Cooking Class in Thailand

Out of all Asian cuisines, Thai food makes the cut onto the international culinary billboard. Its special features are: Light sauces, authentic ingredients cooked to preserve pureness, opulent use of fresh seafood, fruit and fragrant herbs. You might want to learn how to recreate this delicious food back home. Then, taking a cooking class is the right choice.

During this fun activity you will learn more about Thai food. It isn??t surprising that many travelers choose to include a cooking class during their trip in Thailand. Learning from a professional Thai chef is not something that happens every day.

Here we are sharing the fun about cooking classes and what we consider to be the best choices.

Highlights

What to expect from a cooking class in Thailand

Thailand is famous all over the world for its passion about food and for the rich flavors of its dishes. Taking a cooking class in Thailand is an experience full of passion, discovery, and quality time; an immersion in one of the most important aspects of Thai culture: Food.

Immerse yourself in local lifestyle and cultures

A cooking class in Thailand is the choice of many because it offers hands-on experience.

Cooking classes often come with a market tour to buy the fresh ingredients you need for your dishes. The chef will guide you through the many street vendors, explaining how to choose only the best ingredients. It is an amazing opportunity to learn about how locals shop and to see a different aspect of the culinary culture.

Good quality time with your families

Classes are suitable for kids and adults. Share this amazing experience with the people you love, stay focused together on one thing while trying to complete one of the most rewarding tasks of everyday life: Cooking.

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Seeing Bangkok with ease In Bangkok, our tour guide, Ying, was wonderful. She navigated all the sights with ease, gave us interesting tidbits on Thai culture and history, helped us pick the right food at all the restaurants, and was just a pleasure to be around. We had a great time, and it was so nice to not have to worry about any of the details. More Diane Elkins, Nov 2023

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Family Trip to Thailand-Cambodia All of our guides were very nice and knowledgeable, but we have a special mention to our guide in Cambodia, Chan, he was very kind with us and it was very amusing. He went the extra mile for us. We really enjoyed our holidays! More José Antonio Carrillo de la Pl, Sep 2023

Asia Highlights and Sharon Asia Highlights, specifically Sharon, has been wonderfully helpful as we get ready for a 2024 excursion to Thailand. We are beyond excited, and much of that has to do with the personalized attention that we have experienced with Sharon. She has been extremely responsive, obliging, and focused as she helped us design a tailor made itinerary. All of our questions have been addressed, our needs have been met, and the path has now been set for a very exciting trip.... thanks to Sharon. More Marcy Hoenig, Sep 2023

I was planning a trip to Thailand to… I was planning a trip to Thailand to especially see the Lantern Festival this year for our birthdays!! It’s been on our bucket list, but we were completely lost on how to go about planning for our trip. We’ve never really booked tours before but Alisa was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, flexible and efficient in providing all the information we needed to make our decision on the best tours and tickets to purchase. Thank you so much!! More https://www.trustpilot.com/reviews/64d9a5a4657e4b39f768a21e, Aug 2023

I would definitely recommend Asia… All of our guides were wonderful (Mr. Bank - Bangkok and Ms. Kai in Phuket & Khao Sok plus antoher guide who assisted in Koh Samui). Sharon took care of tours, private drivers, flights and hotels within Thailand and our trip went off without a hitch. The hotels were great and the transportation always arrived on time and with a clean, More Guinevere Provance, Aug 2023

Great Experience WOW! I’ve traveled Asia some & I must say Sharon & Asia Highlights made this trip so much more enjoyable and easy More Stephen Hollis, Aug 2023

Alisa has has been great to work with Alisa with Asia Highlights has has been great to work with. Very friendly and responsive. More Ana Rausch, Aug 2023

Using Sharon right now to book our… Using Sharon right now to book our upcoming trip to Thailand. She has booked everything that we asked for. Has answered all of my inquiries, which has been many! Looking forward to having a great girls trip in Thailand More Tracy, Aug 2023

Thailand, Singapore, Bali In Thailand, Tanny and Nori(Suparp), were both incredible! They were both fun, funny, and full of knowledge and made sure we got the full experience. They went the extra mile and always made sure we had cold bottled water and towels to cleanse our hands. In Singapore, Nicole was an absolute gem. She was so kind and knowledgeable and guided us in the right direction to make our day as enjoyable as possible. She helped us choose a top notch local lunch and coffee spot in China Town and taught us so much about the country! In Bali, Emon was an absolute joy. He was very knowledgeable and kind and absolutely made sure we were feeling comfortable and was willing to be flexible with us. He was fun to converse with and made our time traveling between destinations so enjoyable! I cannot recommend Asia Highlights enough! Accommodations, travel arrangements and guided tours were all a breeze. More Cassi Thunker, Jul 2023

Very supportive Very supportive ! I have received eticket for Sky Lattern Festival very fast More Chi?n Nguy?n Ng?c, Jul 2023

My experience in Chang Mai with Asia Highlights I greatly enjoyed my experience with Asia Highlights for a trip I booked to Thailand.All of my interests were catered too. My guide in Chang Mai Gemma was excellent.I truly felt the soul of Thailand culture and Buddhism. More Richard, Jul 2023

A pleasure to plan with Well, this has been a painless and pleasurable process to find such a wonderful company. I had specific dates and places to be and Sharon worked with me diligently to refine the schedule and costs to suit my travel needs and budget. She informed me of a special tour on the dates I am to be in Thailand and I added that to my previous plans. More Chris Williams, Jul 2023

Large multi-generational holiday in Thailand The holiday was wonderful. Our guides, Mr Monchai (Bangkok), and Ms Tipagorn (Tippy) (Chiang Mai) were exceptional. Travelling in a large multigenerational group with many children requires patience and our guides truly understood that. Mr Monchai and Ms Tippy shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. While everyday was busy, having them greet us with patience and a smile truly made this a memorable holiday. The hotels we stayed at were equally wonderful and went above and beyond to celebrate not only my parents 50th anniversary but also celebrate 2 milestone birthdays that occurred. We will cherish this holiday for many years to come. We hope to use Asia Highlights again. More CL, Jul 2023

I never used a travel agent in my life I never used a travel agent in my life, but Sharon for Asia Highlights did a phenomenal job helping planning and coordination a family vacation. The best part of working with Sharon was that she maintained an open line of communication and provided answers to my question well within 12-24 hours. Additionally, Sharon was flexible and customized our vacation to my families needs. Overall great experience. More Antione Barry, Jul 2023

Great company to plan a trip to Southeast Asia! Sharon Haung has been wonderful to work with! Very patient and accommodating. Responds immediately given time change and is prepared, prompt, and professional. More Debi Hinerfeld, Jul 2023

We took a 15 days trip (10 days Vietnam and 5 days Thailand … It was an amazing experience the guides and drivers were there awaiting for us at each airoport for a transfer to the hotels also on time for all the tours all the guides were so lovely , very experienced and spoke very good English , one of the days on tour in Thailand I lost my phone in a temple in Bangkok mr chai went out of his way in a middle of thousands of visitors and managed to find an bring it back to me I found that amazing , also while on a trip I contacted Jason li out tour organizer few time via whatup and he replied and helped on the spot I recommend asiahilights 150% The quality of the service hotels the guides the drivers outstanding From start to finish ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ???? More SIMO el ghobar, Jun 2023

What a cooking class is like in Thailand

The point of a cooking class is to teach you how to shop at a local market for the freshest ingredients and how to cook some traditional Thai dishes, assisted by a professional chef that can reveal to you the little secrets behind the recipes.

Many classes have different menus every day, so if you want to learn how to cook a particular dish you need to schedule a particular day. Usually, classes are for groups between 5 and 15 people, but you can also find private classes where you and your loved ones are the only guests.

Cooking classes in Thailand are all organized pretty much in the same way:

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Top cooking classes in Thailand

Cooking classes can be found in many places across Thailand, but picking the right one can be somewhat challenging without the proper knowledge. Here is a list of the top-rated cooking classes in five of the most popular tourist destinations of Thailand.

They combine intimate service with knowledgeable guidance, taking care of their customers and making sure they enjoy their time while learning the secrets behind the amazing flavors of Thai cuisine.

Bangkok: Silom Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour

The course (held twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon) offers a fun introduction to Thai cuisine and it will guide you through every step for the preparation of Thai dishes. It will start with a visit to a local market, where you will buy all the raw ingredients you need for your recipes and learn how to pick the best ones.

Back at the school, the teacher will instruct you about mixing the ingredients together and getting ready to cook. Every student will have his/her own wok, and he/she will be guided step by step through the cooking process. The best part is at the end: Eating your creation!

The course costs around 1,000 BHT (US $33) and includes five dishes (special arrangement will be made for vegetarians). There is a different menu for each day of the week, and you will prepare dishes like Pad Thai, Sweet Sticky Mango Rice, Masaman Curry, Tom Yun Goong, or Som Tam.

Location: 68 Silom Soi 13, Bangkok

Chiang Mai: Pantawan Cooking

Just 20 minutes away from the town of Chiang Mai, Pantawan Cooking is waiting for you. Located in a beautiful garden with its own organic farm, the school offers 12 luxurious cooking stations inside a Thai style teak house. The school is run by a family of locals, and it tries to replicate the high-quality food you would find in a Thai restaurant.

There are two sessions: lunch (9:30am ?C 1:30pm) and dinner (4pm ?C 8:30pm). After being picked up at the hotel, the lesson will start with a tour at the local market to buy all the fresh ingredients you will need. Once at the school, a drink made from herbs grown locally will welcome you, and then you will start cooking.

The school will provide you with the ingredients and the cooking utensils you might need, as well as a recipe book. A chef will instruct you, showing each part of the preparation and, at the end of the course, you will be awarded with a certificate of graduation.

There is a different menu every day: Northern Dishes, Healthy Dishes, Royal Thai Cuisine, Chef??s choices?? all including lovely dishes you will be anxious to recreate at home.

Location: 201 Moo 2 Mae HIA Market, Muang Chiang Mai, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai: Cooking with Ann

Maybe there is no better place for a private cooking class than a local homestay. In Ann??s Greenhouse in Chiang Rai you can learn all the secrets to make a delicious Thai meal for just 1,100 THB per person. Ann, the owner of the school, will assist you while you are cooking every dish from scratch, step by step.

After meeting at 9:30 in the kitchen of the Greenhouse, you will decide what dishes you want to cook. For example, if you are a couple, you can choose to share two main courses and a dessert or to cook four separate dishes each (the shared option is more manageable).

After this, you will be taken to the local market by Ann and you will choose the freshest ingredients for your dishes. You won??t need to buy vegetables or fruit, as Ann has her own lovely garden where you can pick everything you need (papaya, banana leaves, lemon grass, etc.).

You will need to prepare all the ingredients (while Ann takes care of some small things like fish sauce), and then you will calmly proceed to cook all the dishes, and then finally eat them!

Location: 73 Moo 20 Sahamit Road, Chiang Rai

Phuket: Dusit Laguna Phuket

Dusit Laguna in Phuket is a luxurious resort that offers a top-quality cooking class with the chef of their Ruen Thai Restaurant.

The four course menu you will prepare consists of traditional Thai dishes, including appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes and desserts. The professional chef will assist you when preparing high-quality versions of traditional dishes such as Khao Pad Gai (chicken fried with rice), Massaman Lamb Shank Curry, Pad Thai Goong (Stir-fried noodles with prawns). You can choose the three dishes you want to cook.

At the end of the class, there will be a dinner where you will eat the dishes you cooked, and you will be awarded with a certificate, a recipe book, and an apron with the official logo of the resort. There are classes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from 3 to 5pm.

Location: 390 Moo 1 Srisoontorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket

Samui: Cooking Class at Chef's Table Restaurant

Chef??s Table Restaurant, inside the Sareeraya Hotel, located near the sea surrounding Koh Samui, offers a good opportunity not only to learn about Thai cuisine, but also how to carve fruit and vegetables to make simple decorations.

For the Thai cooking class, you can choose two dishes from their menu, and prepare them assisted by their professional chef. The chef will lead you through the entire process, and at the end of the class you will receive a certificate, a Sareeraya cooking apron, and a CD-ROM with Thai recipes.

Part of the class is dedicated to food carving. The chef will patiently teach you this amazing skill, showing you how to carve fruit and vegetables in a simple yet beautiful way. No previous experience is required, and it is guaranteed that you will go back home with this amazing new skill.

Courses are held any day except Monday and Thursday. You can choose the time you prefer between 12pm and 6pm (a class usually lasts about 2 hours).

Location: 100/1 Moo 2 Chaweng Beach Road, Sareeraya Villas & Suites, Chaweng, Bophut, Ko Samui

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Tips for taking a cooking class

Taking a cooking class is relaxing and enjoyable, and the offer is wide. Here is a handful of tips that can help when choosing the right cooking class for you.

• Reading online reviews is a good way to know what other customers think of the class before signing up.
• Since many schools have different menus each day of the week, check their schedule if you wish to learn a particular dish.
• Check what??s included in the package and how long it will take, so that you can fit the class in your schedule.

Book with Asia Highlights

Thailand makes a great leisure holiday and no matter when you are traveling or who you are traveling with, a cooking class is always an ideal experience. Let us know how we can help you shape your holiday in Thailand, and we will choose the most suitable course for you.

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