A perfect marriage of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy flavours, Thai food has been basking in its much-deserved worldwide popularity for the last decade or so. So, why not immerse yourself in the wonders of this beloved cuisine, by signing up for a cookery class at these five top culinary schools on your next Bangkok jaunt?
By Raul Dias
Blue Elephant Cooking School
Run by the indomitable mother-daughter team of Chef Nooror Steppe and Sandra Steppe, the
Blue Elephant Cooking School was established in the year 2000 at the historic Old Thai
Chine Building. All cookery classes at the school start with a guided visit to the local
morning market to purchase the ingredients that you’ll need for the class. This is followed by
a hands-on instructor-led class, ending with eating the meal cooked by you at the onsite
restaurant of the same name. From learning the secrets of ancient royal Thai cuisine to the
more contemporary fusion style, there’s something for everyone here. And for those with a
yen for leaning the intricate art of vegetable and fruit carving, the school also has a special
carving class to add on to your time table once you’re done with the cookery component.
233 South Sathorn Road, Kwaeng Yannawa,
Khet Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
+66 (2) 6739353-8
blueelephantcookingschool.com
Chef Leez Thai Cooking Class
Though this cookery school was established only in 2011, what’s better than learning home-
style Thai cooking from someone who has been cooking since the age of five? Yes, the multi-
lingual Chef Leez has culled recipes from her grandmother’s restaurant repertoire and curated
an exhaustive list of dishes that include everything from starters and curries to salads and
desserts. This means that you can pick a whopping 12 family recipes from the list to learn in
a single class. What makes Chef Leez’s classes most interesting is the fact that she even
caters to the needs of vegans, vegetarians, those with allergies and even children. Known for
her very precise instructions and fun approach to cookery, the journey chez Chef Leez
doesn’t end once you’re done with your day of class. All alumni members have unlimited
access to her online recipe book that also has videos and additional tips to get you going.
4/1206 Seri Thai 57 Alley,
Khet Bueng Kum, Bangkok 10230
+66 865681311
chefleez.com
Silom Thai Cooking School
One of the most basic, yet authentic schools on our list, the Silom Thai Cooking School is for
the serious learner. With an outdoor kitchen, the classes at this cooking school are held only
in the mornings, following a dawn market visit to procure fresh ingredients. Also, the focus here is on small numbers. Preferring to limit their classes to just eight students at a time, in order that each one gets enough one-on- one time with the instructors. This is one school that believes in doing everything from scratch which means, detailed instructions on the cooking techniques, ingredients and utensils used. Here, even the curry pastes are prepared fresh by the students themselves. And while all the herbs used are freshly picked, only whole spices go into the dishes rather than packaged ones. Once done, students and instructors sit down to a home-style, five-course meal in the school’s beautifully appointed traditional Thai garden.
68 Waiti, Khwaeng Silom,
Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
+66 847265669
bangkokthaicooking.com
Baipai Thai Cooking School
Though a good half hour out of Downtown Bangkok, near the weekend shopping wonderland
called Chatuchak Market, this school is located in a paradisiacal setting of a traditional two-
storied Thai wooden house in a lush garden. All this making for a great day trip out of the
city for a spot of culinary education Thai Style! Established in 2002, the Baipai Thai Cooking
School offers a mind-boggling array of cookery classes that range from private classes to
team building classes to the very popular and much recommended half day classes.
Accredited by the Ministry of Education of Thailand, the focus at Baipai is very much on the
food, its preparation and presentation—all in an ideal home-style learning environment. In
fact, the food and cooking techniques here are so authentic, that it’s not surprising to see local
Thai food professionals come here to further hone their skills.
8/91 Ngam Wongwan Road, Soi 54,
Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
+66 896606535
baipai.com
May Kaidee
Ignore the incessant din of the backpacker-infested Khao San Road nearby and immerse
yourselves in all things delectable and Thai at this cute little cookery school located slap bang
in the heart of the city. Akin to a rarer than rare find in a city obsessed with meat, this school
that was established 30 years ago in 1988 is an all vegetarian affair, folks! Yes, recipes taught
here substitute non-vegetarian staples like the unavoidable fish sauce with a fermented soy
sauce etc. Catering to beginners and experienced chefs alike, the most popular Thai cooking
class is the half day program beginning at 9am in the morning and again at 2pm in the
afternoon. But for those with limited time, the school offers an express cookery class of just
two hours. Taught at 3pm and 5pm daily, you will learn to whip up three recipes and a
dessert. Taking the whole vegan thing a notch higher is the unique one-day introduction to
raw vegan Thai recipes class. Fancy a raw Thai ice cream sandwich, anyone?
59 Tanao Road, Watsamphraya,
Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200
+66 (2) 6294413
maykaidee.com
The Essential Thai Larder
No self-respecting Thai recipe would be complete without a pinch here, a dash there and a
generous splodge of at least one of these five larder staples:
1. Nam pla or fish sauce- This amber-hued nectar that’s made from fermented, salted
anchovies serves a dual purpose of not only imparting to the dish a delicate fishy hint,
but also steps in as the de facto salting ingredient, thus eliminating the need to add
any salt whatsoever to the dish.
2. Palm sugar- Used in lieu of sugar for thousands of years in Thailand, the almost
caramel-tasting palm sugar isn’t just limited to the making of khanom or Thai sweets,
but also finds itself generously used in curries, and stir fry dishes like pad thai and as
a dressing for salads like larb.
3. Curry paste- Be it the mild yellow, the deceptively hot green or the medium hot red
varieties, curry pastes are the lynchpin of Thai cuisine. An amalgamation of
lemongrass, chilli, galangal, sweet basil, kaffir lime leaves and garlic, curry pastes can
be found in fish cakes, soups and the ubiquitous plethora of curries, of course.
4. Coconut- Milk, cream, flesh, desiccated, juice—the coconut in all its wondrous forms
is a crucial element of Thai cuisine and there’s probably ne’er a day in the life of a
Thai cook when they won’t encounter the coconut.
5. Rice- After India, Thailand is perhaps one of the only countries in the world that
offers such a mind-boggling variety of rice. From the perfumed jasmine rice and the
gooey wonders of sticky rice to the nutty flavour of black rice, this grain is a much-
revered staple. And rightly so!
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the May 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)
By Raul Dias
Blue Elephant Cooking School
Run by the indomitable mother-daughter team of Chef Nooror Steppe and Sandra Steppe, the
Blue Elephant Cooking School was established in the year 2000 at the historic Old Thai
Chine Building. All cookery classes at the school start with a guided visit to the local
morning market to purchase the ingredients that you’ll need for the class. This is followed by
a hands-on instructor-led class, ending with eating the meal cooked by you at the onsite
restaurant of the same name. From learning the secrets of ancient royal Thai cuisine to the
more contemporary fusion style, there’s something for everyone here. And for those with a
yen for leaning the intricate art of vegetable and fruit carving, the school also has a special
carving class to add on to your time table once you’re done with the cookery component.
233 South Sathorn Road, Kwaeng Yannawa,
Khet Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
+66 (2) 6739353-8
blueelephantcookingschool.com
Chef Leez Thai Cooking Class
Though this cookery school was established only in 2011, what’s better than learning home-
style Thai cooking from someone who has been cooking since the age of five? Yes, the multi-
lingual Chef Leez has culled recipes from her grandmother’s restaurant repertoire and curated
an exhaustive list of dishes that include everything from starters and curries to salads and
desserts. This means that you can pick a whopping 12 family recipes from the list to learn in
a single class. What makes Chef Leez’s classes most interesting is the fact that she even
caters to the needs of vegans, vegetarians, those with allergies and even children. Known for
her very precise instructions and fun approach to cookery, the journey chez Chef Leez
doesn’t end once you’re done with your day of class. All alumni members have unlimited
access to her online recipe book that also has videos and additional tips to get you going.
4/1206 Seri Thai 57 Alley,
Khet Bueng Kum, Bangkok 10230
+66 865681311
chefleez.com
Silom Thai Cooking School
One of the most basic, yet authentic schools on our list, the Silom Thai Cooking School is for
the serious learner. With an outdoor kitchen, the classes at this cooking school are held only
in the mornings, following a dawn market visit to procure fresh ingredients. Also, the focus here is on small numbers. Preferring to limit their classes to just eight students at a time, in order that each one gets enough one-on- one time with the instructors. This is one school that believes in doing everything from scratch which means, detailed instructions on the cooking techniques, ingredients and utensils used. Here, even the curry pastes are prepared fresh by the students themselves. And while all the herbs used are freshly picked, only whole spices go into the dishes rather than packaged ones. Once done, students and instructors sit down to a home-style, five-course meal in the school’s beautifully appointed traditional Thai garden.
68 Waiti, Khwaeng Silom,
Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
+66 847265669
bangkokthaicooking.com
Baipai Thai Cooking School
Though a good half hour out of Downtown Bangkok, near the weekend shopping wonderland
called Chatuchak Market, this school is located in a paradisiacal setting of a traditional two-
storied Thai wooden house in a lush garden. All this making for a great day trip out of the
city for a spot of culinary education Thai Style! Established in 2002, the Baipai Thai Cooking
School offers a mind-boggling array of cookery classes that range from private classes to
team building classes to the very popular and much recommended half day classes.
Accredited by the Ministry of Education of Thailand, the focus at Baipai is very much on the
food, its preparation and presentation—all in an ideal home-style learning environment. In
fact, the food and cooking techniques here are so authentic, that it’s not surprising to see local
Thai food professionals come here to further hone their skills.
8/91 Ngam Wongwan Road, Soi 54,
Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
+66 896606535
baipai.com
May Kaidee
Ignore the incessant din of the backpacker-infested Khao San Road nearby and immerse
yourselves in all things delectable and Thai at this cute little cookery school located slap bang
in the heart of the city. Akin to a rarer than rare find in a city obsessed with meat, this school
that was established 30 years ago in 1988 is an all vegetarian affair, folks! Yes, recipes taught
here substitute non-vegetarian staples like the unavoidable fish sauce with a fermented soy
sauce etc. Catering to beginners and experienced chefs alike, the most popular Thai cooking
class is the half day program beginning at 9am in the morning and again at 2pm in the
afternoon. But for those with limited time, the school offers an express cookery class of just
two hours. Taught at 3pm and 5pm daily, you will learn to whip up three recipes and a
dessert. Taking the whole vegan thing a notch higher is the unique one-day introduction to
raw vegan Thai recipes class. Fancy a raw Thai ice cream sandwich, anyone?
59 Tanao Road, Watsamphraya,
Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200
+66 (2) 6294413
maykaidee.com
The Essential Thai Larder
No self-respecting Thai recipe would be complete without a pinch here, a dash there and a
generous splodge of at least one of these five larder staples:
1. Nam pla or fish sauce- This amber-hued nectar that’s made from fermented, salted
anchovies serves a dual purpose of not only imparting to the dish a delicate fishy hint,
but also steps in as the de facto salting ingredient, thus eliminating the need to add
any salt whatsoever to the dish.
2. Palm sugar- Used in lieu of sugar for thousands of years in Thailand, the almost
caramel-tasting palm sugar isn’t just limited to the making of khanom or Thai sweets,
but also finds itself generously used in curries, and stir fry dishes like pad thai and as
a dressing for salads like larb.
3. Curry paste- Be it the mild yellow, the deceptively hot green or the medium hot red
varieties, curry pastes are the lynchpin of Thai cuisine. An amalgamation of
lemongrass, chilli, galangal, sweet basil, kaffir lime leaves and garlic, curry pastes can
be found in fish cakes, soups and the ubiquitous plethora of curries, of course.
4. Coconut- Milk, cream, flesh, desiccated, juice—the coconut in all its wondrous forms
is a crucial element of Thai cuisine and there’s probably ne’er a day in the life of a
Thai cook when they won’t encounter the coconut.
5. Rice- After India, Thailand is perhaps one of the only countries in the world that
offers such a mind-boggling variety of rice. From the perfumed jasmine rice and the
gooey wonders of sticky rice to the nutty flavour of black rice, this grain is a much-
revered staple. And rightly so!
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the May 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)
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