Good food comes up from the street level, and many of Thailand’s most popular dishes can be found at the smallest food stalls and restaurants. And there is the influence of China, India, Malaysia and other neighbouring countries. So all these different factors come together under the label “Thai food”, and you will find them in varying degrees at any Thai restaurant you care to visit, anywhere in the world. One of the most distinctive aspects of the cuisine is its use of herbs and spices. With regard to the spices, some Thai dishes are very hot, but by no means all of them. The herbs have another function, in addition to providing flavour, in that they all have to varying degrees various medical and therapeutic benefits.
Another important aspect about Thai food is the hospitality and friendliness, the sheer enjoyment of good companionship and of eating that is such a powerful element of the Thai personality. Sharing a meal is an important part of the day for any Thai person, and meals are very seldom taken alone. That is why all the dishes are generally served at once during a Thai meal, and why there is a communal spoon placed alongside each dish for people to help themselves and to serve others. A Thai meal ideally is a communal affair, principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number of dishes that can be sampled. Diners choose whatever they require from shared dishes and generally add it to their own plate of rice. All the dishes are served simultaneously, or nearly so. The object is to achieve a harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, the sweet and sour, and a meal is meant to be equally satisfying to the eye, nose and palate. Thailand is blessed with many varieties of plants, herbs and spices which ensure a balanced diet. Today, visitors can both relish classic Thai menus and the benefits of a natural diet, and study the art of Thai Cooking at several specialist schools in Bangkok and other major cities.
Below is a list of Thai Cooking Schools, which is by no means exhaustive. Cooking schools can be found all over Thailand, each one unique and offering a different style of cooking. Some people will teach you their family recipes, passed down for generations. Take a lesson and bring the secrets of Thailand home with you! Below is a short list of schools in:  THE ORIENTAL HOTEL
This legendary hotel on the bank of the Chao Phraya opened
its own Thai cooking school on the other side of the
river a few years ago. The four-day cooking course, conducted
in English, is mainly a “watch and learn” experience,
with emphasis on demonstration by the chef-lecturers
followed by some hands-on participation by students.
Classes start off with some background on Thai cooking,
followed by different cooking techniques and fruit and
vegetable carving. Recipes are a blend of the traditional
and the imaginative. Menu preparation and selection is
included in the course, as well as how to order at Thai
restaurants. Classes take place from 9 in the morning
to noon, followed by lunch. Tuition is charged per class. BAIPAI THAI COOKING SCHOOL * highly recommended
BENJARONG COOKING CLASS AT THE DUSIT THANI Bangkok 10500 NIPA RESTAURANT AT THE LANDMARK HOTEL Tel +662 254-0404
The restaurant offers a 7-day course designed to teach beginners all the basics of Thai cooking and enable them to prepare curries, soups, salads and other dishes that make up a Thai meal. The restaurant’s chefs lecture on ingredients and recipes, and then let students participate in the cooking and tasting. Nipa is famous for its authentic food, which has not been toned down to suit milder palates, and the course offers plenty of hands-on experience. Students will receive a recipe book in English or Japanese. Fruit and vegetable carving sessions can be arranged separately.
SILOM THAI COOKING SCHOOL Tel: +66 4726 5669 Email: silomthaicookingschool@yahoo.com
Silom Thai Cooking School (Home Cooking Course) is conducted in a traditional Thai setting, and caters to people with keen interests in Food and culture. Learn to cook famous Thai dishes in a relaxed and Friendly Environment. Small classes led by certified Thai cooks make for a highly personalized and rewarding experience. Cooking is done Thai style-in an open kitchen. Each class starts with a trip to a local Market to buy fresh ingredients. UFM BAKING & COOKING SCHOOL UFM offers 10-day Thai cooking courses every other month. Classes take place from 8:30-noon daily, and recipes are a mix of the simple and the sophisticated, regional specialties and national favourites. Students will receive a companion book in English. Five-day vegetable carving courses are available on alternate months. BLUE ELEPHANT BANGKOK COOKING SCHOOL & RESTAURANT Bangkok 10120 Fax: +66 2673 9355
Located in the heart of Bangkok opposite the Surasak sky train station, the school offers hands-on classes commencing with a visit to the morning market. Accompanied by the instructor, you will learn to select and buy Thai ingredients for your personal cooking lesson. The class will be followed by a meal to sampling your own cooking as well as additional Thai dishes. Every participant, whether expert or novice, is able to graduate with a Blue Elephant Cooking Class Certificate and will receive a basket consisting of Thai herbal tea and packets of curry paste and apron. Private cooking classes can be organised for professional chefs. Tel: +66 2279 2831, +66 2279 2834 The Institute offers classes on Thai, Chinese and European cooking and bakery. The 9-day Thai cooking course, which is run on an ongoing basis, teaches all the basic techniques of a Thai kitchen. Fees are based on the number of recipes a student chooses. Vegetable and fruit carving lessons are available separately.  THE BOATHOUSE Phuket 83100Tel: +66 7633 0015-7 Fax: +66 7633 0561 Bangkok office: +66 2439 2312, +66 2439 4740-4
The Boathouse’s Thai cooking classes, led by the resort’s executive chef, take place every Saturday and Sunday morning. Classes are very hands-on, with attendance limited to 10 persons to ensure participation by all. Recipes have been chosen for adaptability to Western kitchens. Classes are conducted in fluent English.
HIDEAWAY SCHOOL OF THAI COOKERY
Hideaway School of Thai Cookery run monday through Friday. You can select mornings from 9:00 to 1:00 followed by lunch, or afternoons 2:00 to 6:00 followed by dinner. Starters, soups, salads, main course and dessert PAT'S HOME
Pat's Home really is a cooking school at the home of Pat Teinthong near Phuket Town. Half-day classes include four dishes each session.
The Dusit Laguna Resort Hotel has classes in Thai cooking every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00 hrs.  CHIANG MAI THAI COOKERY SCHOOL Tel: +66 5320 6388 Fax: +66 5320 6387 The Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School was established in 1993 and is a family
business run by Sompon and Elizabeth Nabnian. They offer daily courses taught
by Sompon who is an experienced Thai chef and who speaks excellent English.
They will teach you the secrets of Thai cooking at their home in a relaxed
atmosphere. AIR'S THAI CULINARY KITCHEN 9/1 Nong Prateep Rd., T.Nong Pakrung, Tel:
+66 53 249-326-7 Email: sales@airthaikitchen.com
Air's Thai Culinary Kitchen was established in 2004 by Mr. Chanrat ‘Air’ Karatna. Air was inspired to help visitors learn Thai cooking so that tourists could learn how to cook their favorite delicious Thai foods when they returned to their own countries. The kitchen classroom of Air’s Thai Culinary Kitchen is surrounded by herb and spice gardens that you will pick and use in the course making the learning of Thai cooking a truly unique experience.
GAP'S SCHOOL OF THAI CULINARY ART Gap's School of Thai Culinary Art located at Gap's Guest house offers a two-day Thai Cooking course. Day one is devoted to balancing the flavor of a meal, while the second teaches preparation
THAI FOOD COOKERY SCHOOL Thai Food Cooking School offers a different approach to learning the art of Thai cooking. The school is in a village outside Chiang Mai. Walk into Chef Trairat's garden to look at, smell, taste and pick fresh herbs.  SAMUI INSTITUTE OF THAI CULINARY
ART Fax: +66 7741 3434 Email:info@sitca.net
The Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts (SITCA) offers Thai cooking classes taught in modern air-conditioned facility. Everyone is equipped with an apron, their own burner at the stove, and everything needed for a complete hands-on experience. There are lunchtime and dinnertime classes. Students who participate in three or more of the evening classes receive a certificate of achievement and free souvenir apron. Training for professionals programmes began in January 2004. The school offers one- two- or three-day cooking classes in English. Recipes include northern specialties, and students will get hands-on experience with kitchen tools. Classes include northern-style lunch, where students will learn the etiquette of eating at the unique khan toke table. |
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