Meet
Debjani
Residing in Kolkata, the vibrant “City of Joy,” Debjani delights guests with authentic Bengali dishes that beautifully showcase the region’s rich culture and culinary traditions. With a Ph.D. in Horticulture, Debjani’s deep connection to nature shines through in her fresh, seasonal approach to cooking. Over the years, she has also cultivated a love for design and art, creating elegant and inviting experiences during her three decades in the hospitality industry with prestigious groups such as Taj and Oberoi. Passionate about connecting with people from around the world, Debjani loves sharing stories, exchanging cultures, and introducing guests to the flavors that make Bengali cuisine so special.
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)
Enjoy an authentic Bengali dining experience at Debjani’s cozy, art-filled apartment in Kolkata, a charming space that beautifully blends old-world charm with modern aesthetics. Debjani cooks with traditional ingredients and heirloom recipes passed down through generations. One of her favorites is her grandmother’s shukto, a comforting mixed vegetable dish that reflects the essence of Bengali home cooking. She loves preparing the dishes she grew up eating, inspired by her mother and grandmother, and takes pride in offering guests a true taste of Bengal’s rich culinary heritage.
Join Debjani at her dining table to savor a flavorful spread that may include begun bhaja (crispy eggplant fritters), shorshe bhapa chingri or maach (prawns or river fish steamed in a mustard sauce), or kosha mangsho (slow-cooked mutton curry with a home-ground spice mix), often cooked in traditional earthen pots. End your meal on a sweet note with iconic Bengali desserts like rosogolla (soft cheese dumplings in light sugar syrup) or rosogolla payesh (sweet milk pudding), a wintertime favorite.
Cooking experience:
(1-4 guests)
Join your host Debjani in her home kitchen for an authentic Bengali cooking class in Kolkata. Learn to prepare flavorful regional dishes using recipes passed down from her grandmother, reimagined with a modern touch. During this hands-on cooking class, you’ll help Debjani make traditional favorites such as masoor dal (spiced lentils), begun bhaja (crispy eggplant fritters), and shorshe bhapa chingri or maach (prawns or fish steamed in mustard sauce). Your Kolkata cooking experience will last about 1.5 hours, ending with a shared meal where you’ll enjoy the dishes you prepared together with Debjani and, when they’re home, her warm and welcoming family.
Market visit:
(1-4 guests)
Meet your host, Debjani, at her apartment before heading out together on a short drive to explore one of Kolkata’s bustling local markets, such as Lake Market or Jodhpur Park Market, during your Kolkata market tour. These lively markets are filled with colorful stalls selling everything from fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables to local arts and crafts. As you walk through the market with Debjani, she’ll introduce you to her favorite vendors and help you discover the vibrant ingredients that define Bengali cuisine. After your market visit, return to her home for an authentic Kolkata cooking class, where you’ll use the fresh produce you picked out to prepare traditional Bengali dishes together.
Notes:
Debjani can accommodate lactose-free and vegetarian diets, on request. Please indicate your preference when creating a booking online.
If you're interested in round-trip transfers, Debjani can connect you with a car rental and driver contact who can help.
Languages spoken:
English, Hindi, Bengali
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
The highlight of my trip to Kolkata! I had the most incredible home-cooked Bengali meal at Debjani’s beautiful, centrally located home. She welcomed us like family, and the setting, filled with antiques and artwork, was absolutely charming. The meal was delectable: masoor dal, begun bhaja, shorshe bhapa chingri, maach, and the perfect finish - mishti doi. Every dish was flavorful and prepared with love. It was also lovely to meet Debjani’s friends and share stories, it felt like having lunch with a group of my girlfriends. If you're looking to try authentic Bengali food in Kolkata, this experience is a must. Highly recommended!
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Neha
October 08, 2025
A Must-Do in Kolkata - Authentic Bengali Home Dining Experience! The highlight of my trip to Kolkata! I had the most incredible home-cooked Bengali meal at Debjani’s beautiful, centrally located home. She welcomed us like family, and the setting, filled with antiques and artwork, was absolutely charming. The meal was delectable: masoor dal, begun bhaja, shorshe bhapa chingri, maach, and the perfect finish - mishti doi. Every dish was flavorful and prepared with love. It was also lovely to meet Debjani’s friends and share stories, it felt like having lunch with a group of my girlfriends. If you're looking to try authentic Bengali food in Kolkata, this experience is a must. Highly recommended!
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Neha
October 08, 2025
This was my first traveling spoon experience, and it was just amazing!
Debjani was an excellent host. We started in the morning markets to get a few ingredients and to have a nice cup of chai with local biscuits. Later we cooked and she gave me more insights into Bengali cuisine. After seeing and smelling all the mouthwatering cooking, I was served a delicious thali of several traditional Bengali dishes (My favorite new cuisine in India).
Not only did I have a delicious meal but an engaging conversation with Debjani and I now have a new foodie friend. If you’re visiting Kolkata, you must book this wonderful Traveling Spoon experience with Debjani!
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bigbr2024
May 10, 2024
Wow! What an amazing experience to have had the opportunity to be hosted by Debjani, for my first Traveling Spoon. She took me to local markets nearby her lovely home and we stopped to have some tea and snacks as well. She did detailed insights into the cooking method and ingredients and then a beautiful thali presentation of fabulous Bengali cuisine was served to me. We shared travel, food and life stories and not only did I have a wonderful meal but also engaging conversations with Debjani. I can highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking to find a truly local Bengali food and life experience, it will be the highlight of your Kolkata visit!
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BrianR1
April 10, 2024
First I must thank Debjani, for welcoming us into her home and making us feel so comfortable. We spent the afternoon learning to cook some Bengali traditional dishes. Debjani and her assistant did so of the preparation before so we could make some delicious dishes that we would not of be able to make in the time we had for the class. I learned so much about the different herb and spices that go into Bengali cuisine.
So if you want to learn about India cuisine you should consider looking into this class. You will love it.. I can’t wait to try and make some of the dishes we made for my family back home.
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Jill_J
February 14, 2024
The cooking class with Debjani was my absolute favourite part of visiting Kolkata!
I went for a lunchtime class, along with the market tour—here are some of my highlights:
- Debjani was such a lovely host! She made me feel really comfortable immediately and had so many interesting stories about her life, the food, and Kolkata
- Her apartment is beautiful! It's a love letter to Kolkata, full of tasteful pieces of art, all of which have fascinating origins
- The market tour was my favourite part of the whole day. We drove down to a nearby farmer's market and tried and bought lots of super fresh and unique ingredients—most of which I had never seen before. We also went to a classic Kolkata fish market with some of the freshest seafood I've seen
- Debjani also drove me around that area of Kolkata and gave me a lot of background and stories about the different parts of the city. We stopped by an iconic tea stall and got chai and snacks too!
- The cooking was so much fun—Debjani had planned five or six separate dishes and some of the prep (like overnight marination and mise en place) had already been done to make things a bit smoother
- Everything was incredibly tasty and there were lots of dishes that I had never heard of before but will definitely be making again!
It ended up being a full afternoon and the whole experience gave me a view into Kolkata that I would have completely missed if I just did all the touristy spots. I'd highly recommend the class for anyone who is interested in food, history, architecture, or Bengali culture!
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762arn
December 12, 2023
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