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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Françoise

Paris, France

USD
$274-$374 per person

Learn to make authentic cheese soufflé in a private Paris home

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

Meet Françoise

Françoise learned to cook from her two grandfathers who were both fisherman; one was a cook during the second World War. As a child, Françoise used to visit Marseille where her grandparents live; her grandfather would work, fishing off the coast, from 3am to 12am, and would then bring home the best of his catch to cook it for his family. It was her grandparents that taught her that the freshest fish is found in the best restaurants, and at the tables of the fisherman. Françoise went on to have a successful career working as the art director for advertising agencies for 18 years. She left that career to move in to the food space and has since started her own catering business. Françoise has a delightful and colored family story, from her tales growing up with her fisherman grandfathers to living in Africa for three years. Françoise is also passionate about doing anything with her hands and is incredibly creative; her beautiful home is lined with her handiwork, from beautiful collage boxes of her travel finds from around the world to metal embossing to cocardes (antique lace and bleu/blanc/rouge embroidery). Be sure to ask Françoise for her flea market recommendations, as well! She is an avid flea market lover and visits the Bruxelles market monthly.

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: (2-7 guests) Step into Françoise's beautiful, large apartment that is tastefully filled with finds from travels around the world and her own impressive handiwork. Enjoy a plated three-course meal that will include an appetizer, main course and dessert, which might feature a sampling of cheese nibbles, a feuilleté with leeks, shrimp with ginger creme as an appetizer, and a traditional cheese soufflé served with a seasonal green salad for lunch. End your meal with a traditional French dessert such as poached pears, a fruit tarte or île flottante (a soft meringue served on top of a sweet custard).

Cooking experience: (2-7 guests) Learn how to make a traditional French cheese soufflé, the perfect classic of French cuisine. Françoise will teach you all the techniques needed to recreate this light and fluffy dish at home, including the secret for how to get your soufflé to rise properly in the oven!

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Meet in front of Sainte-Marie des Batignolles and walk together to the local covered market to meet some of Francoise's local producers (all of whom know Francoise well from her frequent visits!). You might stop at the local fishmonger, the fromagerie, and the produce store on your way home, and on your way pick up a selection of ingredients for your cooking class and meal. Walk the short way (less than ten minutes) back to Francoise's apartment where you will prepare your meal together and enjoy it at Francoise's large table in her kitchen.

Please note that market tours are not available on Mondays since the markets are closed that day. Also, the market tour is unavailable on Sunday evenings, it is only available at 9:15am on Sunday mornings.

Notes: On weekends (Sat and Sun), Francoise prefers to start the market experience at 9:15am (instead of 10am) to avoid the rush. Francoise is willing to host on weekends for groups 5+. Please email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com so we can check availability for you on a weekend if you are a large group. A glass of wine is included in the cost of the experience.

Languages spoken: English, French

Traveler reviews

5.0 (4)
We couldn't have loved our experience any more. Francoise was warm, clever, kind, and talented. The neighborhood was beautiful and quaint and we felt very Parisian walking through the markets and gorgeous streets. Francoise taught us so much about the food culture of Paris and how to cook an incredibly delicious meal. Our mouths are still watering for the meal. We are grateful for the experience.
- Lisa Taub March 13, 2023
The market tour and cooking class with Françoise in Paris was delightful! She took us to several of her favorite vendors at the market, put together a delicious cheese and sausage board for us to nibble on while she taught us how to make a traditional cheese soufflé. And the unique merengue dessert was amazing! Our teenage kids loved every minute of the experience as well. I will definitely book through Traveling Spoon again.
- Kristen W March 13, 2023
This was by far one of our favorite activities while spending a quick 5 days in Paris over New Years with two of our adult children. Francoise was a superb host and welcomed us into her beautiful home on New Years Day. (A perfect way to spend a few hours after a late evening the night before.) The kitchen was cozy, the food fabulous and Francoise was charming. She’s worked in the industry as both a chef and consultant for a while and shared many secrets and tips as she prepared our meal(who knew a spoon was really better than a whisk while preparing sauces)! We did help with a few things, but honestly just sitting and visiting with her in her cozy kitchen was perfect for our family of four after a late night. She had everything so well organized, that the conversation flowed without it distracting her. She tasked us with a few chores, and I’m sure had we wanted to do more, Francoise would have accommodated us. Her ease, knowledge and flexibility made us feel very welcome. The menu was tailored to our requests prior to our arrival and left us with very full stomachs upon leaving. Wonderful attention to detail....little edible treats before, during and after the main meal and champagne and wine!I would not hesitate to give my highest recommendation for this experience. Meeting and learning from a true Parisian cannot be beat. Book with Francoise now!
- manriggs January 03, 2019
Francoise was amazing! We've taken several cooking and food classes in Paris and Francoise's was the most memorable. She was warm and inviting, giving us great cooking tips, as well as, recommendations for places to shop and eat. We brought our 8 month old daughter, who was fussy at times. Francoise held our daughter and even fed her, so we could enjoy our meal. This kind of treatment is over and above what we expected. Francoise also choose high quality, organic cheeses for her spread, which we greatly appreciated. We would love to visit Francoise again. The experience was unforgettable.
- Edith S August 06, 2018
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Françoise

$274-$374 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
 Not offered $324 $274
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $374 $306
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $324 $274
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $374 $306
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm

Meet Françoise

Françoise learned to cook from her two grandfathers who were both fisherman; one was a cook during the second World War. As a child, Françoise used to visit Marseille where her grandparents live; her grandfather would work, fishing off the coast, from 3am to 12am, and would then bring home the best of his catch to cook it for his family. It was her grandparents that taught her that the freshest fish is found in the best restaurants, and at the tables of the fisherman. Françoise went on to have a successful career working as the art director for advertising agencies for 18 years. She left that career to move in to the food space and has since started her own catering business. Françoise has a delightful and colored family story, from her tales growing up with her fisherman grandfathers to living in Africa for three years. Françoise is also passionate about doing anything with her hands and is incredibly creative; her beautiful home is lined with her handiwork, from beautiful collage boxes of her travel finds from around the world to metal embossing to cocardes (antique lace and bleu/blanc/rouge embroidery). Be sure to ask Françoise for her flea market recommendations, as well! She is an avid flea market lover and visits the Bruxelles market monthly.

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: (2-7 guests) Step into Françoise's beautiful, large apartment that is tastefully filled with finds from travels around the world and her own impressive handiwork. Enjoy a plated three-course meal that will include an appetizer, main course and dessert, which might feature a sampling of cheese nibbles, a feuilleté with leeks, shrimp with ginger creme as an appetizer, and a traditional cheese soufflé served with a seasonal green salad for lunch. End your meal with a traditional French dessert such as poached pears, a fruit tarte or île flottante (a soft meringue served on top of a sweet custard).

Cooking experience: (2-7 guests) Learn how to make a traditional French cheese soufflé, the perfect classic of French cuisine. Françoise will teach you all the techniques needed to recreate this light and fluffy dish at home, including the secret for how to get your soufflé to rise properly in the oven!

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Meet in front of Sainte-Marie des Batignolles and walk together to the local covered market to meet some of Francoise's local producers (all of whom know Francoise well from her frequent visits!). You might stop at the local fishmonger, the fromagerie, and the produce store on your way home, and on your way pick up a selection of ingredients for your cooking class and meal. Walk the short way (less than ten minutes) back to Francoise's apartment where you will prepare your meal together and enjoy it at Francoise's large table in her kitchen.

Please note that market tours are not available on Mondays since the markets are closed that day. Also, the market tour is unavailable on Sunday evenings, it is only available at 9:15am on Sunday mornings.

Notes: On weekends (Sat and Sun), Francoise prefers to start the market experience at 9:15am (instead of 10am) to avoid the rush. Francoise is willing to host on weekends for groups 5+. Please email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com so we can check availability for you on a weekend if you are a large group. A glass of wine is included in the cost of the experience.

Languages spoken: English, French

Traveler reviews

5.0 (4)
We couldn't have loved our experience any more. Francoise was warm, clever, kind, and talented. The neighborhood was beautiful and quaint and we felt very Parisian walking through the markets and gorgeous streets. Francoise taught us so much about the food culture of Paris and how to cook an incredibly delicious meal. Our mouths are still watering for the meal. We are grateful for the experience.
- Lisa Taub March 13, 2023
The market tour and cooking class with Françoise in Paris was delightful! She took us to several of her favorite vendors at the market, put together a delicious cheese and sausage board for us to nibble on while she taught us how to make a traditional cheese soufflé. And the unique merengue dessert was amazing! Our teenage kids loved every minute of the experience as well. I will definitely book through Traveling Spoon again.
- Kristen W March 13, 2023
This was by far one of our favorite activities while spending a quick 5 days in Paris over New Years with two of our adult children. Francoise was a superb host and welcomed us into her beautiful home on New Years Day. (A perfect way to spend a few hours after a late evening the night before.) The kitchen was cozy, the food fabulous and Francoise was charming. She’s worked in the industry as both a chef and consultant for a while and shared many secrets and tips as she prepared our meal(who knew a spoon was really better than a whisk while preparing sauces)! We did help with a few things, but honestly just sitting and visiting with her in her cozy kitchen was perfect for our family of four after a late night. She had everything so well organized, that the conversation flowed without it distracting her. She tasked us with a few chores, and I’m sure had we wanted to do more, Francoise would have accommodated us. Her ease, knowledge and flexibility made us feel very welcome. The menu was tailored to our requests prior to our arrival and left us with very full stomachs upon leaving. Wonderful attention to detail....little edible treats before, during and after the main meal and champagne and wine!I would not hesitate to give my highest recommendation for this experience. Meeting and learning from a true Parisian cannot be beat. Book with Francoise now!
- manriggs January 03, 2019
Francoise was amazing! We've taken several cooking and food classes in Paris and Francoise's was the most memorable. She was warm and inviting, giving us great cooking tips, as well as, recommendations for places to shop and eat. We brought our 8 month old daughter, who was fussy at times. Francoise held our daughter and even fed her, so we could enjoy our meal. This kind of treatment is over and above what we expected. Francoise also choose high quality, organic cheeses for her spread, which we greatly appreciated. We would love to visit Francoise again. The experience was unforgettable.
- Edith S August 06, 2018
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $324 $274
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $374 $306
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $324 $274
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $374 $306
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 1:00pm-4:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm
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.

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    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").

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