Rustic Cooking Class

Not only did we learn lots about the local foods and cooking styles, we chatted about Sri Lanka's history, culture and its people, making for a fascinating - and really fun - day. Highly recommended to all!

I was lucky enough to book a culinary experience with Rustic Cooking Class in Colombo on my trip to Sri Lanka and I’m so glad I made that choice. I met the wonderful Nim at the markets who took me on a culinary food and culture experience introducing me to a world of amazing ingredients I’d never come across before. Nim is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to food and he took the time to explain the fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices of Sri Lanka, how they were cooked and how they complemented each other. Once we had decided on our meal options and bought the ingredients we took a tuk tuk to his wonderful home where we set to work preparing an authentic feast. Those dishes became my favourite meal in Sri Lanka which was a big call as I was in the country for a month and tried a lot of food! What I loved most about the experience though was sitting on the verandah with Nim overlooking the lush gardens enjoying a beer and some great conversation. He’s such a lovely man and so knowledgeable on the food, culture and history of Sri Lanka. I highly recommend you do yourself a favour and book Rustic Cooking Class. It’s a fabulous authentic experience.

My friend Vivienne and I did the cooking class & market tour with the wonderful Gudmonin. The market tour was an authentic experience where we got to learn about the food profiles of Sri Lanka and pick up our ingredients for dinner. Gudmonin was the best guide ever. The cooking class was very hands on and it was the best Sri Lankan food we had during our trip. Thanks to our guide, his knowledge, humour, great conversations and dance moves, this experience is our favourite memory from our time in Sri Lanka.

If you're looking for the best authentic Colombo cooking class with a market tour, Rustic Colombo Cooking Class & Market Tour is a must. I’ve joined several times and always recommend it. This is true hands-on Sri Lankan cooking in Colombo, starting with a local market tour before preparing authentic seasonal dishes like jackfruit, lotus roots, wild eggplants, and traditional meat dishes. You cook using clay pots, traditional tools, and an impressive collection of mortars and pestles, along with a hand operated coconut grater, creating real home style flavours. By the end, you enjoy a full meal you’ve prepared yourself. One of the most authentic cooking experiences in Colombo, highly recommended!

We had amazing food and Nim was very good with us. We first started from the local market and then went with the riksha to the house, which is in a nice neighborhood near the forest. We cooked and chatted and had a lovely dinner. Nim was very accommodating and very friendly. I fully recommend this cooking class.

Starting at the market we went shopping and learned about the ingredients we would be using. The setting for the class was so beautiful, set in the jungle surrounded by monkeys and birds. Nim was a fantastic host and teacher. I cannot recommend this enough, would absolutely take another class on my next trip. Thank you for such a wonderful day ❤️

We started in a beautiful and lively market to get the ingredients for our meal. Then we prepared many local dishes, including curry dishes, roti and coconut sambal. It was all so delicious and easy to make at home if you wish. Nim is a fantastic chef and host, and I highly recommend this experience.

I spent 2 years travelling and doing cooking classes in every location I went - and I can safely say that the Rustic Cooking Class was one of if not the best I did! I felt like a true chef for the day, visiting the market and learning about local produce and even being able to choose which dishes we would make. I learned how to make a few different dishes and new techniques and ingredients, which I still use to this day. The food was some of the best I had in Sri Lanka and left with new friends as well as new skills. Would definitely recommend!

The course was beautifully run, the food was delicious, and the whole atmosphere was calm and relaxing. It was easy to connect with the instructor, who made us feel genuinely welcome — it felt more like being invited into a friend’s home than attending a class. We did the experience together as a couple, which made it even more special. Highly recommended for anyone who wants great food and an authentic, heartfelt experience.

From the trip to the local market to the Tuk Tuk ride on over to Nim’s house, this was a lunch filled with fun and adventure! I came away with a renewed appreciation for Sri Lankan cuisine. Nim’s home is beautiful, contemporary, extremely clean, modern and includes a state of the art kitchen. Wish I could have had a doggie bag to take the leftovers with me. Even my weak western stomach was able to digest everything and there was plenty of bottled water to enjoy with our meal. Fantastic! Book yours now!

I have done two classes now. Each time Nim selects a local market and shows you local Sri Lankan fruits and vegetables and then takes you through a practical and fun cooking class. Highly recommend eggplant curry!

I had a great experience with going to the local market and cooking local dishes. Nim is a wonderful person. 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 - it felt like an afternoon/evening with a friend. Thank you so much for your time and introducing me how to cook a delicious Sri Lankan food.

We started at a local food market, where he explained different fruits, vegetables, and coconuts, including how to pick a good one. Then we went to his home, where he showed us different types of trees like coffee, black pepper, banana, and coconut, things we never would have noticed before. We even saw bats and monkeys outside the windows, which was such a cool experience. The cooking was so much fun. Nim explained how to properly cut and prepare each vegetable, and we learned a lot of new cooking skills. He also took great photos and videos during the class and airdropped them. We loved everything about Nim and his cooking class. Throughout the class, we took breaks to have a beer and chat with Nim, learning more about Sri Lanka along the way. The food was amazing, and he sent us all the recipes after the class. Highly recommend this experience. It felt like spending the day cooking and laughing at a friend’s house, except he’s a better cook than any of our friends. The best thing I did in Sri Lanka was take the cooking class. I've taken them a few times in other countries, but the one here was the best. You absolutely must do it; you won't regret it.

We had a magical first day in Sri Lanka at the market, learning about the cuisine and culture of Sri Lanka. Our guide showed us and explained all the flavors that make the food in Sri Lanka so special. And we cooked an incredible meal , with great explanation so we now can make roti and curry back home. I highly recommend this experience!

Nim is an exceptional chef, and a fun teacher! The market tour was packed with cultural insights and information about local produce, as well as being a former chef, Nim also is a food producer and looks after a farm - and so is exceptionally knowledgeable when it comes to produce. The cooking lesson is set in a beautiful relaxed environment a little out of the hustle and bustle of the commercial district, we had a leisurely cooking session making rotis and curries and sharing food stories. Already at home we are making Sri Lankan food and carry with us the values of using fresh ingredients!

Rustic cooking class was more than I had hoped for. My teacher/host meandered through an amazing farmer’s market with me, patiently identifying fruits snd vegetables that were new to me and stopping for tastes. We built our cooking menu around the market’s offerings, ie, jackfruit curry, chicken curry with coconut milk, cinnamon and chilis, coconut sambal and coconut roti. Wood apple juice and Lion beer ti drink. We cooked in clay pits in Nim’s beautiful home while monkeys played in the trees. It was a wonderful and authentic cultural exchange and extremely delicious! A top experience if my trip!

They sent us a pick up to the hotel, which dropped us at a meeting point. There, Nim was waiting for us. We set up a menu there and then went to the market together. Nim explained a lot, it was really interesting. We were lucky, that the two of us had a private class... so Nim could take the time and add some additional dishes according to our wish. After the market we took a TukTuk to Nim's house. He was a very friendly and welcoming host. His housr is amazing. We really enjoyed there! Nim explained every step very well. He told us about products and how they come together with Sri Lankan cooking techniques. After cooking we had dinner together... best Sri Lankan food ever!!! Nim had a lot of recipes for us to take home! He was a great host, an amazing teacher and we had some really fun time together cooking. Strongly recommend this class to anyone!!

My friend and I booked this cooking class and were totally impressed. The kitchen and dining area is open and airy, modern and beautiful. Nim and his team took us shopping at the market for ingredients (altering the menu for my dietary requirements). Preparation of the food was fun and the cooking smelt so good. A huge range of dishes including, yellow rice, lotus root curry, Dahl, chicken curry (I substituted lady fingers/okra) papadams, green centella/coconut salad, deep fried oyster mushrooms. Followed by dessert using the local treacle. We loved the treacle so much, one of the staff drove his bike to get us a few bottles to take home, as they were worried we may not get the right one ourselves! We would totally recommend this class - market visit and cooking class. The warmth and friendliness shown to us was wonderful. Thank you to the whole team.

Really great experience! We felt very welcomed and were guided fantastically by Nim. The market was an awesome experience and the menu delicious. Highly recommended!

Attended this amazing cooking class with my wife when were in Colombo last September. It was not just a demonstration or stirring pots, but a great hands on experience. It included a market visit as well where we got to learn a lot about local spices, vegetables and techniques of choosing the best one. Nim, the chef has a vast knowledge on local food and cooking.

Nim and the team were professional, helpful and knowledgeable. The trip to the local market was my personal highlight, as we were able to immerse ourselves in the Sri Lankan culture and learn about the traditional ingredients. The cooking lesson itself was hands-on, informative and a lot of fun - and the food was delicious!! Brilliantly organised and very productive cooking class. I would give 6 star!