In researching cooking schools in Chiang Mai, I sought to find the ones which offered five consecutive days of instruction with different menus. Chiang Mai Thai Cookery was the original cooking school in the city and was the only establishment to afford the luxury of 6 dishes daily totaling 30 for the 5 days. They also offered pickup and drop off from my location so that made it an easy choice. 

The location of the cooking school was about 20 minutes from the city center in a beautiful serene gated community. The school had a large lot on which the colonial style building sat with its open air dining tables,

bookcases filled with regional cookbooks,

cooking stations for about 100 students and

2 instructional air conditioned classrooms in which the instructors demonstrated the preparation of each dish.

Behind the school was a vast garden,

a large pond with hundreds of koi fish

and an expansive lot which may eventually become a bed and breakfast or hotel of some sort to house the students of the school. Its location was remote, quiet and peaceful and the colonial structure had a restrained elegance and beauty. 

What made my experience amazing was Pong, the chef/instructor who became a friend at the end of my time at the school. 

His classes were informative and funny. Pong’s English was as perfect as his culinary expertise. He had each student assist him in demonstrating the preparation of the dishes before we were sent off to cook on our own.

On my second day, I was literally the only student in the school so we had several hours of cooking together so I had the benefit of a one-on-one private cooking class from Pong. 

He explained how and why everything needed to be cooked in a certain order and though I accidentally burnt garlic once or twice, which I personally didn’t mind as it gave the dish a smoky flavor, I knew it wasn’t proper technique because of Pong. He also shared how our fingers should be positioned when cutting so that we can cut quickly like those chefs we see on cooking competitions and not cut ourselves in the process.

His methods were very refined which can only come from a great deal of training and practice. He observed each student with a watchful eye and like a choreographer of a ballet, knew when each move should be executed and sometimes helped each student find their way. 

I was amazed at how simple and yet intricate Thai cooking actually was. Some dishes required a few ingredients and minimal effort to make

while others were quite labor intensive and required nearly a dozen or more ingredients. 

I loved every minute of my time at the school. It was my first foray into an experiential excursion while on vacation.

I learned so much more on this holiday and it definitely enhanced my visit to Chiang Mai. 

I have zero hesitation recommending Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School as a Must Do during any trip to Chiang Mai.

The facilities are immaculate, the instruction is A-level quality and the abundance and variety of delicious Thai food makes for a comprehensive and immersive experience. 

https://www.thaicookeryschool.com