Ceylon Rustic Guide (host Nim) · Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, near Colombo
A professional chef called Nim walks you round a local market, then teaches you to cook a Sri Lankan meal in his home in Kotte, next to a patch of forest full of monkeys. It's the calm day between two long drives, and the dishes come home with you as recipes.
Ceylon Rustic Guide is run by Nim, the host every guest names in their review. His base is in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the official capital on the eastern edge of Colombo. The market meeting point changes with the date, so you message him on WhatsApp after booking. Hotel pickup isn't included, though a guest says Nim arranged a ride from her hotel; ask.
You shop for vegetables and spices at a local market, with Nim explaining what each one is for, then cook in his home kitchen. Guests have made coconut roti, coconut sambol, chicken curry, pineapple curry and beetroot curry. Then you eat the meal together, five courses on the listing, with light refreshments and recipes to take home. Classes run at lunch or dinner time, and there's a vegetarian option.
Eight guests at most, and sometimes just two. It's rated 5.0 from 142 reviews. The listing's price is a flat $80 per person. Drinks and beer are extra. Cruise passengers must give the ship name and times when they book.
WhatsApp Ceylon Rustic Guide for the market address on your date.
Fruit, vegetables and spices, including real and fake cinnamon.
A welcome drink, guests mention wood apple juice.
Curries, sambol and roti, each guest at the stove.
Lunch or dinner with your host, then the recipes.
★★★★★I learned so much about vegetables, fruits and all the spices and even about real and fake cinnamon :) and we talked about so much more than cooking and Sri Lanka [...] Thank you so much for your time and introducing me how to cook a delicious pineapple and chicken curry, coconut sambol and coconut roti.
★★★★★The market walk was fun and informative, and the setting for our cooking class was perfect next to a forested area with monkeys in the trees and lots of other wildlife to see on our breaks. [...] We made coconut roti, coconut sambal, chicken curry and beetroot curry, and it was all amazingly tasty.
★★★★★Market shopping was fun,with Nim being most informative about a whole range of fruit and vegetables that were unfamiliar to us. [...] Nim is an excellent instructor.Well organised,skilled,patient and passionate about Sri Lankan food.
★★★★★The market visit was informative and fun. The evening of cooking was really enjoyable and we felt we learnt a lot and had great food that we could replicate at home (thanks to the tuition and recipes given to us).
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In Nim's home in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, on the eastern edge of Colombo. The market meeting point varies by date; the host sends it on WhatsApp.
No, the listing excludes it. One guest says the host arranged transport from her Colombo hotel, so ask when you message.
Guests made coconut roti, coconut sambol, chicken curry, pineapple curry and beetroot curry. You choose a menu, and there's a vegetarian option.
Yes, from age 5, at the child rate for 5 to 11. Groups stay at 8 people or fewer.
Ready to book
Shop a Colombo market with your host, then cook and eat a Sri Lankan lunch in his home. Eight guests at most.
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