One of the main reasons to head over to Thailand, apart from the sun and the beach, is the Thai food. Yummy noodle dishes such as Pad Thai, the richly flavoured curries, the Tom Yum soups, the fresh seafood and young papaya salads… it is a foodie heaven! Thai cooking is an art and knowledge of local spices and ingredients is required to do the magic. Now, wouldn’t it be the best thing to learn the secrets of Thai home cooking in the country of origin to surprise your loved ones back home with an exquisite meal? Good news, in Ko Samui there are several great cooking schools turning you from a Thai food enthusiast to a master chef. Pick the one closest to your private villa on the island. All of the following 4 cooking schools are perfectly good, fun and inspiring:
Born on Ko Samui, Ying gives personalized cooking classes to island visitors, following authentic recipes that were passed on for generations. You are welcomed in her house like family and all classes are given in small groups of maximum 4 students to get the full-blown home cooking experience. All of the dishes are prepared naturally with local produce of which some come straight from the onsite garden. You will be picked up by Ying and her Mum and from there, you will head to the local market of Hua Thanon together to get the ingredients for the cooking class – a wonderfully local experience! During the class, you will learn to prepare 3 authentic Thai dishes plus a traditional dessert. Ying’s Thai Cooking Class costs 2.400 THB per person.
This awesome cooking school features its own huge organic garden where you can pick your own fresh veggies and herbs, straight from mother nature. After the garden tour, learning a bit about sustainable farming and harvesting the organic ingredients for the cooking class, you will learn how to prepare 4 traditional Thai dishes. Everything will be made by you, even the coconut creams and the curry pastes – no secret is left unrevealed. Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten-free diet are also welcome to join. A cooking class at Island Organics costs 2.200 THB per person and the school is conveniently located in Chaweng, where there are many holiday villas.
For those of you island travelers staying in Lamai, check out this ocean-view cooking school, featuring an open kitchen and small cooking classes for up to 6 people. The lovely outdoor setting makes the cooking experience even better, and your host will teach you all the tips and tricks of the Thai cuisine. Don’t let the breathtaking view distract you too much, though! The Lamai Thai Cooking School offers a free pick-up from your hotel or private villa in Lamai, making it all the more easy to sign up for a morning or afternoon course. You will return home with a recipe book.
This cooking school offers a 4.5 hour authentic Thai home cooking workshop starting out with a visit to the fresh local market. The cooking school is tucked in a traditional Thai summer house and it is located just behind the market. You will learn how to prepare 3 dishes of your choice out of an extensive menu and you will make healthy, colourful herbal drinks with local flowers. All dishes can also be made vegan and the price is 1790 THB. For those with less time on their hands or a smaller holiday budget, opt for the 2-hour ‘best of workshop’ where you will prepare 2 dishes and traditional herbal drinks for only 990 THB.
Written by Stephanie of Villa-Finder.com