Nov 26, 2025
Best thing we have done in Sri Lanka! - What can we say about Nilu and Janaka… they are the most lovely, kindest most warm family we have ever met and their love for food and hospitality is very clear to see. We were picked up by Janaka and taken to the family home where the kitchen is open air and overlooks the beautiful jungle they live by. Nilu showed us all the delicious ingredients and some that they grow themselves, and explained all the herbs and spices that were being used. We were shown how to make a chicken curry and then a selection of delicious vegetarian curries and side dishes, the love that Nilu has for all the ingredients is very obvious and she had the most beautiful aura about her and the way she was showing us how to cook Sri Lankan food. Janaka was so incredibly engaging and had lots of stories and we loved talking to him about his time in hospitality and about Sri Lanka in general . We would 100% recommend this experience to anyone, we got to eat all the delicious food and Janaka kindly dropped us back into Kandy. We will never forget this experience so thank you Nilu and Janaka, what a morning!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 16, 2025
10/10 cooking class, with amazing food and even better teachers - Cooking with Nilu has been one of my highlights of my trip.
It started off with her husband Janaka picking me up and being very accomodating with my change of plans and location.
Nilu’s just built a new kitchen and it has the most gorgeous view overlooking the jungle and coconut trees.
She was an excellent teacher and tremendous cook - it was the best meal I have had in Sri Lanka!
Nilu started off showing me for the first dish and then I got to have a go of everything and even try shredding coconut!
It was a truly authentic Sri Lankan experience and they even informed me of how I can adapt the methods to use what I have at home.
Nilu and Janaka are 2 very genuine, gorgeous people, with a beautiful family.
They went above and beyond for the whole experience and even stopped off at Kandy view point on the way back to my hotel as I hadn’t gotten to see it earlier!
I could not recommend this experience more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 13, 2025
Fun activity in Kandy! - My friends and I had the best time cooking with Nilu and Janaka at their outdoor Kitchen at their beautiful home. We learned how to make 10 different dishes which were all very delicious. Nilu’s class was very interactive, she got us involved in preparing and cooking everything. She used fresh ingredients and spices and gave us all the tips and tricks to make authentic Sri Lankan food.
I recommend this cooking class of you’re looking for a fun activity to do when in Kandy! 🙂
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 6, 2025
Fantastic! - This was one of the most outstanding experiences we had in Sri Lanka. Pick-up from our hotel was on time. Janaka and Niju proved extremely accommodating, and we spent a very pleasant time. The cooking class was excellent and perfectly tailored to our needs. The preparation of the dishes allows us to easily recook them at home. The extraordinary taste is particularly noteworthy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 4, 2025
Intimate cooking experience - We had a great time with Janaka and Nilu. The couple were incredibly welcoming to their lovely village just outside of Kandy. Nilu guided us through the process, and gave us a chance to contribute to the dishes along the way.
We had enough food to feed an army, and it all tasted so good! We will use the PDFs at home to give it a try ourselves.
Janaka went out of his way to drop us to our hotel and was happy to share lots of stories of his life in Sri Lanka.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 31, 2025
A must-do activity in Kandy! - This was one of our highlights on our trip to Sri Lanka. Janaka promptly picked us up from our hotel and took us to his lovely home where we met Nilu and started the cooking class. They took us through each meal with information and care and Janaka spoke brilliant English so gave us lots of tips for the next stage of our journey. We enjoyed the wonderful meal after cooking and they took us back to the hotel. A brilliant experience we will be recommending to friends!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 18, 2025
10/10 cooking class - Highly recommend this cooking class!
My partner and I had an amazing time cooking with Janaka and Nilu. We learned all about Sri Lankan-style cooking, using ingredients and techniques that we can easily recreate at home. We made a variety of meat and vegetable curries, along with some delicious sides and a dessert. Everything was full of flavor, and the experience was fun, hands-on, and memorable. We’d definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 11, 2025
Sri Lankan cooking experience - It was such a great experience, Nilu kitchen is a great combination of family and love from the pick up, learning experience about the Sri Lankan culture to the meal.
I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to have a tailored cultural experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 5, 2025
Highly recommend - We were lucky enough to have a private cooking class with Nilu, and it was an absolutely wonderful experience! We were picked up directly from our hotel and warmly welcomed into her family’s home. Together, we cooked around 10 different dishes – all incredibly delicious and authentic.
Nilu and her husband were so kind and made sure to adapt the recipes so we can easily recreate them back home. The atmosphere was relaxed, fun, and full of laughter. We truly felt like part of the family.
We can 100% recommend this class to anyone looking for a genuine, heartwarming, and tasty cooking experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 3, 2025
Highlight of our trip so far! - We had a wonderful experience at the cooking event with Nilu! Even the start was perfect: The hosts picked us up personally and even brought us home after the event – an incredibly warm gesture.
The whole atmosphere was very familiar, we immediately felt welcome and comfortable. Everything was well organized: The ingredients were fresh, the kitchen very clean and the preparation of the menu was brought to us with a lot of patience, joy and exciting explanations. We especially loved the fact that the large menu was adapted vegetarianally especially for us – which made the whole thing even more personal.
Despite a small power outage, the hosts immediately provided replacements and sincerely apologized. Their helpfulness and friendliness impressed us very much.
Overall, an all-round successful experience that has inspired us not only culinaryly but also humanly. For us a clear 10 out of 10 – highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor