Airbnb and the culinary collective Chef's Table on Monday unveiled five new Airbnb Originals that give small groups the chance to cook with award-winning chefs, including Jamie Oliver in London. The offerings span pasta, pizza, pastry, desserts and a Franco-Japanese tasting menu, with prices averaging about £150 per guest and some classes set to begin within days.
Oliver's London experience focuses on pasta making and is scheduled to run on October 2 at 2 p.m. local time. Participants will take part in a 90-minute masterclass on forming a range of pasta shapes, then use their creations to make a single plated dish before joining a tour of Oliver's television studio.
Other hosts include Chris Bianco in Los Angeles, Elena Reygadas in Mexico City, Atsushi Tanaka in Paris and Justin Lee in Seoul. Bianco will lead lessons on the history of pizza at his Pizzeria Bianco on several dates: September 24 and October 1, 8 and 15, each beginning at 5:30 p.m. local time. The Los Angeles sessions feature a tour of Bianco's restaurant, a four-course menu and a post-meal question-and-answer with the chef.
In Mexico City, Reygadas will teach at Panadería Rosetta from November 25 to 28 at 7 p.m. local time. Participants will learn to make three signature items from the bakery's repertoire: pinole polvorones, a corn muffin, and a chocolate mousse infused with hoja santa. In Paris, Atsushi Tanaka will host experiences at his restaurant A.T. on October 15, November 5 and 12, and December 17, each at 7 p.m. local time; those events include a five-course dinner and a live plating demonstration.
Justin Lee's dessert-focused classes in Seoul are scheduled for September 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 1 p.m. local time. The company described Chef's Table as a "global culinary collective" and said the Airbnb Originals were designed to pair travellers and locals with specialised, hands-on lessons led by celebrated chefs.
The offerings are part of Airbnb's Originals programme, which stages curated experiences in partnership with guest hosts. Booking details, availability and exact pricing for each session are listed on Airbnb's platform; organisers say the per-guest cost works out to roughly £150 on average, though prices vary by city and experience.
Each event combines instruction with elements such as restaurant tours, multi-course tasting menus and opportunities to ask questions of the chefs, organisers said. The programme's rollout places a premium on intimate, in-person teaching led by notable restaurateurs and chefs and taps into growing consumer interest in culinary travel and experiential dining.
Dates announced range from late September through mid-December, and organisers said new seats and additional dates could be added depending on demand. Those interested in attending can view and book the sessions through Airbnb's Originals listings.