Traditional South Indian Home Cooking Class in Chennai

"There is no way I am going to be able to describe a day like today and give it the justice it deserves. The start began with a long overdue jog on the gym treadmill. It was refreshing to know that after a couple of days hiatus, it did not take long to get the kinks out. Downstairs for a lite fruit breakfast and then around the corner to stock up on bottled water. That left little time to prepare for the day, shower and pick up of a cake to supplement the day’s lunch. Uber at the ready and I was off to class. Was pleasantly surprised to find my hostess waiting for my arrival. It was magical the way we instantaneously hit it off. An exchange of smiles, a nod and whatever cultural barriers might have existed, evaporated. Sundari Krisha is a well-known awarded chef who specializes in vegetarian cuisine. Her classes are very well received for their flavor preparation and her willingness to accommodate the gamut of foreign palates. Her time spent in Dubai, Thailand, the U.S., Europe and India provide her with an open mindedness that serves her students and is shown in her attitude towards cooking. The day’s menu was specially formulated by my replies to her previous days’ texts. This class might have been postponed, but because of the day, I was to be her only student. There was even an invitational colored flour mandala on the marble tile, which, no pun intended ‘floored me.’ The menu began with a starter of Masala (spice mixture) Dosa (thin crisp rice flour tortilla) filled with a rich intense flavored filling (Burrito-like, if the outside was crunchy). Option to cook or watch, I opted for a lazy combination of the two. Between sets, Sundari confided about her love of cooking, her classes and how that all fit into her family life. The tidbits learned will be eagerly duplicated back at home. Who knew that premium rice is aged three years? The second course was a Shai cauliflower korma (stew) complemented by homemade roti (bread). And to finish it off, Aubergine (small eggplant) lentil mixture joined by vegetable rice. The meal was delicious and conversation flowed effortlessly. To top it off, the selected cake, a chocolate ganache, ended up being the perfect choice. Hours passed before my body told me I had spent most of it happily sitting, eating and conversing."

"Sundari is an amazing teacher and cook, her classes are a delight to take and she is a wondering person to learn from. I had so much fun in this class and highly recommend to take her class. She not only teaches you how to cook yummy meals but also teaches the context behind Indian cooking and culture."

"My wife bought this for my birthday, and it turned out to be such a beautiful way to enhance the appreciation of many aspects if our trip around Tamil Nadu, not just the food but the culture, religiousity, national character and family life etc. it honestly was such a highlight. Sundari is a fabulous cook, thats a given, but actually I felt it went further than simple home cooking. The precision of the advice she was giving spanning very precise quantities, timings and so on reflected a deep tradition. The meal at the end was more delicately balanced than anything else I ate on the holiday. It was thoroughly enjoyable. To ensure I was able to bring these lessons home, she trnsmitted a number of meticulously written recipes. These are absolute gold dust in themselves. Thank you Sundari for welcoming me into your home and sharing your wisdom. My children are referring to the paneer recipe as 'Sundari paneer', what a souvenir to bring back from our holiday of a life time! René London - UK"

"It was a wonderful experience! Sundari took contact with me in advance to explain exactly how to reach her home. It was perfect. She also ask me what I would like to cook, so I could choose traditional dishes of Tamil Nadu. After a warm welcome, she taught me very patiently how to make idly, dosa, coconut chutney,sambar and kootu. She gave a lot of explanation so that I can do it when I'll be back in Switzerland. She gave also a lot of explanation about life in Chennai and very good tips. It was a great pleasure to meet her and for sure, next time I go to Chennai, I'll take another lesson with Sundari. Thanks a lot dear Sumdari"