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Host: Meena

Chennai (Madras), India

USD
$20-$58 per person

Authentic vegetarian cooking in Chennai

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

Meet Meena

Meena hails from Tirunelveli, a city in South India famous for its delectable food. She learned to cook from her grandmother, mother and mother-in-law, who are all experts in cooking traditional South Indian dishes! Meena has enjoyed hosting friends and family at home and now is excited to welcome travelers and introduce them to authentic South Indian cuisine. She has been conducting cooking classes at home for locals, where she enjoys sharing her knowledge, recipes and culinary skills.

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.

In-home meal: (1-5 guests) Meena lives in Alwarpet, just walking distance from hotels like Crowne Plaza and Raintree. You can expect to taste an authentic vegetarian South Indian meal cooked using family recipes, local spices and seasonal vegetables. Your meal will be served the traditional way on banana leaves. A few dishes that you might try are kuzhambu (lentil curry), lemon or ginger or garlic rasam (spiced soup), kootu or avial or olan (vegetables cooked in a coconut gravy) and rice. End your meal with an Indian dessert such as payasam (milk pudding) or sakkara pongal (sweet made with jaggery and lentils) or kesari (South Indian dessert made with semolina) and filter coffee. After your meal if you're interested in learning to make a rangoli (art in which patterns are created on the floor using colored powder), please let Meena know she will be happy to teach you.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) In your 2-hour hands-on South Indian cooking class in Chennai learn to make a curry, seasonal vegetable and desert. Start your experience with an introduction to spices used in South Indian cooking and then proceed to roast and grind fresh powders you will need to make the curry like sambar or rasam. Meena will share with you dishes and recipes she learned to cook from her grandmother, which has been passed down through generations. While you cook, she will also share stories, culinary traditions and tips and tricks to cook an authentic South Indian vegetarian meal. After cooking sit down to share the meal you helped prepare.

Market visit: (1-5 guests) Meet Meena at her apartment before you leave for the Mylapore vegetable and fruit market, by rickshaw or taxi. The market in Mylapore is 2kms away, where they sell vegetables, fruits, flowers, traditional items for pooja (religious ceremony) and decorative items for the house. Walk around this busy, bustling, local market and visit Meena’s favorite shops. You might buy a few ingredients for your cooking class, before returning home to cook and eat.

Notes: Meena offers a vegetarian meal. In case you would like to eat South Indian breakfast dishes like dosa, idli, upma or pongal, please let Meena in advance while booking your Chennai cooking class online.

Languages spoken: English, Tamil

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.
  • Kuzhambu (lentil curry)
  • Lemon or ginger or garlic rasam (spiced soup)
  • Kootu or avial or olan (vegetables cooked in a coconut gravy)
  • Rice
  • Payasam (milk pudding) or sakkara pongal (sweet made with jaggery and lentils) or kesari (South Indian dessert made with semolina)
  • Filter coffee

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Meena first took me to the fruit and veg market to buy fresh, local ingredients. We then returned to her home where she taught me to cook a number veggie dishes using these ingredients. Her style of teaching is very hand on so you learn quickly. She also made me feel very welcome in her lovely home.
- jognMorgan March 21, 2024
Such a great day ! Thanks a lot to this excellent cook - Meena ! She was an outstanding friendly host & her cooking class was a lot of fun :) An experience we surely will never forget - thank u !
- 591so February 25, 2024
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Meena

$20-$58 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+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $28 $24 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $44 $38 $34
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $58 $50 $44
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $28 $24 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $44 $38 $34
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $58 $50 $44
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Meena

Meena hails from Tirunelveli, a city in South India famous for its delectable food. She learned to cook from her grandmother, mother and mother-in-law, who are all experts in cooking traditional South Indian dishes! Meena has enjoyed hosting friends and family at home and now is excited to welcome travelers and introduce them to authentic South Indian cuisine. She has been conducting cooking classes at home for locals, where she enjoys sharing her knowledge, recipes and culinary skills.

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.

In-home meal: (1-5 guests) Meena lives in Alwarpet, just walking distance from hotels like Crowne Plaza and Raintree. You can expect to taste an authentic vegetarian South Indian meal cooked using family recipes, local spices and seasonal vegetables. Your meal will be served the traditional way on banana leaves. A few dishes that you might try are kuzhambu (lentil curry), lemon or ginger or garlic rasam (spiced soup), kootu or avial or olan (vegetables cooked in a coconut gravy) and rice. End your meal with an Indian dessert such as payasam (milk pudding) or sakkara pongal (sweet made with jaggery and lentils) or kesari (South Indian dessert made with semolina) and filter coffee. After your meal if you're interested in learning to make a rangoli (art in which patterns are created on the floor using colored powder), please let Meena know she will be happy to teach you.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) In your 2-hour hands-on South Indian cooking class in Chennai learn to make a curry, seasonal vegetable and desert. Start your experience with an introduction to spices used in South Indian cooking and then proceed to roast and grind fresh powders you will need to make the curry like sambar or rasam. Meena will share with you dishes and recipes she learned to cook from her grandmother, which has been passed down through generations. While you cook, she will also share stories, culinary traditions and tips and tricks to cook an authentic South Indian vegetarian meal. After cooking sit down to share the meal you helped prepare.

Market visit: (1-5 guests) Meet Meena at her apartment before you leave for the Mylapore vegetable and fruit market, by rickshaw or taxi. The market in Mylapore is 2kms away, where they sell vegetables, fruits, flowers, traditional items for pooja (religious ceremony) and decorative items for the house. Walk around this busy, bustling, local market and visit Meena’s favorite shops. You might buy a few ingredients for your cooking class, before returning home to cook and eat.

Notes: Meena offers a vegetarian meal. In case you would like to eat South Indian breakfast dishes like dosa, idli, upma or pongal, please let Meena in advance while booking your Chennai cooking class online.

Languages spoken: English, Tamil

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.
  • Kuzhambu (lentil curry)
  • Lemon or ginger or garlic rasam (spiced soup)
  • Kootu or avial or olan (vegetables cooked in a coconut gravy)
  • Rice
  • Payasam (milk pudding) or sakkara pongal (sweet made with jaggery and lentils) or kesari (South Indian dessert made with semolina)
  • Filter coffee

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Meena first took me to the fruit and veg market to buy fresh, local ingredients. We then returned to her home where she taught me to cook a number veggie dishes using these ingredients. Her style of teaching is very hand on so you learn quickly. She also made me feel very welcome in her lovely home.
- jognMorgan March 21, 2024
Such a great day ! Thanks a lot to this excellent cook - Meena ! She was an outstanding friendly host & her cooking class was a lot of fun :) An experience we surely will never forget - thank u !
- 591so February 25, 2024
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $28 $24 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $44 $38 $34
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $58 $50 $44
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $28 $24 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $44 $38 $34
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $58 $50 $44
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-9:00pm
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.

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    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.

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    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").

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