Wow! Where do I begin? When initially booking this experience I was expecting it to be a cooking class and cooking class alone. What we got was so much more. The whole time we were there we felt like we were old family friends. Archana and her family were incredibly hospitable and it felt like most of the lesson was spent chatting! We learnt so much about all aspects of life in India from the whole family’s perspective and it just felt so genuine. This is before the cooking even began! The lesson itself was incredibly tailored to us as individuals which was an amazing touch, meaning we’ll be able to use these recipes regularly rather than on special occasions. We also received a great deal of knowledge on cooking techniques and ingredients pairings. I could honestly go on for hours into every detail and why the experience was amazing, but I don’t want to spoil it! Could not recommend more, highlight of my trip.

Overall the best cooking experience in South India. Archana, my host, was very communicative from the beginning helping me get to her house safely. Once I was there she welcomed me to her home like a special guest. The cooking experience was one I've never experienced before and I'm better for it now. There were so many dishes that looked and smelled attractive from ingredient to finished dish. Once it was time to eat I got to learn the dining customs. Archana and her husband were great hosts, very friendly, patient and kind. I highly recommend this experience if you're new to South Indian cooking.

Had a great time being hosted by Sundarii who was very hospitable and also knowledgeable. We made Aval kheer and potato capsicum curry, both delicious. Great experience overall, would highly recommend

We have enjoyed our dinner with Archana and her husband. They have told us all about Indian culture, mostly about the food habits! She taught us about the spiritual meaning food has in India, as well as how certain foods affect your (gut)health and how to counter balance negative effects. After we cooked and ate from a banana leave, it was definitely delicious and would recommend! Grandma even taught us how to make dosas!

I had a wonderful time with Sundarii and her daughter, Nevi. I learned about the main ingredients of South Indian cooking and had a great meal. Sundarii asked what type of food I was interested in, and was very happy to make healthy vegetarian food for me. Very friendly and hospitable.

Such an amazing experience! Archana and her family are wonderful people, very knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming, we truly felt at home. They told us so much about their culture and way of life and of course, the cooking was incredible. After preparing the food we sat at the table to eat the delicious feast whilst we continued to chat with them, it was so nice and an experience we will keep close to our hearts forever. Highly recommended!

Had an amazing time, Archana is a great chef who uses vegetables and herbs from her own garden. She accommodated us with our dietary restrictions and told us many insightful stories behind the food. Great class if you want to learn about south Indian cuisine!

Archana, her husband, and son made me feel very welcome in their home and showed great hospitality. First, we had some masala dosa and moringa (a local superfood) cooked traditionally with her showing me all the steps (I could tell it was very traditionally, with her mother helping with the dosa. Then we did a market visit (part of my tour type) where Archana was happy to cater to my interests like visiting a spice shop and cooking tools shop. She also took me to an incense shop, which seemed very kind since it wasn't really involving food there. Then we went back to her place for a huge meal with several dishes. I helped with the 2 salads and a wonderful coconut chutney that was much richer than those served in restaurants. The meal involved a few dishes she walked me through, which was good since it would have been too much to do more than the 5 recipes we did. There were about 10 different dishes as part of the meal. Definitely, the best meal I had here in Bengaluru due to the freshness of the flavors and the great company. There were also sweets like holige and mysore pak. Truly an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. They also were happy to give me valuable advice about places to buy souvenirs and anything I asked about, like a good coffee shop to stop in. (I had the 5 hour tour with the market.)

It was a true pleasure to meet Archana and was a highlight of my trip. Her knowledge about cooking was amazing. I learned so many variations on many different recipes. It was a unique experience to cook in an India home and learn about spices and so much more. I can wait to get home an create my own spice box & cook India food for my family and friends. I can’t thank Archana and her kind family for their generous hospitality.

My husband and I had a delightful evening with Archana and her family, who also pitched in. Thanks to their participation, this activity was not only delicious and educational, but also an enriching cultural experience. How much we learned about the Indian way of life! While we were doing food preparation in the dining area, Archana‘s mother was cooking in the kitchen and her mother-in-law was making rice upstairs. We even had a visit from her sister, who was celebrating her birthday, and she brought food as well. We enjoyed quite a feast!! We highly, highly recommend this activity. We felt we became part of the family for an evening, and it was a great first night in India for us. ❤️❤️❤️

My wife and I spent a wonderful day Archana and her family. What we expected to be a 3 hour quick activity turned into a great day about local food and culture. Firstly Archana insisted we had a dosa as we had missed breakfast (we didn't want to fill up before lunch), which was different and better than any dosa I had previously had with a lovely peanut chutney She then asked if there was anything we were specifically interested in, so we asked she showed us how to make a good dhal. We then harvested some vegetables and herbs from her rooftop garden which would be cooked later and then headed of to the local market Archana proceeded to shows us all the local produce and explain those that were foreign to us and explain all the health benefits of what we were going to cook and eat. Then it was back to her house to cook the food She explained step by step what was being cooked, letting us do some of the cooking ourselves. I lost count of how many curries,rice dishes,chutneys, salads and breads that were made, the attached picture shows only the first few items,more followed, all were great and with the exception of the dhal new dishes for us to try. Can't wait to get home and try and replicate to the best of my ability. Even better than this was the warm welcome we received from the whole family, after lunch Archana's mum taught us a traditional Indian game called Chauka Bara in which she helped me greatly in winning against my wife. By the end of the game it was 5pm, time had flown by and what we thought would last 3 hours had turned into 7. In summary I can't recommend this experience to highly, we have been lucky enough to enjoy food walks,city tours, attraction guides etc across many countries but I don't think I have enjoyed anything more than our time with Archna, so a great big thank you to her, her husband Rajesh, mother Nalini Sripathy, mother in law Leelavathi and domestic help Veeramma, you all made this a truely memorable day.

This experience was definitely one of the highlights of our stay in India. Archana and Rajesh were fantasic hosts, they immediately made us feel welcomed and they guided us on a little journey through their culture. Not only was lovely to learn how to prepare some traditional dishes from the Southern Indian cuisine but it was also priceless to be able to do it in their house and to get to know them a little. The passion they have in what they do is really inspiring and I would recommend this experience to everyone interested in learning a bit more about Indian culture.

Highlight of our trip to Bengaluru! Enjoyed the cooking demonstration and was served an incredible meal. We felt very welcomed and now we have lots of recipes to try at home. Definitely recommend this class if you are in Bengaluru.

We had a very fun, entertaining and delicious evening with Archana, her husband and son. All three of them were very kind and gracious and very welcoming. Archana showed us how to make her favorite dishes with lots of heart and soul and did I mention how delicious everything was? In addition to being an excellent chef she is just plain fun to talk with. If I ever visit Bangalore again I will add another visit with Archana to my itinerary.

My day with Archana was an adventure every newcomer to south India should experience —even if it’s the only thing you can do in Bangalore! Archana generously shared her life, culture and family as if we were old friends. Not only did she tell me things I would never have known to ask, she also graciously answered questions I wouldn’t have been able to ask anywhere else. From learning how to tie a sari, to understanding religious practices and visiting some neighborhood temples, to trying local sweets and delicacies at the street market, to learning South Indian cooking and eating techniques and sharing lunch and conversation with her sweet mother and husband in their home, the day was more full and rich than I ever expected it could be. Archana’s passion and love for her country and culture allowed me to enjoy Bangalore in an intimate and special way that every inquisitive traveler should experience. Don’t miss it!