The first thing you notice walking into JD’s kitchen isn’t the spices, though there are a lot of them lined up on the counter. It’s how ordinary it feels. There’s a radio playing somewhere in the next room, his father is usually already chopping something, and nobody hands you an apron and a script. You just start cooking, the way you would if you’d been invited to a friend’s house for dinner and got roped into helping.
That’s really what this class is. Not a demonstration where you watch someone else cook and then eat what they made. You’re at the stove, hands in the dough, tasting as you go, asking why the mustard seeds have to pop before anything else goes in the pan. By the end of it you’ve made six dishes yourself and eaten every one of them at a table with the people who taught you.
Who Teaches the Class
The class is run by Jandeep Singh Bindra, known to almost everyone as JD, whose family has been cooking Delhi food for four generations. JD and his father teach together, and depending on the day his mother is in and out of the kitchen too. Since 2015, JD’s team has hosted more than 14,000 international guests through Explore Real India and Art of Indian Cooking, and this class is one of the ones he still teaches himself most often, because it happens in his own home.
Everyone in the kitchen speaks fluent English, so there’s no awkward gap between “what’s this spice called” and getting a real answer. JD has spent years explaining Indian food to guests who have never cooked with cumin seeds before, and he adjusts the pace depending on who’s in the room. If you’ve cooked Indian food at home for years, he’ll go deeper into technique. If this is your first time, he slows right down.
What You’ll Actually Cook
You’ll prepare six dishes across the class, typically a mix of a main curry, a lentil dish, a vegetable side, a bread made from scratch, rice, and something sweet to finish. The exact menu shifts a little with the season and what’s fresh that week, which is part of the point. JD teaches how Indian cooking actually works rather than a fixed recipe card, so you leave understanding why a dish tastes the way it does, not just how to follow steps.
You’ll roll and cook your own bread on a hot tawa, learn how to temper spices in oil (this is the part most home cooks abroad get wrong), and build a curry from raw ingredients rather than a jar of paste. JD sends you home with the written recipes for everything you made, so the class is meant to actually change how you cook once you’re back home, not just be a nice evening in Delhi.
Dietary Needs and Food Safety
JD reaches out before the class to ask whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies, and the menu is built around your answers rather than adjusted awkwardly on the day. Guests with gluten sensitivities, nut allergies, or strict vegetarian diets are regularly accommodated. Everything is cooked fresh in a home kitchen using filtered water and washed produce, and the ingredients are the same ones JD’s own family eats, which tends to reassure guests who are cautious about food hygiene while traveling in India.
Is This a Good Fit for You?
You don’t need any cooking experience. This class works for total beginners and for people who already cook a lot at home and want to get Indian food right. There’s no heavy lifting or standing for hours; most of the class happens seated or standing comfortably at a counter, so it suits a wide range of fitness levels and ages. It’s a good option for solo travelers, couples, and small groups, and children old enough to help in a kitchen are welcome too.
What Guests Say
“Cooking with JD and his father was an exceptional experience. Both welcomed us warmly into their home and instantly made us feel at ease and like old friends. We spent our evening laughing, learning to cook a delicious dinner, and breaking bread together. The meal was honestly one of the best I’ve ever eaten, and afterwards JD provided the recipes for each item we made together, so hopefully I can recreate them myself at home. I appreciated that JD reached out ahead of the experience to inquire whether we were vegetarian or non, and if there were any food sensitivities. I can’t recommend this experience enough if you find yourself in Delhi! (And come hungry!)”
— Caitlin, Reston, VA
“This was a wonderful experience, I would highly recommend. It was great to be fully embraced as a guest in JD’s home, interact with his parents, and gain the confidence to make various Indian dishes. I’m not a fully-versed cook and JD made everything so easy to do. He is a well versed cook, as there is no doubt anyone from rookie to experienced would enjoy this. All that said, the best part (and I should have mentioned earlier the food was tasty too!) is the conversation and company we had as we prepared the meal and then ate it.”
— Will, Madison, WI
“JD was an absolutely fantastic host and an even better person. From the moment we arrived, we felt incredibly welcome and instantly connected with him, it honestly felt like meeting an old friend rather than someone we had just met. The cooking class that JD and his dad prepared for us was a highlight of our time. I had initially been a little worried that we might mostly just watch, but JD made sure we were fully involved. He explained everything step by step, guided us patiently through each stage, and at the same time encouraged us to actually cook ourselves, from preparing the dessert and rice to making the main dish and even the bread. What made the experience even more special was that we didn’t just follow recipes. JD taught us about the spices used in Indian cooking, how to layer flavors properly, and shared several clever kitchen tricks that make preparing these dishes much easier at home. It was a wonderful, authentic, and very memorable experience.”
— Felix, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany
Practical Details Before You Book
What to wear: Comfortable clothes you don’t mind smelling like spices for the rest of the day. Closed-toe shoes aren’t necessary since you’re in a home kitchen, not a commercial one.
Payment: Bookings are confirmed and paid online in advance, so you don’t need to carry cash to the class itself.
Group size: Classes are kept small and intimate since they run out of a real family home, not a cooking studio, so you get direct time with JD rather than standing at the back of a crowd.
Location: The class takes place in JD’s family home in South Delhi, an easy taxi or auto-rickshaw ride from most Central and South Delhi hotels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dishes will I cook in the Delhi cooking class?
You’ll cook six dishes, usually including a curry, a lentil (dal) dish, a vegetable side, fresh bread, rice, and a dessert. The exact menu varies by season and by your dietary preferences.
Is this cooking class hands-on or a demonstration?
It’s fully hands-on. You cook every dish yourself with JD and his father guiding you step by step, rather than watching someone else cook.
Do I need cooking experience to join?
No. The class is designed for complete beginners as well as experienced home cooks, and JD adjusts his teaching depending on your comfort level in the kitchen.
Can vegetarians and vegans join this class?
Yes. JD contacts guests before the class to confirm dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, and allergy requirements, and builds the menu around them.
Is the food safe to eat? What about hygiene?
The class is held in a private, clean family home kitchen using filtered water and fresh, properly washed produce. It’s the same food JD’s own family eats, prepared to the same standard.
Do the hosts speak English?
Yes, JD and his family are fluent in English, along with Hindi and Punjabi, so there’s no communication barrier during the class.
Is this a private class or shared with other travelers?
Classes run in small groups out of a real home kitchen, so you get plenty of one-on-one time with JD rather than being lost in a large batch class.
Do I get the recipes to take home?
Yes. JD provides written recipes for every dish you cook, so you can recreate the meal once you’re back home.
How spicy is the food?
Spice levels are adjusted to your preference. JD asks about this in advance, so you can go mild or as authentic and spicy as you like.
What should I wear to the cooking class?
Comfortable, casual clothing works best. There’s no dress code, but expect some cooking smells to linger on your clothes afterward.
Where in Delhi does the class take place?
The class is hosted in JD’s family home in South Delhi, easily reachable by taxi or auto-rickshaw from most Central and South Delhi hotels.
Can children join the cooking class?
Children old enough to safely help around a stove and knives are welcome. Families should mention children’s ages when booking so JD can plan accordingly.
How is this different from the street food tours?
The food tours take you out walking through Delhi’s neighborhoods tasting dishes made by local vendors. This cooking class happens in a home kitchen and teaches you to cook the dishes yourself.
Do I need to bring cash?
No, bookings are paid online in advance, so there’s nothing to settle in cash at the class.
How long is the cooking class?
The class runs long enough to properly cook and eat six dishes together, generally a relaxed few hours rather than a rushed session.
Book Your Delhi Cooking Class
If you want to leave Delhi actually knowing how to cook the food you fell in love with here, this is the class for it. Book the Hands-On Indian Cooking Class and spend an evening in a real Delhi kitchen with JD and his family.
Follow more recipes and behind-the-scenes cooking clips on Instagram @artofindiancooking.
Pair It With
- Extend the evening with a Chai Masterclass in an Indian Family Home to round out your Delhi food experience.
- If you’d rather taste Delhi’s street food than cook it, try the Evening Food Tour Beyond Old Delhi in Lajpat Nagar.
- Prefer a seated, air-conditioned tasting instead of walking? Look at the Luxury Street Food Tasting in a Local Delhi Home.
- Planning beyond Delhi? See the 7-Day Golden Triangle Tour with Ranthambore.