Marrakech Culinary Exploration with Pitcher and Powell

As we exited the heavy wooden door of the hamman, my eyes smarted in the sun. How could it possibly still be daylight in the Medina? In two hours, we had been lathered, scrubbed, and massaged. It was blissful. This experience might best describe a Pitcher and Powell culinary-yoga escape to Marrakech.

Culinary Exploration Marrakech

Barbara Pitcher is a Canadian artist who lives in Provence and Tasha Powell is a food stylist and Cordon Bleu-trained chef splits her time between Los Angeles and the South of France. This creative duo met in Provence, where they discovered shared interests include food, art, travel and yoga. After many conversations, the idea for a boutique travel company began to immerge – Pitcher and Powell – International Cuisine and Culture. Read more on the backstory about their culinary tours here.

Exploring Morocco

Getting to Marrakech from Provence is an easy two and a half (2.5) hour flight. The Riad selected by Pitcher & Powell is an oasis in the Medina. Beautifully renovated and decorated by an Italian-Swiss couple who have lived on the African continent for 35+ years, the hotel has only eight (8) rooms. Ideally suited for Pitcher and Powell, the group enjoys the Riad in its entirety, providing guests with a “home away from home” experience.

After a seamless transfer from the airport and a warm welcome to the hotel, we settled into our room, just in time to change into our yoga clothes. On the Riad’s private rooftop, the trilingual instructor led us in the first restorative yoga session, a perfect body-friendly recipe after a travel day. Following yoga, we all enjoyed our first bites of Moroccan cuisine and dinner al fresco. The magical week began to unfold.

The Pitcher & Powell program included two daily yoga classes, a cooking class every afternoon, a guided tour of the Medina, a visit to the famous Jardins Majorelle and the Yves St Laurent museum. There was time for exploring, shopping in the souks, and enjoying a hamman experience.

Pitcher and Powell Travel Experience

You would think that these ladies had been in the travel business forever; they thought of everything. The itinerary allowed for enough downtime, optional excursions and enough of a taste of Marrakech to entice you to return. Monthly newsletters leading up to the trip built the anticipation, providing everything from packing tips to a reading list.

As mentioned, Barbara and Tasha are food lovers, so cooking classes are core to their Pitcher and Powell experiences. Sporting our aprons, the first of many gifts from the ladies, we discovered the secrets of Moroccan cuisine.Recipes included salads, spices, tagines, pastilla, couscous and the hard to resist pastries. From Ras el Hanout to orange blossom water, the days passed by with a whirlwind of tempting aromas.

After nine (9) yoga classes, Moroccan wine pairings and many laughs, we returned to Provence. We had fuller suitcases and some new friends vowing to sign-up for another Pitcher and Powell experience.

The Marrakech culinary adventure continues in 2022.

To find out more about Pitcher and Powell culinary adventures in Provence, Marrakech, Italy and Ontario’s lake country please contact us below.

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).