Masala Pantry

Indian cooking lessons at home in Tonbridge

Masala Pantry is an Indian cooking lesson project based in Tonbridge, UK, that teaches how to prepare homemade Indian dishes in the student's own kitchen. The approach focuses on the cooking practised in Mumbai, adapted to ingredients that can be found in local supermarkets.

Background and journey

The project was founded in 2019 by Sana MacDonald, born and brought up in Mumbai, who moved to Kent in 2018. Sana first entered a kitchen at the age of three and learned culinary secrets from her mother and grandmother, an experience she later captured in her own food blog. After settling in the UK, she continued to prepare Indian dishes with ingredients available in local supermarkets, and it was the encouragement of friends and family that led her to create Masala Pantry.

What is taught

The lessons cover curries, vegetarian dishes, meats and snacks, with the aim that the student learns to cook homemade Indian food Mumbai-style. The student chooses what they want to learn from the teaching menu published by the company and contacts Sana to set a date.

Lesson format

Lessons are taught in the client's own kitchen, with simple, locally sourced ingredients. The company asks that allergies be mentioned when booking and notes that all recipes can be made with alternatives and adapted to dietary restrictions.

Contact and bookings

Bookings are made by email to masalapantryuk@gmail.com, stating name, email and postcode. The company operates from Tonbridge, in the United Kingdom.