Avila Experience - Explore the cuisine of Mauritius with a local chef

Rosemonde, whose name is a tribute to her two grandmothers, Rosemay and Raymonde, welcomes you into her home and reveals some of the best-kept secrets of Mauritian cuisine. But first she takes you to the bazar, the weekly farmers' market. The stalls are dotted with aubergines in deep purple hues, bright yellow pumpkins, shiny red tomatoes (we call them "love apples"), bitter melon, chouchou... You can fill your basket as you learn more about these special vegetables. The fragrant spices and fruits, the cries of the vendors, the snatches of conversations, the laughter of friends who meet again at the bazaar after a week.... The experience is exhilarating.

Back at Rosemonde, you help prepare today's menu against a background of radio music coming from André's carpentry workshop, mixed with the sound of tools and the chatter of younger trainees.