Cooking Classes · TOUR REVIEWS
One free morning, a thousand kitchens. The 15 below are the classes that earn the slot, priced and timed, from a $20 market class in Hoi An to a private Tuscan farm day, with the full catalogue underneath.
Visit a Chiang Mai market, tour an organic herb garden, then cook curry paste, curry, stir-fry, soup, and spring rolls at Smile Organic Farm. Guides such as Lily, Love, K, Luna, and Cici lead small groups, with vegetarian and vegan menus available.
“Pick up timing, food, guidance - everything was perfect! Lily is great! The experience is well worth time and money!”
In a medieval tower near Brunelleschi’s Dome, an English-speaking chef such as Andrea, Victoria, Antonio, or Valentino guides you through ravioli, tortelli, and pappardelle. You make sauces, eat your work, and enjoy Tuscan wine and unlimited soft drinks during this three-hour class.
“We had a great time learning how to make 3 different types of pasta and tasting them with 3 different sauces! Our chef, Antonio, was kind and fun, he taught and guided us throughout the class. Great farewell experience in Florence! Perhaps some background music would be a good addition.”
Spend about three hours near Piazza Navona learning tiramisu, fresh fettuccine, and ravioli with rotating chefs such as Mimi, Lori, Carlotta, Leo, and Paris. You will work at your table, eat what you make, and finish with wine, coffee, or limoncello.
“Great opportunity to learn how to make pasta in a relaxed and chill environment. Leo was a great instructor; provided detailed instructions, was funny and a patient chef :)”
Spend three hours in a Florence restaurant making fresh pasta and tiramisu with an English-speaking chef such as Amber, Alessandro, Clive, or Narghess. You will cook, eat your meal with wine, and finish with coffee or limoncello.
“We had a delightful experience in Clive’s cooking class with our family of four. It was a memorable day as we learned to make ravioli, tagliatelle, and tiramisu. Clive was incredibly patient with us, as we were complete beginners in cooking. He made the class engaging and enjoyable, especially for our 16 and 18-year-olds. We ended up making some fantastic food that we thoroughly enjoyed afterward. I highly recommend this cooking class to anyone visiting Florence.”
In central Florence, chef-led instruction takes you from flour to three fresh pastas: ravioli, tortelli, and pappardelle. You’ll cook in a medieval tower near Brunelleschi’s Dome, eat the finished meal with Tuscan sauces, and enjoy unlimited Tuscan wine or soft drinks. Classes are in English and capped at 15 people.
“A really fun evening making pasta. It was surprisingly tasty and the group size was good, not too big and with other people to chat to as we made the pasta. For what was included I thought this was great value for money and was a really fun evening.”
At Naplesbay Cooking Lab, a local chef guides you through dough, mozzatura, San Marzano sauce, mozzarella, basil, and oven baking. You eat your own pizza with bruschetta and a drink, then take home a personalized pizza chef diploma.
“This pizza class was SO much fun and totally worth every euro! We learned real pizza-making secrets, got the full recipe, and honestly the whole experience was amazing. The atmosphere was great, mostly thanks to our teacher/boss Mauro — he was super funny, welcoming, and shared so many useful tips and info. Mauro is a 10/10 🥰 Highly recommend!”
Rose Kitchen takes you from a Hanoi market to a garden villa kitchen for a hands-on Vietnamese meal. Guides including Maxie, Alex, Aroma, and Simon explain ingredients, customs, and cooking methods. Expect spring rolls, bun cha, noodles, vegetables, fruit wine, and recipes to use at home.
“This a fantastic cooking class, the whole experience is very professional and informative. We cooked several Vietnamese dishes and then got to cook them and best of all eat them. Maxie was a fantastic tour guide in the markets and was clear and supportive in the kitchen. We loved the whole experience”
Meet your English-speaking chef at 8 P. Gia Ngư in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, visit the city’s largest market, then prepare pho bo, bun cha, fried spring rolls, papaya salad, and egg coffee or chocolate. Guides including Perla, Vy, Emmy, Sunny, and Coco keep the class hands-on and friendly.
“Lynn was fantastic! We first spent a little time at street markets, and Lynn explained about the different foods offered. Then we went back to the cooking facility where everyone was involved in each step of preparation. The result was an eRead more”
Start in Florence with guide Luca at the San Lorenzo market, then ride to a Tuscan farmhouse for hands-on pasta, bruschetta, roast pork, potatoes, and tiramisu. Erika and other chefs lead the cooking, with wine, recipes, a diploma, and countryside views included.
“Fabulous tour - the introduction to the market was great and we will go back - and Luca was so fun and engaging that it was impossible not to laugh and enjoy. The cooking was interesting - simple foods and recipes demystified. One of the best tours we’ve done.”
Meet an English-speaking Thai instructor such as Wave, Flook, Tu, or Balloon, visit a local market, pick herbs, make curry paste by hand, and cook several Thai dishes in an organic kitchen garden. Pickup is included within 3 km of Chiang Mai Old Town.
“The cooking teacher Balloon was fun and nice with us. We created a great team spirit in our cooking class and learned about their cooking traditions. Would repeat it again for sure!”
Visit a Chiang Mai market, explore Grandma’s organic farm, collect eggs, pick mushrooms, and cook Thai classics at your own station. Guides such as Kiki, Jimmie, Patty, and Roger lead clear, playful classes, with vegetarian, Halal, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly options available.
“Amazing! We cooked so many delicious things and i felt it was easy to follow along. Roger was a great guide in our cooking!”
Spend about six hours cooking Thai and Akha dishes with instructors such as On, Niti, or Jasmine. Morning sessions add a local market visit, while every class includes an individual station, Akha coffee, a full-color cookbook, and a large meal you prepare yourself.
“This was so much fun! Our whole family, including one teen and one pre-teen, really enjoyed. Niti is a great cook, but above that she made the cooking simple, engaging, and fun. Clear step by step instructions for everything. We were ablRead more”
At Sushi Making Tokyo near Senso-ji, you learn maki rolls and nigiri in a friendly English-language class lasting about 1 hour 40 minutes. Instructors such as Moe, Ken, Kazu, and Arisa explain sushi technique and culture, then you eat the lunch you made. No cooking experience is needed.
“Amazing! Taught about the history and very detailed instructions! They had a video / PowerPoint presentation in addition to table side instruction. Super friendly and welcoming staff”
Meet your English-speaking chef near Las Ramblas, visit La Boqueria for paella ingredients, then prepare tapas and seafood paella in a private dining room. Andrea, Luca, Kako, Maia, and other chefs have led sessions, with food, drinks, and recipes included.
“Andrea was amazing. He was very understanding of our delay and adjusted the schedule so we can still do the activity.”
Spend 4.5 hours around Hoi An’s Cam Thanh coconut-palm waterways and local market. Guides such as Hai, Ly, Lily, and Phuong lead you through ingredient shopping, basket-boat riding, net fishing, and a hands-on class where you prepare four Vietnamese dishes and receive recipes.
“Absolutely great value for money, our host and chef was fantastic, he was very friendly, funny, and informative. very clean and professional kitchen. Coconut boats were a hoot. Great fun and learnt a lot.”
Pick a dish, a city, or the shape of the day.
