We accepts these cards on airKitchen.
Cancellations up to 48 hours prior to the class begins will be fully refunded by the airKitchen cancellation policy.
