Cookery workshops with Ghillie Basan

Spend the day cooking with Ghillie - writer, broadcaster, and food anthropologist - in her incredible home near Glenlivet with views to the hills and a kitchen full of colour, traditional culinary utensils and spices from Istanbul. These workshops are unique and hands-on – you do the cooking; Ghillie the guiding. There are no fancy gadgets, precise measurements or complicated recipes, just sharp knives, mortar and pestles, and lots of chopping, pounding, tasting, laughter and good banter. If you enjoy sharing stories, learning about spices and cultures, and tucking into a feast with a bottle of wine, this is the workshop for you!

Ghillie's food and travel articles have appeared in the Sunday Herald, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Tribune, Press & Journal, BBC Good Food Magazine, TasteTurkey, Eat In Magazine, Diet & Nutrition USA, Middle Eastern Travel and more. As a broadcaster she has many BBC Radio credits presenting and contributing to a variety of food programmes

A childhood in East Africa was followed by a Cordon Bleu Diploma in London and a BSc in Social Anthropology from Edinburgh University. She worked and travelled in Europe, Turkey, the Middle East, North America, India, Southeast Asia, and vast chunks of Africa as an English teacher, journalist, and food and travel writer. Having written over 40 books and numerous articles on different culinary cultures, her latest is "Spirit and Spice", published in 2019.

“Ghillie Basan is an exceptionally talented individual and an unsung hero of the culinary world in Scotland and beyond. A gifted and prolific writer, cook, presenter, recipe developer, storyteller, tourism provider and so much more, she plays a key role in the country’s food, drink and tourism landscape.”
Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food, Food and Drink Scotland

"Any encounter with Ghillie leaves you astonished by her knowledge, fascinated by her stories and most of all, hungry, very, very hungry!"
Pennie Latin, Senior Producer and Presenter, BBC Radio Scotland

"A Whisky Safari! What a great way for foodies and Scotch enthusiasts to experience the tastings of Glenlivet. We met Ghillie Basan at her lovely home, which is filled with collectibles from her world travels, has amazing views of the Scottish Highlands and even a rainbow the day we visited. Ghillie warmly welcomed us with Scotch tastings and instructions to roll up our sleeves and help prepare our “tasting slates”! She had prepared many items including smoked salmon, venison, apricots and marinated grapes. We began our expedition with a dram and toast to friends and then began working on seasonings and sauces to add to our dishes. This experience was beyond our expectations and a great alternative or addition to the traditional distillery tour. The food and Scotch were outstanding and we will forever have great memories of sharing the experience with Ghillie and our friends."
The Chory Family, USA

"Upon arriving at Ghillie’s wonderful home located in the middle of heather-covered hillsides, we quickly learned that by using specifically chosen herbs and spices, you can match the flavor profile of Whiskies making a wonderful compliment to any meal. With Glenlivet’s Captain Reserve in one hand and pestle in the other, my wife and I were on our way to a very memorable evening. Little did we know that with Ghillie’s guidance and instruction, we would be preparing and assembling each food course ourselves - this was truly a hands-on experience. The 8 or 9 course meal (I lost count after a while) was amazing! Each of the three Glenlivet Whiskies available to try with the different food courses were spectacular, and it was quite interesting to see how each interacted with the different food combinations. I would highly recommend this Glenlivet Whisky Food Safari to anyone, especially those interested in food and whiskey. This was an experience my wife and I will never forget."
Mike Conway, Latah Creek Wine Cellars

Choose from:

Whisky and food pairings - Match the flavour profile of different whiskies with foods, herbs and spices

Mad about Mezze - A feast of traditional Turkish and Middle Eastern mezze dishes

Mezze, Tagines, Couscous - Mezze dishes, Moroccan tagines and couscous

Spice Safari - A journey around the spice routes with dishes from Turkey, the Middle East, North and East Africa, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Caribbean

African Food Safari - A journey through Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa looking at regional dishes and their influences

Veggie & Vegan - Exploring ideas for vegetarian and vegan diets drawing from different cultures

Costs: £450.00 for 2 people, £500.00 for 3, £600.00 for 4-6 – this includes the day spent cooking with Ghillie in her home, all the food, and a bottle of wine. We can also arrange transport if required.