Executive Chef Hilal Kaafarani happily launched the inaugural culinary class at the Mercure Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill. The Mercure Cooking Class event will debut with the goal of building an amazing platform for teaching cooking skills to both aspiring chefs and the general public.

“Whether you’re a professional or amateur cook, improving your cooking skills and consistently creating delicious, healthy, and sustainably sourced food is always valuable,” Chef Kaafarani explained. “Our aim is to make cooking lessons accessible to our local community, allowing them to become skilled chefs. I enjoy teaching people how to understand and enjoy food better, not just following a recipe,” he added.

An immersive and educational experience was provided for participants by Chef Kaafarani, a Lebanese culinary master. The day’s festivities got underway with a delectable breakfast provided in the hotel’s restaurant, which set the tone for an extraordinary occasion. After that, participants went on a hands-on culinary adventure where they created three classic Lebanese dishes.

The general manager, Gerard Moutou, acknowledged his appreciation for the cooking workshops and emphasized the value of culinary expertise as an essential life skill.

“Cooking is a life skill that is so vital, whether you’re cooking for yourself, for two, or for a whole family. We guarantee our guests a good time during these sessions, filled with great people, activities, and happy faces,” he said.

Adding, “I am excited and proud to see my team deliver exceptional teaching quality, providing transferable culinary skills for both domestic cooks and aspiring career chefs in Nairobi. We are delighted to offer this platform to our locals to improve their culinary skills.

We created three traditional Lebanese dishes – Baba Ghanouj, Hummus, and Tabbouleh—during the cooking lesson.

One of the highlights of the culinary session was making Baba Ghanouj, a well-known Middle Eastern dip. Participants learned the techniques for perfectly roasting eggplants and blending them with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a few other spices. The outcome was a creamy, smoky dip that enticed the palate.