French cooking in Paris with a local chef

Meet Ioana

Ioana, originally from Romania, has been living in France since 2008, in Paris mainly. She came as an Erasmus student (Philosophy Master Studies) and decided to stay, because she fell in love with the French culture. She works in the social field, managing shelter and housing for immigrants and vulnerable people. Ioana has always been passionate about cooking and in 2023 even did a professional culinary course. She enjoys organizing dinners at her apartment and also works with a cooking association for young people in the neighborhood. Cooking truly runs in her blood, her mother is a baker and a pastry chef, and her grandmother also attended a cooking school. She learned to cook from them at a young age, while she helped in the kitchen and cooked with vegetables from their garden. Almost everything - flour, vegetables and meat was produced on their small farm. In 2023 she converted this passion into something more professional and got a degree in culinary arts. Ioana also offers a personal chef experience where she can cook in your vacation rental, if you prefer.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal (1 - 5 guests) Ioana lives in Montreuil, a Paris suburb easily accessible by metro. Her food is inspired by her Romanian origins, Balkan roots and love for French cuisine. Ioana's beautiful, cozy apartment is a short train ride away from the city center, with beautiful views of the city. For your meal you can choose from a Romanian or French menu or even a fusion one - which combines her family recipes with a French touch. A few dishes that you might try at Ioana's dining table are zacusca (a vegetable spread) served with bread or caramelized onion and bread soup or croque monsieur and roasted beef in a bell pepper sauce with carrots and cucumber salad or boeuf bourguignon (French beef stew braised in red wine) or borek (savory pastry filled with feta and spinach). End your meal with a French dessert such as flan or moelleux au chocolat with cream and roasted spices, or a Romanian dessert such as papanasi (a cheese beignet with sour cream and blueberry jam, which is homemade).

Cooking experience (1 - 5 guests) During your 1-hour hands-on Paris cooking class, learn to make a main dish or dessert from scratch. Learn to make borek, a savory pastry filled with feta and spinach or papanasi, a cheese beignet with sour cream and blueberry jam or boeuf bourguignon, a French beef stew braised in red wine. These are some of Ioana's favorite dishes to prepare and she is excited to teach you how to make them. After cooking, help set the table and enjoy a three-course French meal.

Market visit (1 - 5 guests) The market tour happens only on Friday, Saturday and Sundays. Ioana will take you to a local neighborhood market, 15 minute walk from her home. Either you will visit Place Diderot in Vincennes or the market at Croix de Chavaux, depending on the day you book the experience. Both these markets sell a lot of local produce - fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood and cheese. Walk around the market square and visit Ioana's favorite vendors to buy a few ingredients for your cooking class.