10 day Culinary Experience for Chefs and foodies
To give a holistic Kerala cultural experience in terms of both geographical culture and culinary culture, we offer 10 nights and 10 days’ specialty cooking Holiday. The Holiday pans out to give experience of backwaters, midlands and the diversity filled Western Ghats. Along with the experience of diverse geography of Kerala, we engage the guest with hands on cooking classes covering South Indian and North Indian cooking keeping in mind of the traditional aspects of Ayurvedic Cooking.
Normally this Holiday is available in the months of February, March, April, and May July, August and September.
Each of the ten days will be theme based with an introduction session to the spices/grains/styles of cooking in the morning and concluding with the cooking session in the evening. Excursions to the local farms, markets and other food related places are also there. This Holiday will give a holistic insight to the cooking style to be adopted and practiced back at your home.
Maximum participants for this program will be six. Minimum participant requirement is one. This program will be starting on a Sunday. It is an exclusive vegetarian cooking program. A rough outline to the 10 days of exploration, discovery is as below:
Day 1, Monday
Arrival, lunch in the afternoon after enjoying the feel of the place, an intro session into the regional cuisine followed by a cooking session and dinner at night (one cooking session)
Day 2, Tuesday
After breakfast, an introduction to the vegetables grown in the area and available in the area and how they are used in cooking (Depending on the season market visit or growing fields visits will be there. Lunch then hands on cooking followed by dinner.(one cooking session)
Day 3, Wednesday
A relaxing trip into the Hills pleasing the eyes and enjoyable for mind where cardamom, tea, coffee and some spices are growing. We will have Breakfast and Lunch outside. After coming back we will do our hands on cooking session and relish the dinner we made (one cooking session)
Day 4, Thursday
After breakfast we will have an introduction of spices and grains used in vegetarian cooking, followed by lunch and hands on cooking .Relishing the creations of the evening will be the highlight of the day. (one cooking session)
Day 5, Friday
After breakfast learns how to make Garam masala, Sāmbhar and Rasam powders as well as Gun powder used along with Idlis .Lunch then hands on cooking session followed by dinner. (two cooking sessions)
Day 6, Saturday
After breakfast, we will have a small and quick cooking session for the picnic lunch to be packed. Along the cruise in the backwater of the Kumarakom, you can have the picnic and on the way back we will have the dinner at a local authentic restaurant in a small town of the midlands.
Day 7, Sunday
After breakfast there will be hands on session to create Chutneys and Pickles. Lunch followed by hands on cooking session and dinner. ( two cooking session)
Day 8, Monday
After breakfast we are preparing the Kerala Sadhya. After Lunch , preparation of Kerala Sadhya (a festival feast) continues. Dressed in a Kerala dress we will learn how to eat the traditional Kerala festive meal. (two cooking sessions)
Day 9, Tuesday
After breakfast we start our sightseeing trip to Cochin and do some shopping for cooking utensils cook books and whatever your heart desires we also stop for lunch at a nice place to relish Kerala/Indian food . We will have dinner at a lovely sea food Restaurant or Veg. restaurant.
Day 10, Wednesday
A visit to local interesting places: a snack producing as well as a small scale producing company will be organized after which the guest will can buy vanilla and do a little shopping. After lunch we start the early evening with a doubt clearing session, afterwards we start our cooking session with a late dinner(one cooking session)
Day 11, Thursday
Breakfast and Farewell.
Price (Valid till May 31st 2019)
Rs.1,83,500 for the above mentioned program for two in a double room
Rs.1,36,500 for the above mentioned program for one person in a room to him/herself
30% of the price must be paid as a non refundable deposit while booking the program.
This deposit will not be refunded in any case and 50% of the deposit can be adjusted in any of our programs happening within 3 months of the cancelled program which should be mentioned at cancelling time .
Included in the price for each course:
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Cooking sessions
- Any scheduled trips, inc. travel expenses and entry fees
- Bottled drinking water
Excluded from the price for each course:
- Taxi fares to and from The Pimenta. Your host can arrange additional transport on request.
- Any tips
NB Accommodation is offered in our garden bungalows throughout the year. In keeping with the eco-friendly values of The Pimenta, the bungalows and communal spaces are fitted with ceiling fans. For those who would prefer AC, alternative accommodation can be arranged during the summer months (March 31st – May 31st).
Courses are suitable for everyone who is interested in Indian cooking. Their level of knowledge or expertise can be any and will involve demonstrations as well as hands-on participation. We are limited to a maximum number of eight participants and there is no minimum. With this in mind, guests travelling by themselves ought to be aware of and comfortable with the possibility of being in a one-on-one situation.