Cookies! They are not just something we eat. This site uses cookies so we can provide you the best user experience and deliver advertising and offers that are relevant to you. To read more about our cookie policy, including how to change your cookie settings, please read our Privacy and Cookie Policy. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our cookie policy.
I accept
VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Naila

Keller, TX, United States

USD
$32-$50 per person

Bengali flavors combined with Tex-Mex dishes

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Naila

Naila grew up, lived, and worked in Bangladesh, in the civil service, for the first thirty years of her life, before immigrating to the US in 1995. Naila’s passion for cooking developed after her daughters moved out, and having to cook for her husband, a picky eater, gave her the opportunity to sharpen her culinary skills! Cooking not only gave Naila respite from the vacuum she felt as an empty-nester, but also provided a creative outlet for her to try out new fusion dishes - blending flavors of Bengal with Tex-Mex dishes of Texas. In close-knit Bengali diaspora, throwing parties and entertaining with home-cooked dishes are traditions that Naila is proud of, and now she would like to share the same with travelers visiting Texas.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) Naila hosts at her home in Keller with her husband. She is excited to share all about her heritage, cuisine and food traditions. Start your experience with a cooking class followed by a meal you helped prepare. Join Naila in her kitchen for a 1-2 hours hands-on cooking class to learn some of her favorite dishes, that have resulted by combining flavors from Bangladesh, where she grew up, and Texas, the place she now calls home. You will learn to make Bengali-style quesadillas - beef or chicken keema (minced meat cooked with Bengali spices) sandwiched between two tortillas with cheese and grilled to a crispy perfection and her signature dum aloo, using whole new potatoes from the nearby supermarket. Or she can also teach you to make a typical Bengali meal of chicken seekh kebab or chicken curry and lentil and rice biryani. After your cooking class, join Naila at the dining table to share the meal you helped prepare, which will be served with salad and jardah, a sweet and buttery vermicelli dessert.

Notes: Naila can accommodate travelers who are lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan. Please let her know in advance when booking the experience.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose either Menu 1 or Menu 2, both will be served with salad and dessert
  • Menu 1: Bengali-style quesadillas and Dum aloo (small potatoes cooked in spices)
  • Menu 2: Chicken seekh kebab or Chicken curry and Lentil and rice biryani
  • Salad
  • Jardah (a sweet and buttery vermicelli dessert)
Cd5d5001 2088 4cf8 9fda e3ce63bfb7d8

Naila

$32-$50 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $50 $40 $32
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $50 $40 $32
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Naila

Naila grew up, lived, and worked in Bangladesh, in the civil service, for the first thirty years of her life, before immigrating to the US in 1995. Naila’s passion for cooking developed after her daughters moved out, and having to cook for her husband, a picky eater, gave her the opportunity to sharpen her culinary skills! Cooking not only gave Naila respite from the vacuum she felt as an empty-nester, but also provided a creative outlet for her to try out new fusion dishes - blending flavors of Bengal with Tex-Mex dishes of Texas. In close-knit Bengali diaspora, throwing parties and entertaining with home-cooked dishes are traditions that Naila is proud of, and now she would like to share the same with travelers visiting Texas.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) Naila hosts at her home in Keller with her husband. She is excited to share all about her heritage, cuisine and food traditions. Start your experience with a cooking class followed by a meal you helped prepare. Join Naila in her kitchen for a 1-2 hours hands-on cooking class to learn some of her favorite dishes, that have resulted by combining flavors from Bangladesh, where she grew up, and Texas, the place she now calls home. You will learn to make Bengali-style quesadillas - beef or chicken keema (minced meat cooked with Bengali spices) sandwiched between two tortillas with cheese and grilled to a crispy perfection and her signature dum aloo, using whole new potatoes from the nearby supermarket. Or she can also teach you to make a typical Bengali meal of chicken seekh kebab or chicken curry and lentil and rice biryani. After your cooking class, join Naila at the dining table to share the meal you helped prepare, which will be served with salad and jardah, a sweet and buttery vermicelli dessert.

Notes: Naila can accommodate travelers who are lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan. Please let her know in advance when booking the experience.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose either Menu 1 or Menu 2, both will be served with salad and dessert
  • Menu 1: Bengali-style quesadillas and Dum aloo (small potatoes cooked in spices)
  • Menu 2: Chicken seekh kebab or Chicken curry and Lentil and rice biryani
  • Salad
  • Jardah (a sweet and buttery vermicelli dessert)
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $50 $40 $32
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $50 $40 $32
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.