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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Ioana

Paris, France

USD
$49-$89 per person

French Cooking Class Near Paris with a Local

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food Tour

Meet Ioana

Cooking has always been at the heart of Ioana’s life. She grew up in a family of passionate cooks - her mother is a baker and pastry chef, and her grandmother attended culinary school. From a young age, Ioana learned to cook alongside them, preparing meals with vegetables from the family garden and ingredients produced on their small farm, including flour, vegetables and meat. Originally from Romania, Ioana has called Paris home since 2008, when she moved to France as an Erasmus student pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy. She quickly fell in love with French culture and decided to make Paris her home. Today, she works in the social sector, helping provide shelter and housing for immigrants and vulnerable communities. After years of cooking for family and friends, Ioana decided to deepen her culinary skills and earned a professional culinary arts qualification in 2023. She regularly hosts dinners in her Paris apartment and also works with a neighborhood cooking association for young people. Passionate about bringing people together through food, Ioana loves sharing her culinary traditions and life in Paris with travelers. Guests can join her for an intimate cooking and dining experience in her Paris home, offering a unique opportunity to connect with a local over food and conversation. For travelers who prefer to dine in their own space, Ioana also offers a private chef experience in Paris and can prepare a personalized meal in your vacation rental.

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) Ioana lives in Montreuil, just outside Paris and easily accessible from central Paris by metro. In her beautiful, cozy apartment with views over the city, she welcomes travelers to experience her love of French cuisine alongside the Romanian and Balkan flavors she grew up with. For your private meal with Ioana, choose from three menus: a classic French menu, a traditional Romanian menu, or a French-Romanian fusion menu featuring her family recipes with a French touch. For travelers looking to experience French home cooking in Paris, her French menu might include croque monsieur, boeuf bourguignon (beef slowly braised in red wine), and a classic French dessert such as flan or moelleux au chocolat (soft French chocolate cake). Enjoy a relaxed, intimate meal in a local home while connecting with Ioana over food, culture and life in Paris.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) During the approximately 1-hour hands-on cooking portion of your 2.5-hour private food experience in Montreuil near Paris, learn French cooking techniques and prepare part of your three-course meal alongside Ioana. Depending on the menu selected, you might learn how to prepare a beef or fish main, while learning techniques such as braising, seasoning and building rich, layered flavors. You may also learn techniques for preparing a homemade French soup or dessert from scratch. After cooking, relax around Ioana’s dining table and enjoy the three-course meal you helped prepare together. Enjoy a relaxed, intimate cooking and dining experience in a local home while connecting with Ioana over food, culture and life in Paris. Ioana is also happy to take special dish requests, so let her know when booking if there’s something in particular you’d love to learn to cook or try. Ioana can accommodate vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets with advance notice. Please share any dietary restrictions or food allergies when booking your private Paris cooking experience.

Notes: Ioana is available to host both lunch and dinner experiences on weekends. On weekdays, she is available for dinner experiences only. If you choose the optional alcohol add-on, Ioana offers French wine.

Languages spoken: French, English and Romanian

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: Caramelized onion and bread soup + Boeuf bourguignon (French beef stew braised in red wine) + Flan
  • Menu 2: Zacusca (a vegetable spread) served with bread + Roasted beef in a bell pepper sauce with carrots and cucumber salad + Moelleux au chocolat with cream and roasted spices
  • Menu 3: Croque monsieur or madame (ham and cheese sandwich) + Borek (savory pastry filled with feta and spinach) + Papanasi (Romanian dessert)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
We had a wonderful evening with Ioana! She prepared a great meal for us, gave us the hands-on experience of preparing dessert, and her knowledge and passion for her craft is evident. This was the perfect addition to our trip to Paris.
- Brian May 26, 2026
Five stars!
- Colby March 31, 2025

Ioana

$49-$89 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
 $59 $55 $49
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $89 $85 $79
Alcohol
 $15 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $59 $55 $49
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $89 $85 $79
Alcohol
 $15 per person
*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

Meet Ioana

Cooking has always been at the heart of Ioana’s life. She grew up in a family of passionate cooks - her mother is a baker and pastry chef, and her grandmother attended culinary school. From a young age, Ioana learned to cook alongside them, preparing meals with vegetables from the family garden and ingredients produced on their small farm, including flour, vegetables and meat. Originally from Romania, Ioana has called Paris home since 2008, when she moved to France as an Erasmus student pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy. She quickly fell in love with French culture and decided to make Paris her home. Today, she works in the social sector, helping provide shelter and housing for immigrants and vulnerable communities. After years of cooking for family and friends, Ioana decided to deepen her culinary skills and earned a professional culinary arts qualification in 2023. She regularly hosts dinners in her Paris apartment and also works with a neighborhood cooking association for young people. Passionate about bringing people together through food, Ioana loves sharing her culinary traditions and life in Paris with travelers. Guests can join her for an intimate cooking and dining experience in her Paris home, offering a unique opportunity to connect with a local over food and conversation. For travelers who prefer to dine in their own space, Ioana also offers a private chef experience in Paris and can prepare a personalized meal in your vacation rental.

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) Ioana lives in Montreuil, just outside Paris and easily accessible from central Paris by metro. In her beautiful, cozy apartment with views over the city, she welcomes travelers to experience her love of French cuisine alongside the Romanian and Balkan flavors she grew up with. For your private meal with Ioana, choose from three menus: a classic French menu, a traditional Romanian menu, or a French-Romanian fusion menu featuring her family recipes with a French touch. For travelers looking to experience French home cooking in Paris, her French menu might include croque monsieur, boeuf bourguignon (beef slowly braised in red wine), and a classic French dessert such as flan or moelleux au chocolat (soft French chocolate cake). Enjoy a relaxed, intimate meal in a local home while connecting with Ioana over food, culture and life in Paris.

Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) During the approximately 1-hour hands-on cooking portion of your 2.5-hour private food experience in Montreuil near Paris, learn French cooking techniques and prepare part of your three-course meal alongside Ioana. Depending on the menu selected, you might learn how to prepare a beef or fish main, while learning techniques such as braising, seasoning and building rich, layered flavors. You may also learn techniques for preparing a homemade French soup or dessert from scratch. After cooking, relax around Ioana’s dining table and enjoy the three-course meal you helped prepare together. Enjoy a relaxed, intimate cooking and dining experience in a local home while connecting with Ioana over food, culture and life in Paris. Ioana is also happy to take special dish requests, so let her know when booking if there’s something in particular you’d love to learn to cook or try. Ioana can accommodate vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets with advance notice. Please share any dietary restrictions or food allergies when booking your private Paris cooking experience.

Notes: Ioana is available to host both lunch and dinner experiences on weekends. On weekdays, she is available for dinner experiences only. If you choose the optional alcohol add-on, Ioana offers French wine.

Languages spoken: French, English and Romanian

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: Caramelized onion and bread soup + Boeuf bourguignon (French beef stew braised in red wine) + Flan
  • Menu 2: Zacusca (a vegetable spread) served with bread + Roasted beef in a bell pepper sauce with carrots and cucumber salad + Moelleux au chocolat with cream and roasted spices
  • Menu 3: Croque monsieur or madame (ham and cheese sandwich) + Borek (savory pastry filled with feta and spinach) + Papanasi (Romanian dessert)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
We had a wonderful evening with Ioana! She prepared a great meal for us, gave us the hands-on experience of preparing dessert, and her knowledge and passion for her craft is evident. This was the perfect addition to our trip to Paris.
- Brian May 26, 2026
Five stars!
- Colby March 31, 2025
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $59 $55 $49
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $89 $85 $79
Alcohol
 $15 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $59 $55 $49
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $89 $85 $79
Alcohol
 $15 per person
*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
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.