Thailand Cooking classes in Thailand: why and where to try it? Travel to Thailand 0 (0)Want to bring back an original souvenir from Thailand?And why not add a little spice to your travel experience in Thailand! An expression that takes on its full meaning here, as this ingredient is emblematic of the local cuisine.Beyond the iconic landscapes and the warm welcome, Thai cuisine is an integral part of the country's identity. Thais are known for their desire to eat at all hours, and their conviviality, through sharing simple but often tasty dishes.Participating in a cooking class means immersing yourself in this unique culinary culture and taking home much more than just a souvenir: know-how that you can share with your loved ones.For my part, I had the opportunity to test two courses in two different cities: Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. Two experiences with very different approaches, which allow me to answer the question: how to choose the workshop that suits you best? And above all, what can you expect from a cooking class in Thailand? Summary hide Why take a cooking class in Thailand How does a Thai cooking class work? My experience in Chiang Rai at Chef Jaru (Akha Kitchen) 1. Sapi Tong: A unique Akha sauce 2. Pad Gra Pow: The classic Thai basil stir-fry 3. Tom Kha Gai: Aromatic Coconut Soup 4. Panang Curry: A fragrant red curry 5. Mango Sticky Rice: The iconic dessert My experience in Chiang Mai at Pook (Khroua Baan Thai) Other Thai Cooking Schools in Chiang Mai Recommendations for popular destinations Cooking Class in Bangkok Cooking Class in Ko Samui Cooking Class in Phuket Why take a cooking class in ThailandIf you are hesitant, here are some good reasons to try this activity:To discover the secrets of iconic dishes and their local ingredients : A cooking class is a unique opportunity to understand the subtle balance of flavors (sweet, salty, spicy, sour) that characterizes Thai cuisine. You will learn to work with local ingredients such as aromatic herbs, spices or fermented sauces, to recreate your new favorite dishes.For the cultural aspect : Cooking plays an essential role in the daily lives of Thais. Participating in a class means diving into an essential aspect of their culture and understanding what sets the rhythm of their daily lives.For a friendly experience : These classes are often led by passionate chefs, who know how to combine learning and good humor. An ideal activity to do with the family, because it is suitable for (almost) all ages.To bring back an original souvenir : Has your palate succumbed to pad thai, fragrant curry or spicy papaya salad? Learning to recreate them at home is a way to extend your trip. It’s also the perfect opportunity to share with your loved ones the flavors that marked your stay.How does a Thai cooking class work?A cooking class in Thailand usually lasts half a day. So you can choose between a morning or afternoon session (sometimes even in the evening). Based on my experiences, here is how a typical class goes:Choice of dishes : Before the course, you will have to select your recipes from a proposed list. In general, these are three or four main dishes and a dessert. Some schools allow you to compose your menu individually, while others opt for a fixed menu common to all participants, requiring everyone to agree.Transfer from your hotel : Most schools include round-trip transportation, which is convenient so you don't have to worry about logistics.Visit to the local market : You will go to a market to buy the fresh ingredients needed for your dishes. If you have never explored a small neighborhood market, this is a great opportunity to discover one.Introduction to ingredients : Once at school, you will be introduced to the ingredients and their role in each recipe. A simple but essential step.Preparation and cooking : Then, it's time for action! You will move on to preparing and cooking your dishes, guided by the chef.Tasting : Depending on the school, you can taste your dishes as you go or wait until you have prepared everything, often with a break between the main courses and dessert. In any case, it's best to be hungry!Memories and closure : Before leaving, it's time to take a souvenir photo, take a look at any goodies on offer, and above all, leave with a recipe book to recreate the dishes at home.A little anecdote to introduce the two experiences that follow: the coincidence of the calendar meant that the two cooking classes took place only two weeks apart! This sequence allowed me to easily compare the different approaches.My experience in Chiang Rai at Chef Jaru (Akha Kitchen)It was in Chiang Rai that I first discovered a Thai cooking class, an activity that I had wanted to try for a long time. This time, I had enough time to devote to it, and after comparing different options, I chose Akha Kitchen, a school run by young chef Jaruwan (or Jaru for short). Originally from Chiang Rai and of Akha ethnicity, she enthusiastically shares her culinary traditions while offering a mix of iconic Thai dishes and local specialties.His approach? Introduce participants to the richness of Thai cuisine, through essential dishes such as Pad Thai or Pad Gra Pow, while highlighting its Akha roots with rarer recipes such as Sapi Tong or iconic dishes from the north of the country such as Khao Soi Gai.Here is how Jaru describes his philosophy on his website: I designed my course to specifically highlight the diversity and variety found only here in Northern Thailand, where there is ethnic diversity and unique growing conditions for a wide variety of herbs, fruits and vegetables.From the discussions we had, she normally only does one class per day, either in the morning or in the afternoon, but since there were 5 of us and I had no choice about the schedule, she arranged to take us in the morning even though she had another class in the afternoon.In accordance with the general operation of a course, after picking us up from our hotel, we immediately went to the Chiang Rai market (Kad Luang Chiang Rai Market) to buy the fresh ingredients of the day, depending on the dishes chosen, here is the list:Sapi TongPad Gra PowTom kha gaiPanang CurryMango Sticky RiceYou can see that she has her little habits and the selection is done in just over half an hour. Back in our songthaew (local transport par excellence), we had about 30 minutes to reach the school (at the time, it was somewhere in the southern suburbs, now its premises, according to the address on their website, would be right in the center).Good point to start, we are entitled to a welcome drink as well as a fresh pre-cut pineapple. Then comes the time to start the session, well almost, before starting the first recipe properly speaking, we must prepare for another dish that will come later, the red curry paste. We put on the apron provided to us and then head to the table at the entrance.All the ingredients are prepared in small bowls, and you just have to follow the chef's instructions (this is the moment to specify but this course was in English, so you have to be comfortable with the language of Shakespeare to appreciate this course).We each have our own mortar and all we have to do is pound the ingredients in a specific order to obtain a homemade curry paste, which will be used as a base for the Panang. An activity that will take about 15 minutes.1. Sapi Tong: A unique Akha sauceWe continue with the first concrete recipe of this course, the Sapi Tong. It is an Akha specialty, a rare and typical recipe of this ethnic group. It is a kind of sauce, which is eaten by dipping vegetables, raw or steamed, imagine a salsa sauce with chips, but in its Thai version!Here again, the ingredients are well prepared, and the mortar and pestle are put to use again. Ten minutes later, the trick is done and here, the tasting is done in the wake of the creation. Time to savor this homemade concoction and we are back on the preparation table 20 minutes later. This pace allows for a little digestion in the meantime and gives the assistant the opportunity to prepare for the rest.2. Pad Gra Pow: The classic Thai basil stir-fryAnd the next part is a great Thai classic, one of my favorite dishes, Pad Gra Pow, a stir-fry with basil leaves, chili pepper (better with but not obligatory) and garlic.Small aside, I respect its transliteration as on its site, but for a more correct pronunciation for us French, I will rather use Pad Kra Pao (knowing that we sometimes see it spelled Phat Ka Phrao).A beautiful platter of fresh vegetables!We are brought a beautiful tray of vegetables, the same ones we had just bought that morning, and we each select what we need for this recipe, placing each ingredient on a tray provided for this purpose, very practical to find our way around. Making this recipe, which I knew more or less, turns out to be as simple as it is enjoyable in the mouth.In fact, it's such a "basic" recipe that it takes longer to prepare your platter than to stir-fry everything in the wok. Same pattern as before, while it's still hot, we sit down at the table right away.3. Tom Kha Gai: Aromatic Coconut SoupNext up, another classic of Thai cuisine awaits us, the aptly named Tom Kha Gai, the famous chicken soup with coconut milk (incidentally, Gai, whose pronunciation is closer to Kaï, means chicken). Again, making this recipe is easy, and 10 minutes is enough to be ready to taste a new taste adventure.Among the main ingredients, we find galangal (a variation of ginger), a little lemongrass, lime and in my version, I add tomatoes. The "real" recipe does not normally contain any, there are mushrooms instead but I prefer with tomatoes and it goes very well like that!4. Panang Curry: A fragrant red curryBefore moving on to dessert, we still have to cook the last main dish, the Panang (pronounced more like Panaing, with a southern accent), a red curry whose paste we had prepared a little earlier. Here it is precisely the curry paste that does everything, the rest of the ingredients being coconut milk, sweet basil, Kaffir lime leaves (Kombava) and bitter eggplants (I can't find any other translations, they are seeds the size of large peas, but from the eggplant family).I'm not going to lie to you, it's one of the best Panang I've ever eaten in Thailand! So when you know it was prepared by you, it's particularly rewarding! (spoiler, I never tried to make the recipe at home again...)5. Mango Sticky Rice: The iconic dessertFor dessert, I wouldn't be the one to eat it because I don't like mango (like many other fruits for me...) but it was again, a must-try in the country and one of the tourists' favorites (along with banana "roti", because apart from these two, desserts are not Thailand's culinary strong point, let's be honest): Mango Sticky Rice, literally, mango with sticky rice.The bulk of the preparation is just the coconut cream “sauce” and the decoration that accompanies this sweet treat. Time to finish this last snack and it’s time to say goodbye.We then have the possibility to buy aprons like those used for the course, which I did as a gesture of thanks, because beyond the cost of the course itself, a little extra money is always welcome, if only to also help pay for her assistant who did not disappoint in the perfect preparation of the different dishes. Furthermore, there was no need to pay a deposit at the time of booking, the payment for this cooking course was made on site, at the end of our session together.In summary, the course lasted about 3h30, including the passage to the market, the activity took us 4 hours in total. I was very satisfied, we feel that the chef, Jaru is passionate, she was very clear, patient and super pleasant. Since we were sent shortly after the recipes learned that day by email, and even if it is in English, I will share it with you with the possibility of downloading the PDFs.The main classroom.The common table to enjoy our dishes.Chief Jaru in full explanation.Jaru getting his hands dirty.Little surprise after the class: instead of the Tom Kha Gai recipe, I received the one for Tom Yum Goong, a spicy shrimp soup. Even if we didn't prepare it that day, I also offer it to you in download here. Sapi Tonga spicy Akha sauce served with raw or cooked vegetables Download Pad Gra Powstir-fried with Thai basil and garlic, best with ground pork Download Curry pastepreparation of red curry paste (for Panang) Download Panang CurryRed curry with coconut milk (with chicken or pork) Download Mango Sticky Ricesweet mango with sticky rice drizzled with coconut milk cream DownloadPractical information and course summary:Their website: https://www.akhakitchen.com/Course duration: approximately 4 hours (including market visit)Course fee: 1 baht per person (around €500), including:– Round trip transportation from your hotel.– Guided tour of the local market.– All fresh ingredients needed.– A recipe book to take away.– A complete meal with your culinary creations.Two slots available:morning (8:30-12:30)afternoon (13 p.m.-30 p.m.)Max 10 people per course✔️ PROS:Quick trip to the local marketSmall group lessons (private lessons possible)Very professional and educational chefRecipes in PDFTasting hot, dish by dish (practical for digestion!)And most importantly: delicious and successful dishes!✖️ CONS:Price slightly above averageCourse in English onlyMy experience in Chiang Mai at Pook (Khroua Baan Thai)In Chiang Rai, I had actively participated in the course, but since it was only two weeks earlier, for this second experience, this time in Chiang Mai, I was content to be a simple observer. Most schools offer this option, which is ideal if a member of your family wants to cook, but you don't.As a companion, you still have to pay a fee, because it includes the meal. An obvious solution to avoid finding yourself simply watching others cook... and then eating without you.The big difference here is that the school is run by Pook, a French speaker (her husband is French). Classes are therefore held in French, a real relief for those who are not comfortable with English.The sober frontage of the cooking school at Pook.Another change: here, it is possible to compose your menu from 4 variants (Menu A, B, C and D), each including 3 or 4 dishes plus a dessert, as well as two simplified menus, specially adapted for children from 9 to 14 years old. Finally, no detour to the market to buy the products. Everything is already prepared on arrival, which may disappoint some. But in her defense, Pook grows her own aromatic plants in her own garden.Pook has long owned her own restaurant but her desire to share led her to create her cooking school. She is a small woman who knows how to put people at ease, as much as her main assistant, who also has a very good grounding in French, normal, since he is the son, Folk, also passionate about cooking.The course is generally similar to the first time, a short briefing with presentation of the ingredients before starting, then everyone gets stuck to their dish, with the help of Pook and Folk. As a companion, it's a little more difficult for me to get a concise idea of the course because I was less attentive and more busy taking pictures (moreover, I only had a low-performance phone at the time, which explains the poor quality of the photos).A daily menu in front of his kitchen station.What I remember most is a good-natured atmosphere and impeccable organization. In addition to Pook and Folk, there is also another assistant, who although does not speak French, efficiently helps each participant to make their dishes.As for the dishes, we find all the classics of Thai cuisine. For example, for one of the students of the day, the menu included:Po Pia Thot: the famous spring rolls, a must for lovers of Asian cuisinePhat Thai: the popular Thai style stir-fried noodlesMassaman curry paste and massaman curryKluai Buat Chi: bananas with coconut milk for dessertIf you have any special requirements — pork-free, vegetarian, allergies or others — please let us know in their booking form.One point I want to make is that having assistants can be a real plus, but here I felt like their role was more central, making the cooking process very guided. Of course, as a mere observer that day, my feelings might be biased, but it contrasted with the experience at Jaru in Chiang Rai, where the assistant prepared the ingredients discreetly in the background, giving the participants complete autonomy in making the dishes.In the middle of a cooking class.Pook's good mood is clearly visible.But this is still my vision of a course; I imagine that some will appreciate being more guided. Overall, the learning is similar to my previous experience, with this significant advantage: the French language. Among the differences, in addition to those already mentioned, we note that here, you first prepare all your dishes, before tasting the whole thing. The disadvantage being that by the time you do everything, your first dishes will be lukewarm. After a 45-minute meal break, you will end the course with dessert, which you savor immediately.To conclude, each participant leaves with a notebook containing the recipes of the day, and the memory of a friendly moment shared with others.Practical information and course summary:Their website: https://www.chiangmai-cooking.com/Course duration: approximately 4 hoursCourse price (including meal for accompanying persons):– During the day: 1 baht per person (around €200)– Accompanying persons: Adult: 500 baht / Child: 300 baht– In the evening: 1 baht per person (around €300)– Accompanying persons: Adult: 700 baht / Child: 400 bahtTwo slots available:day (8:30 a.m. - 15:00 p.m.)afternoon (17 p.m.-30 p.m.)Max 6 people per course (excluding accompanying persons)✔️ PROS:Small group lessons (private lessons possible)Evening classes possibleChildren's menu available from 9 years oldDynamic team with a friendly atmosphereBooklet with daily recipes providedGood food✖️ CONS:No tour to the local marketTasting only at the endOther Thai Cooking Schools in Chiang MaiIf English is no problem for you, Chiang Mai has plenty of cooking schools to choose from. Some have excellent reputations, with a particular emphasis on using local ingredients and organic farms for an even more authentic culinary experience.Powered by GetYourGuideRecommendations for popular destinationsTo complete this article, I had to share with you some recommendations for Thai cooking schools for the most popular destinations in Thailand. In addition to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai mentioned through my experiences, I will take you this time to Bangkok, Ko Samui and Phuket. Among these addresses, some offer courses in French, ideal for learning how to prepare Thai dishes with ease. However, this remains quite rare: for the others, a good command of English will be necessary, but the experience will be no less authentic.Cooking Class in BangkokBlue Elephant Cooking School : Located on Sathon Road, this cooking school offers French courses on request. Blue Elephant is also a renowned restaurant in the capital, which explains the higher prices (3 baht per person). The morning session includes a visit to a local market to select ingredients. Then, you will learn how to prepare 300 to 4 traditional Thai dishes, depending on the day of the week. At the end of the course, each participant leaves with a certificate. For more information, visit their website: https://blueelephant.com/fr/cooking-school/ecole-de-bangkokHouse of Taste Thai Cooking School : Located on Sukhumvit Road (Soi 4), this school is ideal if you have no problem with English. It stands out for its great flexibility, with up to three time slots offered each day. You will also have the option of choosing between a group course (up to 20 people) or a private course. The price for a group course is 1 Baht per person, but the price for private sessions is not specified. For more information, visit their website: https://www.houseoftastecooking.com/Maliwan Thai Cooking Class : Located near Khao San Road, this school, which teaches exclusively in English, offers two sessions per day. Each session includes a visit to the local market by tuk-tuk, adding an authentic touch to the experience. Renowned for the quality of its courses, the school favors small groups (usually no more than 6 people), for a competitive price, starting at 1 Baht for a classic Thai meal. For more information, visit their website: https://www.maliwancooking.com/. For easy and quick booking, this school is accessible via GetYourGuide.Cooking Class in Ko SamuiThai cooking class in French with Nat : To my knowledge, this is the only option to take a Thai cooking class in French on the island of Koh Samui. I did not find a personal website, but Nat offers classes in small groups (maximum 6 people) for a price of 2 Baht per person. It is also possible to book a private class for 500 Baht per person. To book, go to this site: https://creative-aventure.com/excursions/cours-de-cuisine-thaie-en-francais/InFusion Cooking Classes : This school used to offer courses in French until recently, but this is apparently no longer the case, although its website remains accessible in French. It stands out for its professional approach, including specialized courses and personalized experiences. InFusion offers private courses of 3 or 5 hours, with prices displayed per group (starting at 4 Baht for a maximum of two participants, ideal for a couple). Interesting feature: it is possible to take a course focused on vegan cooking. For more information, visit their website: https://fr.infusioncookingclassessamui.com/There are plenty of options for cooking classes in Ko Samui if you can get by in English. To make your search easier, some activity-focused platforms also offer excellent classes on the island, like this one, renowned for its authenticity and friendliness.Cooking Class in PhuketBlue Elephant Cooking School : Like its Bangkok location, Blue Elephant also has a cooking school in Phuket, offering similar classes with experienced instructors. Participants can learn how to prepare authentic Thai dishes in a professional environment. For more information, visit their website: https://blueelephant.com/fr/cooking-school/ecole-de-phuket/Phuket Thai Cooking by VJ : In English, this cooking school is run by a veteran chef with over 10 years of experience. His reputation is well established. The prices, which are average for Phuket, offer two options: 2 Baht per person without a market visit and 000 Baht with. Classes are limited to 2 participants to ensure a friendly experience. The menu offered varies depending on the day of the week. For more information, visit their website: https://phuketthaicooking.com/Again, for ease of booking, an alternative is to explore options on platforms dedicated to activities, like this one, which offers an excellent cooking class in Phuket. Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 0 / 5. Number of votes: 0 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Activities and Adventures Culture and traditions Gastronomy Markets and shopping Local meetings 0 0 Roman 23/12/2024
