Indian Cooking Experiences Designed for International Guests

Some guests walk in after a long day with no idea what they’re about to cook. Others already have a photo of something they ate earlier and want to recreate it. Most do not want a lecture on Indian food history. They want to be in a kitchen that lets them touch, stir, and smell their way into it. That is precisely what Culinary Craft built its Indian cooking experiences for.

This is not a polished demo in a five-star hotel. The studio is based in Powai, inside a real culinary training space used for certified workshops, diploma classes, and short-format cooking courses. But when international guests sign up for an experience session, the setup changes. The pressure comes off. The knives stay sharp. The learning stays personal.

Why does this session feel more like a conversation than a class?

Most cooking classes are still designed like classrooms. One person shows, others follow. The food gets made, but the guest never really learns what changed when the flame was lowered or why turmeric always goes in after the oil is hot. At Culinary Craft, that gap is removed right at the start.

There is no whiteboard or slideshow. There is no line of onlookers waiting for their turn. Each guest gets a complete workstation with an induction cooktop, prep bowls, a wooden spatula, and access to every spice the chef uses. The chef explains, then steps back. You taste. You fix. You roll again. You ask why your dal smells different from the one next to you. That’s where the session comes alive.

What guests actually cook and why it’s always different?

There is no fixed recipe handout at the beginning because the food is never static. One group may make a garlic-heavy jeera dal with simple cumin rice. Another may learn rotis, potato sabzi, and tomato chutney from scratch. Guests are told what they will cook only after they step in, and only after the chef has asked them what they’re comfortable doing.

Sometimes they make stuffed parathas with yoghurt. Sometimes they shape small bondas or pakoras served with green chutney. If someone asks to try street-style chaat, the chef may switch plans mid-way. It feels like being in someone’s home kitchen — guided, but never rigid.

This format borrows its soul from the one-day workshop model that Culinary Craft has refined over the years. But unlike the structured courses or government-certified baking programmes, the cooking experiences stay loose. They’re not built for certification. They’re built for memory.

Who are these sessions meant for?

The guests vary. Some are tourists passing through Mumbai. Some are expats working here for a few months. A few are couples on a weekday date. Occasionally, an entire family joins, including kids who roll mini rotis and laugh when flour hits the floor.

Most have never cooked Indian food before. A few have, but only through recipes online. What brings them together is the need to cook without feeling judged. These sessions are made for that. There are no wrong cuts. No questions are too basic. You’re told what works. You’re also shown how to fix it when it doesn’t.

This spirit of gentle correction also runs through Culinary Craft’s experiential events, whether it’s a dim sum masterclass or an Italian day. But the Indian cooking experience is where guests often feel the most grounded because it feels familiar, even if they’ve never done it before.

How is the experience different from other classes?

There are no premade spice boxes or half-cooked gravies. The guest cooks every step. The onion is sliced and added to the hot pan. The oil splutters. The mustard seeds pop. The turmeric colours the air. You stir, not someone else.

The guests eat what they make. No part of the meal is outsourced. If the rice is too soft or the dal lacks salt, it stays that way. That is part of the joy. It’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about realising that you now know why it turned out the way it did.

This is very different from Culinary Craft’s certified culinary courses or diploma in patisserie. There’s no test. No grading. No end-of-day feedback form. Just a shared table, freshly cooked food, and the feeling that something fundamental was learned without pressure.

How does the studio support this experience?

Culinary Craft is not a pop-up class in a rented kitchen. It is a working studio with full-time chefs, live diploma sessions, and a track record of structured baking and culinary education. But the Indian cooking experience was shaped for people who want to cook in a clean, safe, premium kitchen without formality.

The stations are spaced so guests do not bump into each other while cooking. The tools are professional-grade but simple. No fancy gadgets. Just what you’d find in a bright Indian kitchen, the ingredients are measured if needed, but guests are encouraged to work by feel when they’re ready.

There’s no loud music or group performance. Just enough conversation to keep things moving and enough quiet to let guests focus on what’s in their pan.

What guests remember once the session ends?

The printed recipes are handed over, but that’s not what most people take back. They remember the smell of hot jeera in ghee. They remember asking what hing does and being surprised at how little makes a difference. They remember rolling their first roti and burning it slightly. Then rolling another one, slightly better.

Some guests send photos days later. Some tag Culinary Craft when they try the recipe again in another country. Others just write in to say they made dal without looking at a recipe, and it felt like a small kind of magic.

The experience ends without a certificate, but the feeling lingers, which is why many guests return. Some come back to try new dishes. Some bring friends. Some book the same slot the next month, just to do it again with less fear.

FAQS

Can one invite beginners to the Indian cooking experience even though they are not well-experienced in cooking Indian food?

Yes, absolutely. The session will be open to anyone who wants to cook, not necessarily to those who have prior experience. The chef demonstrates you all the procedures and helps you in rectifying in case of any accidents. You will not be rushed, and you will be taught by doing everything with your own hands.

Can I make a decision about the food we will prepare in the session?

Not so much, but the session is decided by the degree of comfort and interest. The chef is likely to make choices according to what is in season, the amount of time that he or she has and what the group seems to be interested in. The vegetarian or dietary conditions can also be accommodated in the plan without compromising on the flavour.

Is it more of a cooking program or a real kitchen session?

Once you enter, it is an authentic kitchen experience. No prepared gravies, no chopped vegetables, no special displays. At every phase, you will roll, stir, taste, adjust and ask questions. It is not aimed at looking at a person cooking. To know what you are about and why.

Why is this not similar to other Indian cooking classes in Mumbai?

Culinary Craft not only offers a one-time demonstration. It is a full-fledged training studio that provides certified diploma programs, practical workshops and advanced baking programs. The Indian cooking experience will be more informal, intimate and guest-oriented as opposed to action-oriented.

Will there be something to carry home at the end of the session?

Yes, you will come home with printed recipes of the food you cooked and the assurance to do it once more. But more than that, you have a new feel of Indian ingredients, feel, and time. The knowledge will be there with you even when you fail to master all the steps the first time.