Traditional Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai

Thailand is a food lover’s paradise and signing up for a Thai Cooking Class should be a nonnegotiable. Chiang Mai is one of my favorite food cities in the world, and I think it could be one of yours too.

This post is all about an amazing Thai cooking class that I took while in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

During our time in Chiang Mai we stuffed our faces with copious amounts of Khao Soi, Pad Thai, Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice. Singing up for a Thai cooking class was a must – and realizing how easy it is to bring those special flavors back home was incredibly exciting.

Cooking classes are a fantastic way to interact with locals, learn about culinary traditions, try delicious food and have the skills to recreate what you’ve learned once you go back home. Whether it’s making pasta in Italy, making chocolate in Costa Rica or Grilling in Argentina – you’re bound to have a fantastic time.

The Cooking Class

After doing our research we decided to book our class with We Cook Thai Home Garden Cooking School. Mam, the owner of the school is fantastic. She is bubbly, excited, and super knowledgeable.

*Mam picked us up at our hostel, and dropped us off after our course. This was a great touch for us budget travelers.*

The course includes a market shopping experience that was fantastic. Each student in the class (5 of us) got to choose our own menu. Each aspiring chef chooses 6 dishes to learn. Students learn about different ingredients, how to smell and taste for freshness, and what comparable ingredients are available in the US.

Mam then drove us back to her cooking school that far exceeded our expectations. Everything was beautifully set up, organized and her attention to detail was phenomenal.

What You can learn to make

The dishes I chose to learn were:

Red Curry Paste

Khao Soi (Chiang Mai Curry Noodles)

Tom Kha Gai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)

Spring Rolls

Pad Thai (Fried Noodles Thai Style)

Sticky Rice with Mango

What Sets this class apart from the rest

There are so many amazing aspects of this class. From learning about Thailand and Thai food from Mam to learning from fellow travelers you’re sure to leave inspired and with a full belly.

Leave with a full cookbook of all of the recipes. Mam makes sure to leave you well armed to make these dishes in the future. I also loved that she gives her WhatsApp number to everyone so they can message her from around the world with questions.

The market tour and learning about different ingredients. Some ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, huge cinnamon sticks, and fresh rice noodles are different than how they’re sold back home. She has lots of information about comparable brands and ingredients. Things like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal may be difficult to find fresh, but many specialty grocery stores have dried versions available.

Takeaways From this Thai Cooking Class

I couldn’t recommend this class more highly. If you’re thinking about planning a trip to Chiang Mai – definitely book this class. You won’t regret it!

*I would recommend taking this class towards the beginning of your time in Chiang Mai if possible. Learning about the different foods, and how they’re made can broaden your horizons and introduce you to flavors and dishes you otherwise may not have been brave enough to order on your own.*