Airbnb Experiences unveils Cooking to bring out secret family recipes

Airbnb Experiences has launched a brand new category of bookable experiences – Cooking. This has allowed people to have access to recipes and culinary traditions that were once reserved for family and friends.

To ensure that no two recipes are the same, each experience has been vetted against guidelines inspired by Slow Food, a grassroots organization whose mission is to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions. Through this vetting process, Airbnb has verified that each host of an Airbnb Experience communicates the unique nature of every dish through their personal stories and has proven deep knowledge of the heritage of the cuisine that they share.

To complement this partnership, Slow Food is also introducing over 20 special Airbnb Cooking Experiences that perfectly align with its principles of good, clean and fair – including Walk Cook & Eat in the Amalfi Coast and ‘Let’s Rescue Food’ in Cartagena, Colombia.

Unlike typical cooking classes, which can feel intimidating or time-consuming, at the heart of every experience is a human connection; people coming together to make and share a meal together. Hosted by passionate cooks who are, above all, keepers of culinary traditions, there is a notable opportunity for everyday people to share the recipes that have defined their households for generations while earning extra income from a flexible side hustle.

Alongside workshops, tastings, field visits and lessons from UNISG professors, there will also be hands-on lessons from one of our most booked hosts on the platform, Nonna Nerina, who has earned over USD 150,000 just by welcoming travellers to the Roman countryside to learn about her and her family’s love of pasta-making. The new Cooking category brings together the very best of the platform with brand new Airbnb Experiences in over 75 countries worldwide.

“We are happy to provide guidance for Airbnb hosts and offer dedicated training for people to refine their family recipes and become quality and sustainability advocates. Airbnb Cooking Experiences represent a unique opportunity to spread our urgent call for sustainability standards and food biodiversity protection across the globe, reaching new audiences and inspiring change in the entire food and tourism sector. We have a long-term commitment to ensure that travel experiences remain authentic and help travellers learn about local communities and raise awareness about sustainable food practices,” according to Paolo Di Croce, Slow Food secretary-general.

At launch, there are over 3,000 Cooking Experiences on Airbnb. Hosted by grandmas, farmers, pastry cooks and more, local hosts can now unlock the deeper meaning behind the food you eat, teaching traditional recipes and sharing personal stories in intimate settings around the world.