One Book, Many Cooks & An Evening at Jeddah Cookbook Club

Jana Bajouda came up with the idea for the Jeddah Cookbook Club whilst studying Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s College London and brought it to life when she returned to Saudi Arabia.

Each session centres around a cookbook chosen by Bajouda, with members selecting a recipe from it to make at home. They then return for the next gathering with the dish they made, creating an evening centred around food, conversation and the opportunity to explore different styles of cooking.

“The idea was to create an activity in the city that isn't just going to a restaurant and eating and drinking coffee and going home. We have a scarcity of actual activities,” she explains.

A key part of the club is keeping its themes varied, with each cookbook introducing members to a different approach and a new set of flavours. The first book focused on comfort food, with an Italian influence and recipes tied to memories and dishes passed down through generations. The second shifted to desserts, pastries and baked goods, whilst the third was centred on British cooking.

The club’s most recent pick was Hello, Home Cooking by Ham El-Waylly. “His mother is Bolivian, and his father is Egyptian. So it was kind of a combination of those two,” says Bajouda. “I love introducing people to such unique flavours. I try my best when I'm selecting these cookbooks. It's such a meticulous process.”

During the first session, Bajouda walks the group through the cookbook, covering its techniques, flavours and any background information the author shares, before opening up a wider discussion about favourite kitchen tools, pantry staples and recommendations.

She loads the recipes from each cookbook onto an Excel sheet, which is then converted into a QR code. At the end of the session, everyone scans it, picks a recipe and adds their name.

“During the first session discussion, I make two dishes from the book, one savoury and one sweet, for people to try out. It really helps them get an understanding of the flavours and the vibe of the cookbook,” she says.

The sessions usually last around three hours. “You have no idea. People love talking. People point out that there is no other space where they can sit and talk about their cooking chronicles without people rolling their eyes, because not everyone is interested in your food adventures.”

At the next meet-up, participants return with the dishes they made, filling the tables with recipes from across the book. “It’s normally two or three full tables full of food, which is amazing to see. It's like this book is genuinely alive on this table, which is the whole point. It's so magical.”

To add a personalised touch, Bajouda designs custom table covers for each dinner. “We have a different custom table cover that kind of matches the vibe of the book. We also do custom bookmarks and stickers and recipe cards,” she says.

Last June, she decided to try something different with a Saturday Swap, inviting participants to bring handcrafted items to exchange with one another. The idea was not only to give people a fun way to share their creations, but also to help those with smaller businesses introduce themselves to one another and gain exposure.

Around 25 people took part, bringing everything from brownies, cookies and muffins to hand-painted jars. Bajouda even created custom tote bags for the occasion for participants to fill with the items they exchanged.

The club has since become a victim of its own success. “I receive so many messages, and once the tickets go on sale, they’re gone within two to three hours.” Bajouda is excited about the club’s next project: a cake picnic organised in collaboration with other companies, which she plans to announce once the preparations are finalised.