Meet the first Host of Eat With Locals

Meet the first Host of Eat With Locals - Jyoti Malik.

"Cooking has always been my greatest joy. The warm aromas of spices and herbs always takes me back to my childhood days when my mother used to cook with all hand ground spices and herbs. Everybody used to rave about her food and also about her baking in the firewood ovens. Ever since that time I decided that I would hone this creative passion of mine into a profession.

Coming from a services background, I had the privilege of meeting people from all over the country and therefore I had developed a taste for the different cultures of India and its various cuisines.

I was also helping and teaching the wives of soldiers how to prepare pickles, chutneys, papads etc.

With each passing year I kept mastering my skills in various cuisines and I also created my own recipes. I mastered my skills in baking; which is my all time favorite!

When another opportunity knocked at my door, I started featuring in cookery shows on television, which helped me take my hobby of cooking to another level altogether.

I used to hold cookery classes for various age groups in Punjab. I also hosted small groups from London and other parts of Europe who were travelling to India. They really liked my cooking and wanted to learn a few Indian dishes, so that the processes of learning and eating go side by side for them.

I also bake cakes and desserts on order."

Eat with Locals

For most tourists, they reach a point in their lives when they have done the "normal" stuff.  They take the usual itinerary set by either their travel agent or do it themselves day trip tour bus to visit the average, yet interesting, guided tours.  They've read the Travel in Europe Guidebooks and sight seeing manuals.  The guidebook tells them where the locals eat, so they spend some time there.  They see local residents eating lunch or dinner, chatting, laughing, but they don't really get to know them!  They enjoy the local cuisine at the local restaurant, but wonder:  Is this what the average European eats at a normal dinner at their house?  In the end, the traveler has seen the countryside, seen the famous tourist traps, heard the tour guide as they share history, and seen what their travel agent recommended.

But where do locals eat?

At home

There is no other way to discover a city and its people than via eating local food with them. Dine with locals while you are traveling in India, enjoy Indian hospitality, delicious food and an unforgettable experience of interacting with new people from new culture.

Every person has a very distinct taste in decorating their home, fashion or cooking food. Meet with warm hosts who are passionate about food. We try to bring the experience of having local cuisine with locals. It could be either at their home or in a local restaurant with them. Our mission is to help introduce you to the local culture, food and lifestyle while you are visiting India.

The organized dinner, lunch or breakfast is arranged for a small group of people traveling together. The process is very simple, you just need to make a reservation for the day you are in the city. The get-together is for two hours at the host's home, where the traveler experiences a home cooked meal of authentic, local cuisine and a taste of local culture.  It's as much a social experiment as a culinary one. Besides enjoying authentic food, an invitation into the home of a local can lead to insider travel tips, additional connections around the country, and friendship. What more, the traveller can even learn to cook a local dish from the host (prior booking required) as well as carry some local spices back home.

The host not only enjoys a fun-filled night getting to know international people from around the globe but also share their favorite dishes and unique cultural insights.