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: Pallavi

Mumbai (Bombay), India

USD
$34-$86 per person

A Gujarati thali experience the Maharaj way

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

Meet Pallavi

Pallavi lives with her husband and daughter in an elegant apartment in Nariman Point in south Mumbai. After getting married she learned to cook from her mother, mother-in-law and the family maharaj (cook) but it was her father-in-law who gave her the most encouragement and taught her how to pair ingredients, showing her which roti should be eaten with which vegetable and lentil. 25 years later she puts this knowledge to use when she curates menus for her catering service, Be Delicious, that provides high-quality, home-style food to corporate offices and private residences.

Her family is so serious about food that each day Pallavi packs picnic baskets for her daughter and husband to take to work. They are stuffed with five or six tiffins to ensure that they never go hungry and there is always something to munch on! When she’s not in the kitchen, Pallavi also enjoys watching tennis, cricket, reading and listening to music.

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: (1-12 guests) Pallavi will welcome you into her sprawling apartment dressed in an elegant sari. Get to know each other as you sip on chaas (buttermilk) and eat delicious Gujarati snacks such as dhokla (made from rice and fermented chickpea batter), khandvi (a savory bite sized snack) or patra (rolled colocasia leaves). Your lunch will be served on a traditional silver thali and might include dishes such as bhaigan bhartha (roasted eggplant with onions and tomatoes), bajra roti (pearl millet flatbread), aloo and gobi sabzi (potato and cauliflower) and other seasonal vegetables. End your meal with a typical Gujarati dessert called shrikhand, a sweetened yogurt dish.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Join Pallavi in her kitchen to cook a vegetarian Gujarati meal. You can expect your host Pallavi to demonstrate 2-3 of the main dishes you will be eating later. She and her cook (maharaj) might show you how to make paneer (fresh cheese) and sweet daal (a famous Gujrati lentil dish), or how to fry puris and cook a seasonal vegetable dish.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) After you meet at Pallavi's home and have a refreshing drink, she will take you to Crawford Market, a large, bustling local marketplace where you can find everything you could possibly need for your kitchen or home in Mumbai.

Food tour: (4-14 guests) Have you wanted to try delicious Mumbai street food (chaat) but worried that it may not be safe? Join Pallavi in her beautiful home and discover the sweet, spicy and tangy flavors of chaat such as vada pav, the quintessential Mumbai street snack or dahi wada, a light, airy dumpling drenched in cool yoghurt and tamarind chutney. Share high-tea with Pallavi over safely prepared scrumptious chaat and learn about Indian cultural and culinary traditions with this local Mumbaiite at her dining table.

Pallavi will greet you at her sprawling apartment with a refreshing drink called shijanki (a sweet, salty and spiced fresh lemonade). Later you will watch as she recreates the street food experience at home by plating and assembling flavors of chaat for you to taste. Your menu might include hot and cold dishes such as pav bhaji, ragda pattice, vada pav, bhel puri, dahi wada and kulfi (Indian ice cream).

Notes: Pallavi only cooks and serves vegetarian food. The street food experience with Pallavi takes place in her home, where she recreates Mumbai's favorite street food in the comforts of her home. A minimum of 4 travelers are needed to book this "street food at home" experience.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (9)
Our belly’s and minds were fully satisfied after spending time cooking with Pallavi in her lovely home. We really enjoyed the market tour, it felt like a local experience and away from other tourists.The cooking was easy to follow, and we came away with new knowledge of Gujarati cooking, flavours and techniques.Pallavi knows then the city really well, we spoke about the market, fruits and vegetables, spices... and Indian culture / family life too! We felt very welcome and were given printed information to take away so that we would not forget the recipes. Four hours well spent!
- 482oliviap January 17, 2020
First of all thanks to the Traveling Spoon team. It was the first time I used your service and so I had a lot of questions. You always answered fast und precise and that‘s really seldom with online services. A lot of thanks to Pallavi. She is a wonderful and warm host.We came with a cruise ship. So she picked as up at the Green Gate (where everybody had to leave the Harbour) and organized the transport first to the market then to her home and back to the ship as good as possible concerning the (sometimes bad) traffic at Mumbai. (For other cruisers: we never had the fear to not be back on the ship in time! The timing was well done.)On the market Pallavi showed and explained us a lot of goods and answered our question. And she helped us to buy some spices (vanilla, saffron, ...) that are much more expensive in our country than here. Then we arrived at her luxury flat as described in the announcement. (It‘s of course we’ll air conditioned.) She welcomed us with a cooling drink, some appetizers and the menu card of dishes we will cook and then eat. Later in the kitchen first she showed how to prepare the vegetables, spices and herbs and who to prepare the dishes. After that we were invited to do by ourselves. You will be astonished how easy and fast the preparations are if you follow Pallavi‘s tips. (For other guests: don‘t be afraid, Pallavi’s cooking isn‘t really hot. It‘s spicy, yes, but not hot, and while preparing the dishes you can decide how much chili will be used.)Back to the eating room to the well prepared table two Pallavi’s attendants served us and herself the lunch. Pallavi explained how to eat the different things in the Indian style, why to combine some of them. And I can tell you, if you follow her advice, her served food is great. (For others: if you never tried south Asian food or have only the experience of some restaurants in Europe, the taste not comparable, it’s different, it‘s originally and much better!)Beside eating and later we had warm and nice talks about us, our families, about living in Mumbai...Last but not least Pallavi sent us back to the ship with her driver well in time. We had a great day in Mumbai full of new and best experiences and tastes (and ideas to cook by myself at home).Again Pallavi, thank you a lot!
- Tschik999 November 22, 2019
Pallavi couldn’t have been more welcoming, and the food was a vegetarian’s dream! There were at least 8 courses, all of them delicious and homemade. It was exactly what I was hoping for—a menu inspired by street food, without the food safety concerns. I’d highly recommend it to anyone.
- adamtheg December 06, 2018
Pallavi was a wonderful host! Her beautiful apartment is in a great neighborhood for walking and has views of the Oval Maiden. My husband & I loved the hands on cooking of several items for the meal. Our favorite was the delicately stuffed okra! Pallavi is easy going and full of interesting info about local food and culture. We hope to share a meal again with her in the future!
- mitchsf December 21, 2017
Traveling Spoon is my favorite activity when I travel. Our experience with Pallavi was wonderful. She is such a sweet woman and her passion for food shines through. First, we sipped delicious buttermilk with her at her home. Then, she took us to the market, where she explained the city, food and spices to us. Upon returning to her home, she taught us to cook dishes on the traditional thali. Everything was delicious. And the best part was sharing the meal with her and her lovely family (husband and daughter). A wonderful and unique experience in Mumbai that is not to be missed!
- Dorna M September 01, 2017
- robert heath March 01, 2017
Pallavi was a wonderful host! Her beautiful apartment is in a great neighborhood for walking and has views of the Oval Maiden. My husband & I loved the hands on cooking of several items for the meal. Our favorite was the delicately stuffed okra! Pavelli is easy going and full of interesting info about local food and culture.
- Michelle Edmunds November 14, 2016
The home was in a great location and very neat. We learned some insights about living and commuting in Mumbai. We also learned about how this family handled a pregnancy/ new child in the family.
- March 03, 2016
Our experience with Pallavi was wonderful. She is such a sweet woman and her passion for food shines through. First, we sipped delicious buttermilk with her at her home. Then, she took us to the market, where she explained the city and spices to us. When we came back, she taught us cook dishes on the traditional thali. Everything was delicious. And the best part was sharing the meal with her and her lovely family (husband and daughter). Our favorite activity in Mumbai!
- Dorna February 05, 2016
Read More
70c9e636 703b 4bd0 a183 70a01a1dc505

Pallavi

$34-$86 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
In-Home Meal
 $54 $44 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $64 $54 $42
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $86 $76 $76
Food Tour
 Not offered $34 $34
Transportation
 $12 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $54 $44 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $64 $54 $42
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $86 $76 $76
Food Tour
 Not offered $34 $34
Transportation
 $12 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm
Food Tour
 5:30pm-7:30pm

Meet Pallavi

Pallavi lives with her husband and daughter in an elegant apartment in Nariman Point in south Mumbai. After getting married she learned to cook from her mother, mother-in-law and the family maharaj (cook) but it was her father-in-law who gave her the most encouragement and taught her how to pair ingredients, showing her which roti should be eaten with which vegetable and lentil. 25 years later she puts this knowledge to use when she curates menus for her catering service, Be Delicious, that provides high-quality, home-style food to corporate offices and private residences.

Her family is so serious about food that each day Pallavi packs picnic baskets for her daughter and husband to take to work. They are stuffed with five or six tiffins to ensure that they never go hungry and there is always something to munch on! When she’s not in the kitchen, Pallavi also enjoys watching tennis, cricket, reading and listening to music.

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: (1-12 guests) Pallavi will welcome you into her sprawling apartment dressed in an elegant sari. Get to know each other as you sip on chaas (buttermilk) and eat delicious Gujarati snacks such as dhokla (made from rice and fermented chickpea batter), khandvi (a savory bite sized snack) or patra (rolled colocasia leaves). Your lunch will be served on a traditional silver thali and might include dishes such as bhaigan bhartha (roasted eggplant with onions and tomatoes), bajra roti (pearl millet flatbread), aloo and gobi sabzi (potato and cauliflower) and other seasonal vegetables. End your meal with a typical Gujarati dessert called shrikhand, a sweetened yogurt dish.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Join Pallavi in her kitchen to cook a vegetarian Gujarati meal. You can expect your host Pallavi to demonstrate 2-3 of the main dishes you will be eating later. She and her cook (maharaj) might show you how to make paneer (fresh cheese) and sweet daal (a famous Gujrati lentil dish), or how to fry puris and cook a seasonal vegetable dish.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) After you meet at Pallavi's home and have a refreshing drink, she will take you to Crawford Market, a large, bustling local marketplace where you can find everything you could possibly need for your kitchen or home in Mumbai.

Food tour: (4-14 guests) Have you wanted to try delicious Mumbai street food (chaat) but worried that it may not be safe? Join Pallavi in her beautiful home and discover the sweet, spicy and tangy flavors of chaat such as vada pav, the quintessential Mumbai street snack or dahi wada, a light, airy dumpling drenched in cool yoghurt and tamarind chutney. Share high-tea with Pallavi over safely prepared scrumptious chaat and learn about Indian cultural and culinary traditions with this local Mumbaiite at her dining table.

Pallavi will greet you at her sprawling apartment with a refreshing drink called shijanki (a sweet, salty and spiced fresh lemonade). Later you will watch as she recreates the street food experience at home by plating and assembling flavors of chaat for you to taste. Your menu might include hot and cold dishes such as pav bhaji, ragda pattice, vada pav, bhel puri, dahi wada and kulfi (Indian ice cream).

Notes: Pallavi only cooks and serves vegetarian food. The street food experience with Pallavi takes place in her home, where she recreates Mumbai's favorite street food in the comforts of her home. A minimum of 4 travelers are needed to book this "street food at home" experience.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (9)
Our belly’s and minds were fully satisfied after spending time cooking with Pallavi in her lovely home. We really enjoyed the market tour, it felt like a local experience and away from other tourists.The cooking was easy to follow, and we came away with new knowledge of Gujarati cooking, flavours and techniques.Pallavi knows then the city really well, we spoke about the market, fruits and vegetables, spices... and Indian culture / family life too! We felt very welcome and were given printed information to take away so that we would not forget the recipes. Four hours well spent!
- 482oliviap January 17, 2020
First of all thanks to the Traveling Spoon team. It was the first time I used your service and so I had a lot of questions. You always answered fast und precise and that‘s really seldom with online services. A lot of thanks to Pallavi. She is a wonderful and warm host.We came with a cruise ship. So she picked as up at the Green Gate (where everybody had to leave the Harbour) and organized the transport first to the market then to her home and back to the ship as good as possible concerning the (sometimes bad) traffic at Mumbai. (For other cruisers: we never had the fear to not be back on the ship in time! The timing was well done.)On the market Pallavi showed and explained us a lot of goods and answered our question. And she helped us to buy some spices (vanilla, saffron, ...) that are much more expensive in our country than here. Then we arrived at her luxury flat as described in the announcement. (It‘s of course we’ll air conditioned.) She welcomed us with a cooling drink, some appetizers and the menu card of dishes we will cook and then eat. Later in the kitchen first she showed how to prepare the vegetables, spices and herbs and who to prepare the dishes. After that we were invited to do by ourselves. You will be astonished how easy and fast the preparations are if you follow Pallavi‘s tips. (For other guests: don‘t be afraid, Pallavi’s cooking isn‘t really hot. It‘s spicy, yes, but not hot, and while preparing the dishes you can decide how much chili will be used.)Back to the eating room to the well prepared table two Pallavi’s attendants served us and herself the lunch. Pallavi explained how to eat the different things in the Indian style, why to combine some of them. And I can tell you, if you follow her advice, her served food is great. (For others: if you never tried south Asian food or have only the experience of some restaurants in Europe, the taste not comparable, it’s different, it‘s originally and much better!)Beside eating and later we had warm and nice talks about us, our families, about living in Mumbai...Last but not least Pallavi sent us back to the ship with her driver well in time. We had a great day in Mumbai full of new and best experiences and tastes (and ideas to cook by myself at home).Again Pallavi, thank you a lot!
- Tschik999 November 22, 2019
Pallavi couldn’t have been more welcoming, and the food was a vegetarian’s dream! There were at least 8 courses, all of them delicious and homemade. It was exactly what I was hoping for—a menu inspired by street food, without the food safety concerns. I’d highly recommend it to anyone.
- adamtheg December 06, 2018
Pallavi was a wonderful host! Her beautiful apartment is in a great neighborhood for walking and has views of the Oval Maiden. My husband & I loved the hands on cooking of several items for the meal. Our favorite was the delicately stuffed okra! Pallavi is easy going and full of interesting info about local food and culture. We hope to share a meal again with her in the future!
- mitchsf December 21, 2017
Traveling Spoon is my favorite activity when I travel. Our experience with Pallavi was wonderful. She is such a sweet woman and her passion for food shines through. First, we sipped delicious buttermilk with her at her home. Then, she took us to the market, where she explained the city, food and spices to us. Upon returning to her home, she taught us to cook dishes on the traditional thali. Everything was delicious. And the best part was sharing the meal with her and her lovely family (husband and daughter). A wonderful and unique experience in Mumbai that is not to be missed!
- Dorna M September 01, 2017
- robert heath March 01, 2017
Pallavi was a wonderful host! Her beautiful apartment is in a great neighborhood for walking and has views of the Oval Maiden. My husband & I loved the hands on cooking of several items for the meal. Our favorite was the delicately stuffed okra! Pavelli is easy going and full of interesting info about local food and culture.
- Michelle Edmunds November 14, 2016
The home was in a great location and very neat. We learned some insights about living and commuting in Mumbai. We also learned about how this family handled a pregnancy/ new child in the family.
- March 03, 2016
Our experience with Pallavi was wonderful. She is such a sweet woman and her passion for food shines through. First, we sipped delicious buttermilk with her at her home. Then, she took us to the market, where she explained the city and spices to us. When we came back, she taught us cook dishes on the traditional thali. Everything was delicious. And the best part was sharing the meal with her and her lovely family (husband and daughter). Our favorite activity in Mumbai!
- Dorna February 05, 2016
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $54 $44 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $64 $54 $42
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $86 $76 $76
Food Tour
 Not offered $34 $34
Transportation
 $12 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $54 $44 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $64 $54 $42
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $86 $76 $76
Food Tour
 Not offered $34 $34
Transportation
 $12 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm
Food Tour
 5:30pm-7:30pm
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.