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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Smruti

Pleasanton, CA, United States

USD
$169-$215 per person

Indian-Inspired California Cooking Class in the Bay Area

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

Meet Smruti

A software engineer by day and passionate home cook by heart, your host finds joy in preparing healthy, authentic Californian and Indian inspired meals. What began as a necessity quickly blossomed into a lifelong passion. She now loves sharing her knowledge with others, teaching how to create nutritious, flavorful dishes that support a balanced and vibrant life.

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.

Cooking experience: (2-8 guests) Step into your host’s warm and inviting Pleasanton home, nestled in the East Bay just outside San Francisco, for a lively, hands-on cooking class that fuses the bold flavors of India with the freshness of California cuisine. Your experience begins with a welcome drink and light snack as you settle in, chat with your host, and go over the day’s menu. Then, roll up your sleeves and dive into the kitchen to cook three mouthwatering dishes made with seasonal, wholesome ingredients. You’ll do more than just prep - get ready to mix marinades, layer spices, garnish like a chef, and learn practical techniques side-by-side with your host. The cooking session runs about 1.5 hours and is followed by a relaxed sit-down meal where you’ll enjoy your creations, served with a glass of local Californian wine. Dietary restrictions? No problem, your host can adapt the menu for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan preferences. If you’d rather explore a more traditional South Indian menu instead of the California twist, just let her know when booking and she’ll customize your experience. This intimate, home-based class is a fun and flavorful way to experience the Bay Area’s rich culinary diversity and take home new recipes, cooking skills, and delicious memories.

Market visit: (2-8 guests) Start your culinary experience with a vibrant stroll through the Pleasanton Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning. Smruti, your warm and knowledgeable host, will guide you through the bustling stalls just steps from her home. Together, you'll explore the seasonal bounty of California, hand-picking fresh produce, sampling local cheeses, and selecting ingredients that will inspire the meal to come. After the market, return to Smruti's kitchen to transform your finds into a delicious homemade meal during your private cooking class. This hands-on experience offers a true taste of the region’s flavors and a memorable glimpse into everyday local life.

Notes:
1. Your host has a small dog but he can be put away in a different room during your experience.
2. Smruti works during the day, so she is available to host evening experiences on weekdays and is free all day on weekends. She's flexible with timing, so feel free to request a different start time if needed.

Languages spoken: English

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.
  • Seasonal salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette
  • Grilled marinated chicken or fish kebabs with garlic vegetables served with saffron rice
  • Indian rice pudding or double ka meeta
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Smruti

$169-$215 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
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $199 $169
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $215 $185
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $199 $169
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $215 $185
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm

Meet Smruti

A software engineer by day and passionate home cook by heart, your host finds joy in preparing healthy, authentic Californian and Indian inspired meals. What began as a necessity quickly blossomed into a lifelong passion. She now loves sharing her knowledge with others, teaching how to create nutritious, flavorful dishes that support a balanced and vibrant life.

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.

Cooking experience: (2-8 guests) Step into your host’s warm and inviting Pleasanton home, nestled in the East Bay just outside San Francisco, for a lively, hands-on cooking class that fuses the bold flavors of India with the freshness of California cuisine. Your experience begins with a welcome drink and light snack as you settle in, chat with your host, and go over the day’s menu. Then, roll up your sleeves and dive into the kitchen to cook three mouthwatering dishes made with seasonal, wholesome ingredients. You’ll do more than just prep - get ready to mix marinades, layer spices, garnish like a chef, and learn practical techniques side-by-side with your host. The cooking session runs about 1.5 hours and is followed by a relaxed sit-down meal where you’ll enjoy your creations, served with a glass of local Californian wine. Dietary restrictions? No problem, your host can adapt the menu for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan preferences. If you’d rather explore a more traditional South Indian menu instead of the California twist, just let her know when booking and she’ll customize your experience. This intimate, home-based class is a fun and flavorful way to experience the Bay Area’s rich culinary diversity and take home new recipes, cooking skills, and delicious memories.

Market visit: (2-8 guests) Start your culinary experience with a vibrant stroll through the Pleasanton Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning. Smruti, your warm and knowledgeable host, will guide you through the bustling stalls just steps from her home. Together, you'll explore the seasonal bounty of California, hand-picking fresh produce, sampling local cheeses, and selecting ingredients that will inspire the meal to come. After the market, return to Smruti's kitchen to transform your finds into a delicious homemade meal during your private cooking class. This hands-on experience offers a true taste of the region’s flavors and a memorable glimpse into everyday local life.

Notes:
1. Your host has a small dog but he can be put away in a different room during your experience.
2. Smruti works during the day, so she is available to host evening experiences on weekdays and is free all day on weekends. She's flexible with timing, so feel free to request a different start time if needed.

Languages spoken: English

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.
  • Seasonal salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette
  • Grilled marinated chicken or fish kebabs with garlic vegetables served with saffron rice
  • Indian rice pudding or double ka meeta
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $199 $169
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $215 $185
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $199 $169
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $215 $185
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm
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 3% 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.