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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Manoshi

Kandy, Sri Lanka

USD
$42-$91 per person

Kandy Market Tour and Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class

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

Meet Manoshi

Manoshi worked as a school teacher for many years before turning her passion for cooking into a full-time job. Now she enjoys hosting cooking classes for travelers and sharing with them her Sri Lankan culture and heritage. Manoshi lives in a quiet and peaceful village in Ampitiya, Kandy, with her father. She learned to cook from her grandmother, and now is an expert at all kinds of traditional Sri Lankan dishes. Apart from cooking, Manoshi also enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures.

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 Sri Lankan meal in Manoshi's village home near Kandy and discover that Sri Lankan cuisine is much more than curry. Inspired by recipes passed down from her grandmother, Manoshi is passionate about sharing the diverse flavors, spices, and cooking traditions that define everyday Sri Lankan home cooking. Your meal will feature fresh, seasonal ingredients, including locally sourced vegetables, herbs, and your choice of meat or fish, prepared using treasured family recipes. Begin with a refreshing homemade lime juice before enjoying a traditional Sri Lankan spread that may include string hoppers and sambol or rice, dhal (lentils), chicken, fish, or potato curry, pickles, and a fresh salad. Complete your meal with a classic Sri Lankan dessert of curd and treacle, served alongside tea or coffee. As you dine, learn about local food traditions, family recipes, and daily life in Sri Lanka while sharing a meal in a real family home. This immersive food experience in Kandy offers a unique opportunity to connect with local culture through authentic home-cooked cuisine.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) Join Manoshi in her traditional village kitchen near Kandy for a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class. During this 1.5-hour experience, learn to prepare classic Sri Lankan dishes such as dhal (lentils), sambal, and your choice of a chicken, fish, or vegetable curry. As you cook together, Manoshi will share family recipes passed down from her grandmother, along with local cooking techniques, spice combinations, and tips for recreating authentic Sri Lankan food at home. This is an opportunity to learn how everyday meals are prepared in Sri Lankan homes and gain insight into the country's culinary traditions. If there is a particular Sri Lankan dish you would like to learn, please let Manoshi know in advance. She is happy to customize the cooking class based on your interests and dietary preferences whenever possible. After the class, sit down with Manoshi and her family (when they are home) to enjoy the traditional meal you helped prepare together. This authentic food experience in Kandy offers a unique chance to connect with a local family while discovering the flavors and culture of Sri Lanka.

Market visit: (1-5 guests) Meet Manoshi outside Kandy Central Market, one of the city's busiest and most vibrant local markets, for a guided market tour. This bustling indoor and outdoor marketplace is where locals shop daily for fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, seafood, and meats, making it the perfect place to discover the ingredients that form the foundation of Sri Lankan cuisine. As you explore the market together, Manoshi will introduce you to seasonal produce, aromatic spices, and traditional ingredients commonly used in Sri Lankan home cooking. Learn how locals select the freshest ingredients, observe everyday market life, and interact with vendors as you shop for items that will be used during your cooking class. You are welcome to choose a vegetable or ingredient that interests you, and Manoshi will share tips on selecting the freshest produce and navigating local market customs. This immersive Kandy market tour offers a unique glimpse into daily life in Sri Lanka while providing valuable insight into the country's food culture. After your market visit, take a short rickshaw ride to Manoshi's home, where you will continue your experience with a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class and traditional meal.

Notes: Manoshi can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free diets with advance notice. If you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, please include them when booking your experience.

Languages spoken: English and Sinhala

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.
  • Please choose one menu from the below options:
  • Menu 1: Roti/Pittu/String Hoppers/Rice + Lunumiris (a spicy Sri Lankan sambal paste) + Pol sambol (a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from coconut) + Parippu curry (lentil curry) + Ala kiri hodi (Sri Lankan potato curry) + Tea/Coffee
  • Menu 2: Yellow rice + Dhal (lentils) + Batu moju (eggplant pickle) + Fish/Chicken Curry + Curd with treacle

Manoshi

$42-$91 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
 $49 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $81 $65 $59
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $91 $75 $65
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $81 $65 $59
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $91 $75 $65
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Manoshi

Manoshi worked as a school teacher for many years before turning her passion for cooking into a full-time job. Now she enjoys hosting cooking classes for travelers and sharing with them her Sri Lankan culture and heritage. Manoshi lives in a quiet and peaceful village in Ampitiya, Kandy, with her father. She learned to cook from her grandmother, and now is an expert at all kinds of traditional Sri Lankan dishes. Apart from cooking, Manoshi also enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures.

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 Sri Lankan meal in Manoshi's village home near Kandy and discover that Sri Lankan cuisine is much more than curry. Inspired by recipes passed down from her grandmother, Manoshi is passionate about sharing the diverse flavors, spices, and cooking traditions that define everyday Sri Lankan home cooking. Your meal will feature fresh, seasonal ingredients, including locally sourced vegetables, herbs, and your choice of meat or fish, prepared using treasured family recipes. Begin with a refreshing homemade lime juice before enjoying a traditional Sri Lankan spread that may include string hoppers and sambol or rice, dhal (lentils), chicken, fish, or potato curry, pickles, and a fresh salad. Complete your meal with a classic Sri Lankan dessert of curd and treacle, served alongside tea or coffee. As you dine, learn about local food traditions, family recipes, and daily life in Sri Lanka while sharing a meal in a real family home. This immersive food experience in Kandy offers a unique opportunity to connect with local culture through authentic home-cooked cuisine.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) Join Manoshi in her traditional village kitchen near Kandy for a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class. During this 1.5-hour experience, learn to prepare classic Sri Lankan dishes such as dhal (lentils), sambal, and your choice of a chicken, fish, or vegetable curry. As you cook together, Manoshi will share family recipes passed down from her grandmother, along with local cooking techniques, spice combinations, and tips for recreating authentic Sri Lankan food at home. This is an opportunity to learn how everyday meals are prepared in Sri Lankan homes and gain insight into the country's culinary traditions. If there is a particular Sri Lankan dish you would like to learn, please let Manoshi know in advance. She is happy to customize the cooking class based on your interests and dietary preferences whenever possible. After the class, sit down with Manoshi and her family (when they are home) to enjoy the traditional meal you helped prepare together. This authentic food experience in Kandy offers a unique chance to connect with a local family while discovering the flavors and culture of Sri Lanka.

Market visit: (1-5 guests) Meet Manoshi outside Kandy Central Market, one of the city's busiest and most vibrant local markets, for a guided market tour. This bustling indoor and outdoor marketplace is where locals shop daily for fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, seafood, and meats, making it the perfect place to discover the ingredients that form the foundation of Sri Lankan cuisine. As you explore the market together, Manoshi will introduce you to seasonal produce, aromatic spices, and traditional ingredients commonly used in Sri Lankan home cooking. Learn how locals select the freshest ingredients, observe everyday market life, and interact with vendors as you shop for items that will be used during your cooking class. You are welcome to choose a vegetable or ingredient that interests you, and Manoshi will share tips on selecting the freshest produce and navigating local market customs. This immersive Kandy market tour offers a unique glimpse into daily life in Sri Lanka while providing valuable insight into the country's food culture. After your market visit, take a short rickshaw ride to Manoshi's home, where you will continue your experience with a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class and traditional meal.

Notes: Manoshi can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free diets with advance notice. If you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, please include them when booking your experience.

Languages spoken: English and Sinhala

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.
  • Please choose one menu from the below options:
  • Menu 1: Roti/Pittu/String Hoppers/Rice + Lunumiris (a spicy Sri Lankan sambal paste) + Pol sambol (a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from coconut) + Parippu curry (lentil curry) + Ala kiri hodi (Sri Lankan potato curry) + Tea/Coffee
  • Menu 2: Yellow rice + Dhal (lentils) + Batu moju (eggplant pickle) + Fish/Chicken Curry + Curd with treacle
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $81 $65 $59
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $91 $75 $65
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $81 $65 $59
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $91 $75 $65
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm
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 4% 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.