Meet
Alison
Alison is a licensed food tour guide and culinary host based in Queens NYC, where she hosts regional Chinese food tours, cooking classes, and in-home dining experiences centered around storytelling, culture, and connection.
Food has always been one of Alison’s favorite ways to discover and understand the world. Growing up with the flavors of southwest China and now living in Queens, one of the most diverse places on earth, she’s spent years exploring how migration, adaptation, and community shape the way we cook and eat.
Through thoughtfully curated experiences, Alison highlights regional Chinese cuisine beyond the well-known dishes while offering guests a deeper understanding of the multicultural neighborhoods that make Queens so special. Whether leading a food tour, teaching a cooking class, or hosting guests in her backyard garden, Alison is passionate about creating meaningful connections through food and hospitality.
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:
(2-4 guests)
Meet Alison at her home in the charming neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, NYC for a dining experience centered around regional Chinese cuisine, storytelling, and hospitality.
You’ll be welcomed with a homemade beverage and delicious Asian snacks before enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal inspired by Alison’s upbringing in southwest China. Expect comforting noodle dishes, vibrant seasonal sides and salads, and flavors rarely found in restaurants.
Throughout the experience, Alison shares stories about food traditions, migration, and the multicultural communities that shape life in Queens, the most diverse borough on earth.
In warmer seasons, your meal may feature fresh herbs and ingredients from Alison's beautiful garden - a rare find in NYC! Fresh fruit or light sweets and tea are traditionally shared after savory meals in many Chinese households, and that's what you'll experience with Alison as well. Weather permitting, guests may dine outdoors beneath a lovely mulberry tree in the backyard.
Cooking experience:
(2-4 guests)
Join Alison in her spacious home in Astoria, Queens, NYC for a private, hands-on regional Chinese cuisine cooking class focused on authentic flavor, technique, and cultural storytelling.
Your experience begins with a homemade beverage and delicious Asian snacks while Alison introduces the essential ingredients, culinary traditions, and regional flavors that shaped her upbringing in southwest China. She’ll also share practical tips for navigating Asian grocery stores and recreating dishes at home.
Together, you’ll prepare three dishes from scratch, including a traditional noodle dish, refreshing sides, and salads that showcase the balance of savory, spicy, tart, sweet, and aromatic flavors found in regional Chinese cuisine. You’ll learn family recipes adapted through Alison’s experience living in Queens, blending tradition with practical techniques and locally accessible ingredients. In warmer seasons, you may even harvest fresh herbs from Alison’s garden (a rare find in NYC!) to use during the class.
After cooking, sit down together to enjoy the meal in Alison’s dining room or, weather permitting, outdoors beneath a lovely mulberry tree in the backyard. Fresh fruit or light sweets and tea are traditionally shared after savory meals in many Chinese households, and that's what you'll experience with Alison as well.
More than a cooking lesson, this experience is a unique opportunity to experience Queens and NYC through food, conversation, and cultural exchange in a relaxed and welcoming home setting beyond mainstream tourist sites.
This New York City cooking class is ideal for couples, families, and anyone looking for a unique, cultural food experience in Queens.
Notes:
1. Dietary accommodations (allergies, gluten-free, halal, lactose-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.) may be available with advance notice. Please reach out to your host directly to discuss preferences and restrictions during the booking process.
2. Because Alison hosts small, highly curated experiences, availability may vary seasonally. Guests are encouraged to email at reservations@travelingspoon.com with preferred dates if they don’t see availability on the calendar.
3. Larger private group experiences (5+) may be accommodated depending on availability. Please reach out to discuss.
4. Tips are optional as a way to support your local host who loves sharing an authentic side of NYC beyond mainstream touristy trails. Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle accepted.
Languages spoken:
English, Chinese
Sample menu
