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Host: Archana

Bengaluru (Bangalore), India

USD
$42-$74 per person

Authentic Gowda Cooking Class & Market Tour in Bengaluru

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

Meet Archana

Archana lives in a modest and clean apartment with her husband Rajesh and their two children. A native of Bangalore, Archana is a warm and inviting host with whom you will immediately feel at ease. She has worked in the telecom industry for 15 years but her passion is cooking. She started cooking as a teenager and learned to make traditional Gowda dishes from her mother and mother-in-law. Archana is excited to share her culinary traditions and famed Karnataka hospitality with guests over a healthy and delicious meal.

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: (1-8 guests) Archana will welcome you into her traditional home where you will dine on a traditional Gowda meal, which is typically served on a banana leaf and eaten while sitting on the floor. Enjoy a welcome drink of paanaka (lemonade sweetened with sugar) while snacking on a variety of starters such as kosambari (lentil salad), neruli bajji (fried onion fritters), or crisp snacks like nippat, chakli or usli. Main dishes might include holige (a lentil-stuffed flatbread), ragi mudde (millet flour balls which are typically eaten in rural Karnataka state), mamsada saaru (stewed mutton), followed by traditional Gowda sweets for dessert. If you would prefer to eat at a table please make a note when you confirm your experience and Archana can provide a table and chairs. Please note that as is typical in her culture, Archana prefers to serve you your food so you can enjoy it while it is hot. She may not join you at the table but her husband Rajesh or Archana's mother will join you for the meal.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) During your cooking class in Bangalore learn to prepare 2-3 traditional Gowda dishes including bisi bele huli anna (a savory dish of rice, vegetables and lentils) and ragi balls, before you dine on the meal you helped prepare. You will share a traditional Gowda meal served on a banana leaf as you sit on the floor. Archana is excited to share her culture through food through this traditional cooking class in Bengaluru.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) Meet Archana at her home and go together to explore local and regional produce available in a local Bangalore market before returning to her kitchen to cook.

Notes:
1. Please remove your shoes before entering Archana's home.
2. This home does not have air conditioning so it can get hot in the warmest months of March - May.
3. Archana can accommodate a vegetarian diet, if informed in advance.

Languages spoken: English, Kannada

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.
  • Holige (a lentil-stuffed flatbread) or Bisi bele huli anna (a savory dish of rice, vegetables and lentils)
  • Ragi mudde (millet flour balls which are typically eaten in rural Karnataka state)
  • Mamsada saaru (stewed mutton)
  • Gowda sweets

Traveler reviews

4.79 (24)
We had a wonderful afternoon with Archana and her family in theor lovely home. As 5th generation Bangalorians, you cannot get more authentic food than what she shared with us. Archana clearly loves sharing about her heritage and the family recipes going back generations. From the tour of her roof top garden, to the lessons on making Dosas and other traditional dishes, it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon. Our only mistake was to wait until the last day of our trip to visit with Archana - she has so many great suggestions on places in and around Bangaluru to try - we wish we had visited with her at the beginning of our stay so we could benefit from her and her husband's wealth of knowledge about the area. Thank you!!
- Sarah January 09, 2026
We had such a wonderful time with Archana and her family. She welcomed us into her home with a cup of filter coffee. Instead of starting to cook right away, we sat and talked. She shared so much about her culture and religion, which was a delight for my curiosity. Then she and her husband Rajesh took us to their rooftop garden where we picked chilies, curry leaves, coriander and limes for our meal. We loved to smell all the scents of the herbs, especially maraga (marjoram). Then it was back to the kitchen where we helped prepare our feast. She had most of the ingredients prepared, so most of what we did was assembling local dishes. Finally, we sat down for a truly delicious meal. It was more food than we could possibly eat in one sitting, so we sampled a bit of each dish and left with very full bellies and happy hearts. Archana is a wonderful teacher. We learned so much about true local food and culture. She really seems to delight in sharing her knowledge and wisdom with people. The price was very reasonable and the experience was worth far more than we paid. We felt so privileged to have this amazing experience with such a lovely family.
- Wayne August 17, 2025
This experience was incredible and I would recommend it to absolutely everyone! Archana is a wonderful host who has a wealth of knowledge that she is happy to share with others. She is the only cooking experience that allows you to come alone, but you never feel alone once you arrive. Everyone in the family shares their time with you and makes you feel welcome in their space. Archana clearly explains the thought and reasoning behind the food she makes and the cultural relevance of it all as well. She even made adjustments to what she had planned on making as we discussed my life and the access to ingredients that I had at home. This experience is meant to give you a glimpse into the lives, culture, and customs of people from Bengaluru, and that’s what you get and more. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone thinking of taking a cooking class in Bengaluru. THIS is definitely the class you want to take!
- Tajia_M August 09, 2024
It was a true pleasure to meet Archana and was a highlight of my trip. Her knowledge about cooking was amazing. I learned so many variations on many different recipes. It was a unique experience to cook in an India home and learn about spices and so much more. I can wait to get home an create my own spice box & cook India food for my family and friends. I can’t thank Archana and her kind family for their generous hospitality.
- jillhb99 March 24, 2023
My husband and I had a delightful evening with Archana and her family, who also pitched in. Thanks to their participation, this activity was not only delicious and educational, but also an enriching cultural experience. How much we learned about the Indian way of life! While we were doing food preparation in the dining area, Archana‘s mother was cooking in the kitchen and her mother-in-law was making rice upstairs. We even had a visit from her sister, who was celebrating her birthday, and she brought food as well. We enjoyed quite a feast!! We highly, highly recommend this activity. We felt we became part of the family for an evening, and it was a great first night in India for us. ❤️❤️❤️
- jlw2001 March 06, 2023
Read More

Archana

$42-$74 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
 $52 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $62 $58 $52
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $70 $62
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $52 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $62 $58 $52
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $70 $62
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 7:30pm-9:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:30am-2:30pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-3:00pm 5:00pm-10:00pm

Meet Archana

Archana lives in a modest and clean apartment with her husband Rajesh and their two children. A native of Bangalore, Archana is a warm and inviting host with whom you will immediately feel at ease. She has worked in the telecom industry for 15 years but her passion is cooking. She started cooking as a teenager and learned to make traditional Gowda dishes from her mother and mother-in-law. Archana is excited to share her culinary traditions and famed Karnataka hospitality with guests over a healthy and delicious meal.

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: (1-8 guests) Archana will welcome you into her traditional home where you will dine on a traditional Gowda meal, which is typically served on a banana leaf and eaten while sitting on the floor. Enjoy a welcome drink of paanaka (lemonade sweetened with sugar) while snacking on a variety of starters such as kosambari (lentil salad), neruli bajji (fried onion fritters), or crisp snacks like nippat, chakli or usli. Main dishes might include holige (a lentil-stuffed flatbread), ragi mudde (millet flour balls which are typically eaten in rural Karnataka state), mamsada saaru (stewed mutton), followed by traditional Gowda sweets for dessert. If you would prefer to eat at a table please make a note when you confirm your experience and Archana can provide a table and chairs. Please note that as is typical in her culture, Archana prefers to serve you your food so you can enjoy it while it is hot. She may not join you at the table but her husband Rajesh or Archana's mother will join you for the meal.

Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) During your cooking class in Bangalore learn to prepare 2-3 traditional Gowda dishes including bisi bele huli anna (a savory dish of rice, vegetables and lentils) and ragi balls, before you dine on the meal you helped prepare. You will share a traditional Gowda meal served on a banana leaf as you sit on the floor. Archana is excited to share her culture through food through this traditional cooking class in Bengaluru.

Market visit: (1-8 guests) Meet Archana at her home and go together to explore local and regional produce available in a local Bangalore market before returning to her kitchen to cook.

Notes:
1. Please remove your shoes before entering Archana's home.
2. This home does not have air conditioning so it can get hot in the warmest months of March - May.
3. Archana can accommodate a vegetarian diet, if informed in advance.

Languages spoken: English, Kannada

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.
  • Holige (a lentil-stuffed flatbread) or Bisi bele huli anna (a savory dish of rice, vegetables and lentils)
  • Ragi mudde (millet flour balls which are typically eaten in rural Karnataka state)
  • Mamsada saaru (stewed mutton)
  • Gowda sweets

Traveler reviews

4.79 (24)
We had a wonderful afternoon with Archana and her family in theor lovely home. As 5th generation Bangalorians, you cannot get more authentic food than what she shared with us. Archana clearly loves sharing about her heritage and the family recipes going back generations. From the tour of her roof top garden, to the lessons on making Dosas and other traditional dishes, it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon. Our only mistake was to wait until the last day of our trip to visit with Archana - she has so many great suggestions on places in and around Bangaluru to try - we wish we had visited with her at the beginning of our stay so we could benefit from her and her husband's wealth of knowledge about the area. Thank you!!
- Sarah January 09, 2026
We had such a wonderful time with Archana and her family. She welcomed us into her home with a cup of filter coffee. Instead of starting to cook right away, we sat and talked. She shared so much about her culture and religion, which was a delight for my curiosity. Then she and her husband Rajesh took us to their rooftop garden where we picked chilies, curry leaves, coriander and limes for our meal. We loved to smell all the scents of the herbs, especially maraga (marjoram). Then it was back to the kitchen where we helped prepare our feast. She had most of the ingredients prepared, so most of what we did was assembling local dishes. Finally, we sat down for a truly delicious meal. It was more food than we could possibly eat in one sitting, so we sampled a bit of each dish and left with very full bellies and happy hearts. Archana is a wonderful teacher. We learned so much about true local food and culture. She really seems to delight in sharing her knowledge and wisdom with people. The price was very reasonable and the experience was worth far more than we paid. We felt so privileged to have this amazing experience with such a lovely family.
- Wayne August 17, 2025
This experience was incredible and I would recommend it to absolutely everyone! Archana is a wonderful host who has a wealth of knowledge that she is happy to share with others. She is the only cooking experience that allows you to come alone, but you never feel alone once you arrive. Everyone in the family shares their time with you and makes you feel welcome in their space. Archana clearly explains the thought and reasoning behind the food she makes and the cultural relevance of it all as well. She even made adjustments to what she had planned on making as we discussed my life and the access to ingredients that I had at home. This experience is meant to give you a glimpse into the lives, culture, and customs of people from Bengaluru, and that’s what you get and more. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone thinking of taking a cooking class in Bengaluru. THIS is definitely the class you want to take!
- Tajia_M August 09, 2024
It was a true pleasure to meet Archana and was a highlight of my trip. Her knowledge about cooking was amazing. I learned so many variations on many different recipes. It was a unique experience to cook in an India home and learn about spices and so much more. I can wait to get home an create my own spice box & cook India food for my family and friends. I can’t thank Archana and her kind family for their generous hospitality.
- jillhb99 March 24, 2023
My husband and I had a delightful evening with Archana and her family, who also pitched in. Thanks to their participation, this activity was not only delicious and educational, but also an enriching cultural experience. How much we learned about the Indian way of life! While we were doing food preparation in the dining area, Archana‘s mother was cooking in the kitchen and her mother-in-law was making rice upstairs. We even had a visit from her sister, who was celebrating her birthday, and she brought food as well. We enjoyed quite a feast!! We highly, highly recommend this activity. We felt we became part of the family for an evening, and it was a great first night in India for us. ❤️❤️❤️
- jlw2001 March 06, 2023
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $52 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $62 $58 $52
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $70 $62
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $52 $46 $42
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $62 $58 $52
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $70 $62
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 7:30pm-9:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:30am-2:30pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 10:00am-3:00pm 5:00pm-10:00pm
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.