Authentic Bengali Cooking Class in a Local Kolkata Home
Description
Zinnia lives with her husband and their 14 year old daughter in Kolkata. For Zinnia being in the kitchen is truly a stress buster! Zinnia taught herself to cook after she got married from recipe books and long phone conversations with her mother! Zinnia will welcome you to their apartment in New Town with a warm smile. While you sip on your welcome drink, Zinnia will share all about her love for cooking. She cooks not only traditional Bengali food but can also fix up a few delectable North Indian dishes. The menu is thoughtfully chosen to feature 3-4 Bengali specialties and the distinctive use of mustard oil and mustard seed paste which is unique to Bengali cuisine. Join Zinnia in her small kitchen for a one hour hands-on cooking class and then sit down at the dinning table to enjoy the meal you helped prepare. Zinnia can offer vegetarian meals on request. Any dietary preferences may be available.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Location Name: Meet Zinnia at her home.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Menu may vary depending on the season
- If any travelers in your party have any allergies, dietary restrictions or cooking preferences please advise at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Private, personalized experience
- Notes: Zinnia can offer vegetarian meals on request.
Reviews(12)
I cannot recommend this cooking experience highly enough. Zinnia was incredibly organized, explained each step of preparing several dishes in a simple and approachable way, and provided detailed recipes to take home. I not only feel confident that I can recreate the meals myself, but I also genuinely enjoyed spending the evening with Zinnia and her family. They are some of the kindest and most welcoming people you could meet. It was a delightful experience on every level: learning new skills, enjoying delicious food, and sharing wonderful company.
Zinnia is a fantastic cook, and she, her husband and their daughter are all warm, smart and highly educated. They welcomed me so kindly and open-heartedly, and Zinnia went to the trouble of giving a cooking class just for me personally. It is well organized, everything was perfectly prepared. In advance, she asked my wishes and preferences and then tailored everything to me. Not only did I have a very nice evening and a very delicious menu, but I also learned a lot. In the end, Zinnia and her husband drove me back. How nice! Big plus: Your English is perfect, so the communication went smoothly.
First of all it was fun from start to end. We met an outstanding family with great hospitality and openess. With the cooking the underlying concepts were explained so that we believe we understood all dimensions of the relevant dish. The self performance helped to get a feel - to be proofen in the "homework " though ;-) but we will get online support if needed. As a special treasure we will take the mustard twist of our favorite dish home with us and close with a big thanks!
My wife and I spent an afternoon and evening with Zinnia and her family learning to cook Bengali food! It was a wonderful experience, both in the cooking and the personal attention. We learned to cook four different dishes (and had a number more in the dinner). It was a wonderful experience and I recommend her to anyone!! https://www.flickr.com/photos/randyandellen/albums/72177720331169070/
I had a great experience at Zinnia cooking class. We prepared together a indian/bengali menu based on my food preferences and I got to learn tricks and secrets of this delicious cuisine. Then we had a lovely dinner with her sweet family in their beautiful home. I totally recommend this experience for whoever wants to enjoy not only food but also some great human interaction with Zinnia and her family. Looking forward to come back and thank you for havingme!
I can wholeheartedly recommend this cooking class. Zinnia and her family were great hosts and welcomed us into their home with open arms. We had a really nice evening and are already looking forward to cooking the recipes for our families in Germany.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a memorable experience with Zinnia and her family. At Traveling Spoon, we’re passionate about creating meaningful connections through food, and it’s heartwarming to know you felt so welcomed and inspired. We love that you'll be sharing these recipes with your family back in Germany—what a beautiful way to bring your travels home with you. We hope to host you again soon on another delicious adventure!
This is my second visit. Last year's visit was so enjoyable that I decided to ask for it again. Zinnia worked with me to come up with a recipe for hope that I would like you to share. The cooking is very careful and easy to understand. After cooking together, we had a good meal with Zinnia family. It is definitely the best cooking class in Kolkata. Next time I go to Kolkata, I will definitely revisit it.
I’m traveling across India and wanted to explore the cuisine of every region. That’s how I came across Zinnia. What can I say? It was simply a perfect evening! I was invited into her wonderful home and had the chance to meet her lovely family. Some of the dishes had already been prepared by Zinnia, while others we cooked together, allowing me to savor a variety of dishes from Bengali cuisine – and it was absolutely delicious! Accompanied by engaging conversations and fascinating stories, it was an evening that made me feel completely at ease, as if we had known each other for a long time. I’m already looking forward to my next visit! P.S.: Don’t hesitate to ask about other dishes from Bengali or North Indian cuisine! Zinnia will create something amazing for you!
Zinnia is an excellent teacher and a wonderful person. It was an unforgettable experience that enabled me to discover how to prepare Indian dishes that I'll be able to share with my friends and family in France. I was made very welcome and she and her husband even came to pick me up and take me back to the hotel. I sincerely thank them and the rest of their family for their hospitality.
Before the cooking class started, we discussed in advance what we would make by email. She came up with a menu based on my wishes. On the day of the cooking class, Zinnia welcomed me very kindly. I was able to relax and learn traditional Bengali cuisine in her lovely and beautiful home. My most enjoyable memory of going to Kolkata was meeting her and her family. I am very happy.
