Would restaurants let me in their kitchen to learn?

Grandmasterrew · Oct 28th, 2009, 18:58

Hi all

Im going to Kerala in march and was wondering if anyone has ever asked a resteraunt whether they would allow westerners help/learn how to cook some curry dishes in there kitchens?

im eager to get some tips on indian cuisine but all the cooking courses i have seen last no less than a week. Im looking for more of a days course or even just a few hours would be great

thanks guys

Aishah · Oct 28th, 2009, 19:16

My initial thought is that restaurant kitchens are usually flat out, filling all sorts of orders, and the last thing they would want is someone hanging about trying to learn how to do things.

I could be quite wrong. I am sure you could work out your few hours or a day's course with some of the people who do cooking lessons. You could ask where you are staying - they might point you in the right direction.

Nick-H · Oct 28th, 2009, 19:33

The bigger hotels often put on cooking demonstrations as part their cultural presentations. My then-GF came home from Kerala with a couple of new dishes in her repertoire.

Otherwise, my thoughts are that it would be unlikely to be let in the kitchen.

1. There will be a language problem.

2. As Aishah says, they will be working hard and not want interference.

3. There are restaurants in London that I gave up eating at after an accidental glance at the kitchen. It may well be a You Do Not Want To Know situation!

I was very interested to see the kitchens in action at a UK hotel that belongs to a relative. Whilst they never said "no", they didn't show great enthusiasm either, and somehow it never happened.

Grandmasterrew · Oct 28th, 2009, 19:40

Thanks guys. Think ill have an ask when i get there and see if they will lets us in to there kitchens possibly at a quiet(quieter) time or something.

Aishah · Oct 28th, 2009, 19:41

Not only London, Nick - NZ and Oz not the best with some of their kitchens! And of course, here in India, kitchens are in very variable states - I don't think there are any health and safety rules implemented here in this regard.

srikanth131 · Oct 28th, 2009, 21:17

If you go to a small restaurant (homely) in kerala (Like the ones that still use wood for fire, usual dishes would be fish curry, etc) there is higher probability that they would let you in. Infact many of them would be happy that a foreigner is interested.

The down side is the language issue which is pointed out above, Most small restaurant owners would not know English.

Matthew Morris · Oct 28th, 2009, 21:19

Depends where you are, but I believe this place does 1 day cooking courses.

http://www.leeluhomestay.com/index_files/Page381.htm

srikanth131 · Oct 28th, 2009, 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Morris

Depends where you are, but I believe this place does 1 day cooking courses.

http://www.leeluhomestay.com/index_files/Page381.htm

^^^ Yeh, A wonderful workable idea , Stay at a home stay and most of them would allow you into the kitchen and some would even be glad to teach you and let you try first hand (home stays)

Grandmasterrew · Oct 29th, 2009, 01:49

wow thanks everyone!

leelu homestay looks great!

arunfox · Oct 29th, 2009, 09:55

high end restaurants wont have a problem with showing their kitchen .others might also show if u tip them .but if u are planning to see the cooking,u have to go at awkward times like say - breakfast time is from 6am,so u have to go at 5 to see the cooking,most of the items in small hotels(thats where the real taste is),especially curries and fries are made in advance .
i suggest u try hotel karimpumkala in kottayam.very famous and very friendly.they have a lot of foreign visitors always.
mullapanthal in vaikkom,calicut saagar,paragon are places with good food.

1971o · Oct 30th, 2009, 04:22

In Varkala I met a couple of ladies who had booked "a cooking course for Indian food", lasting just an afternoon/evening. I have no idea where the course was but I know that the ladies were staying at Clafouti. If you're staying in Varkala area you could ask Clafouti if they know anything about that.

appliedinstrument · Oct 30th, 2009, 13:58

It possible if you going for a luxury hotel... in the case of budget hotels i dont think they will eb too happy abt it as it will disturb their rythm ot flow or watever it is. If that doesnt matter for you, the you can definitly be in the kitchen :-)

vineeth009 · Oct 31st, 2009, 13:03

In most of the restaurants i don't think they will let you learn cooking from their kitchen..

chackmatha · Oct 31st, 2009, 23:08

there are cooking holidays in Kerala

dhans · Oct 31st, 2009, 23:40

Contact Jenny. She'll probably does the course herself.

Oct 28th, 2009, 18:58	#1
Grandmasterrew Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: wallsend Posts: 7	Would restaurants let me in their kitchen to learn? Hi all Im going to Kerala in march and was wondering if anyone has ever asked a resteraunt whether they would allow westerners help/learn how to cook some curry dishes in there kitchens? im eager to get some tips on indian cuisine but all the cooking courses i have seen last no less than a week. Im looking for more of a days course or even just a few hours would be great thanks guys

Oct 28th, 2009, 19:16	#2
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 7,614	My initial thought is that restaurant kitchens are usually flat out, filling all sorts of orders, and the last thing they would want is someone hanging about trying to learn how to do things. I could be quite wrong. I am sure you could work out your few hours or a day's course with some of the people who do cooking lessons. You could ask where you are staying - they might point you in the right direction. __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Oct 28th, 2009, 21:19	#7
Matthew Morris Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Netherlands Posts: 140	Depends where you are, but I believe this place does 1 day cooking courses. http://www.leeluhomestay.com/index_files/Page381.htm __________________ I have the wisdom of Buddha combined with the body of Peter Andre - oh...no..it's the other way round..

Oct 31st, 2009, 23:40	#15
dhans Uru Buru member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,842	Contact Jenny. She'll probably does the course herself. __________________ Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids Stories about our travels in India: Journal

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Oct 28th, 2009, 19:33	#3
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,189	The bigger hotels often put on cooking demonstrations as part their cultural presentations. My then-GF came home from Kerala with a couple of new dishes in her repertoire. Otherwise, my thoughts are that it would be unlikely to be let in the kitchen. 1. There will be a language problem. 2. As Aishah says, they will be working hard and not want interference. 3. There are restaurants in London that I gave up eating at after an accidental glance at the kitchen. It may well be a You Do Not Want To Know situation! I was very interested to see the kitchens in action at a UK hotel that belongs to a relative. Whilst they never said "no", they didn't show great enthusiasm either, and somehow it never happened.

Oct 28th, 2009, 19:40	#4
Grandmasterrew Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: wallsend Posts: 7	Thanks guys. Think ill have an ask when i get there and see if they will lets us in to there kitchens possibly at a quiet(quieter) time or something.

Oct 28th, 2009, 19:41	#5
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 7,614	Not only London, Nick - NZ and Oz not the best with some of their kitchens! And of course, here in India, kitchens are in very variable states - I don't think there are any health and safety rules implemented here in this regard.

Oct 28th, 2009, 21:17	#6
srikanth131 Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: bangalore Posts: 73	If you go to a small restaurant (homely) in kerala (Like the ones that still use wood for fire, usual dishes would be fish curry, etc) there is higher probability that they would let you in. Infact many of them would be happy that a foreigner is interested. The down side is the language issue which is pointed out above, Most small restaurant owners would not know English.

Oct 29th, 2009, 01:49	#9
Grandmasterrew Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: wallsend Posts: 7	wow thanks everyone! leelu homestay looks great!

Oct 29th, 2009, 09:55	#10
arunfox Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sharjah Posts: 38	high end restaurants wont have a problem with showing their kitchen .others might also show if u tip them .but if u are planning to see the cooking,u have to go at awkward times like say - breakfast time is from 6am,so u have to go at 5 to see the cooking,most of the items in small hotels(thats where the real taste is),especially curries and fries are made in advance . i suggest u try hotel karimpumkala in kottayam.very famous and very friendly.they have a lot of foreign visitors always. mullapanthal in vaikkom,calicut saagar,paragon are places with good food.

Oct 30th, 2009, 04:22	#11
1971o Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 28	In Varkala I met a couple of ladies who had booked "a cooking course for Indian food", lasting just an afternoon/evening. I have no idea where the course was but I know that the ladies were staying at Clafouti. If you're staying in Varkala area you could ask Clafouti if they know anything about that.

Oct 30th, 2009, 13:58	#12
appliedinstrument Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 16	It possible if you going for a luxury hotel... in the case of budget hotels i dont think they will eb too happy abt it as it will disturb their rythm ot flow or watever it is. If that doesnt matter for you, the you can definitly be in the kitchen :-)

Oct 31st, 2009, 13:03	#13
vineeth009 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: kerala Posts: 87	In most of the restaurants i don't think they will let you learn cooking from their kitchen..

Oct 31st, 2009, 23:08	#14
chackmatha Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: India Posts: 67	there are cooking holidays in Kerala

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