Kathmandu: Nepali Cooking Class with Local Women Chefs

5.00

(131 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Ever wondered what dal bhat really tastes like when it’s made by someone who grew up eating it every day? That’s the thought that kept running through my mind as I stepped into Namaste Cooking School, right in the middle of Thamel’s noisy lanes. The smell of masala chai hit me first—spicy-sweet, with a hint of cardamom—and before I’d even put my bag down, one of the women handed me a steaming cup. She smiled and said something in Nepali that I definitely didn’t catch, but her gesture was clear enough: you’re welcome here.

Choosing the menu was harder than I expected. There was chatamari (sort of like a rice crepe), dal bhat (the real staple), and chocolate momo—which honestly sounded weird at first but ended up being my favorite. Our guide—her name was Sita—asked if anyone had allergies, then started showing us jars of spices. She let us smell each one; some were familiar (coriander), others I couldn’t place at all. The cumin stuck to my fingers for hours after.

The actual cooking part was kind of chaotic—in a good way. We chopped, stirred, laughed when someone dropped a spoon (that was me), and Sita never seemed bothered by our clumsy attempts at folding momos. She corrected our technique gently, sometimes just shaking her head and laughing. When we finally sat down to eat together, it felt less like a class and more like lunch at someone’s house. The dal bhat tasted earthy and comforting—nothing fancy, just real food made from scratch. I still think about that first bite sometimes.