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Tamarind Cooking School

Tamarind Cooking School

Tamarind Cooking School
5
About
Tamarind Restaurant in Luang Prabang offers day and evening cooking classes in open air pavilions overlooking lily ponds just outside of town. Participants in day classes are taken there after a visit to the fascinating main market, where they are introduced to the unusual and intriguing ingredients that are the basis of Lao cuisine. From there it is off to Tamarind Gardens to cook Lao dishes in the authentic Lao style. Evening classes are shorter. Individual work stations allow you to follow the instructions of an entertaining and informative Lao teacher, whilst a bevy of staff clean up after you. The sessions end with a sumptuous meal, where you eat the fruits of your labours! Transport to and from Tamarind Restaurant and recipe book all included. Vegetarians welcome.
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  • AggieB
    22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fun, informative and filling experience!
    We really enjoyed this cooking class, chef Sit was informative and funny. You don't get to choose what you cook as we could in Thailand but there were vegetarian alternatives and you could spice level each dish to your taste. It's a beautiful setting out of town with pick up and drop off at the restaurant. We learnt so much about cooking techniques with banana leaves and steaming and fire. I would never have worked out how to stuff lemongrass! So interesting. You are given a recipe book with tips at the end. You eat together at the end with extra dishes on top of the 4 you make so go hungry!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 February 2024
  • Irene F
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing cooking class!
    Had an incredible time doing the tamarind cooking class! I went solo and met a group of wonderful people to share this experience with. We cooked, we laughed, we learned, we ate the most delicious meal I’ve had on this trip! Cannot recommend this enough.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 16 March 2024
  • swisstraveller
    667 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great experience for foodies in Luang Prabang
    Great cooking class ! First, you visit a local market outside of Luang Prabang, where we got to know some interesting snacks and ingredients. Then, you are driven to their farm outside the city, in the countryside, where you cook next to a small pond in an open-air pavillion. You cant choose the dishes, but you get to choose vegetarian varitions of it, and can adjust the spice level to your likings. We had discovered lemongrass filled with pork or chicken prior to doing the cooking class, and love it, so it was a great surprise that we got to cook that dish (and several other tasty local dishes, including larb). If you like good food, and are curious on how to prepare it, that is a must do in Luang Prabang.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 March 2024
  • Icecruba
    Erlangen, Germany84 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We had a blast
    We had a really good day at the morning class. It’s an early start with a visit to the local market before the cooking class starts. The dishes we learned to cook were well chosen and very tasty. So glad we got to make the stuffed lemongrass and the steamed fish in banana leaves. Highly recommend this cooking class! Our chef Sit speaks very good English and explained everything very well. All steps were easy to follow.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 March 2024
  • chairmanglasgow
    Glasgow, United Kingdom117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cooking the Laos way
    Really enjoyable experience. We were in group of 7 of varying nationalities. The school is out in the country and on the way we stopped at local market to explore foods etc. Our instructor(Sit) spoke very good English and had good sense of humour. We cooked 5 dishes which we had for lunch-and lived to provide this review. Some of courses were quite tricky but team of helpers there to keep you right.Interesting and fun experience.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 31 March 2024
  • KBlack
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent authentic Laotian cooking class
    Unforgettable Family Cooking Adventure at Tamarind! 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our family of three (two adults and our 8 year-old daughter) recently attended the cooking class at Tamarind in Laos, and it was another highlight of our trip! The day started with a fascinating Phosy market tour where our guide introduced us to local ingredients. Our daughter was captivated by the unusual animals, seafood, fruits, herbs, and delicacies and our guide patiently answered all our questions. Back at the cooking school, the open-air kitchen overlooking the Nam Khan River provided a stunning backdrop. The instructors were not only skilled but also had a great sense of humor, making the class fun for all ages. We learned to make several traditional Lao dishes, including mok pa (fish steamed in banana leaves), laap (minced meat salad), stuffed lemongrass and sticky rice. The instructors were attentive to our daughter, ensuring she could participate safely in all activities. What impressed us most was how they accommodated dietary restrictions - they easily adapted recipes for my needs without compromising on taste. The feast we enjoyed at the end was incredible. Eating our own creations while chatting with fellow travelers was a perfect way to spend the day. This class offers more than just cooking skills - it's a deep dive into Lao culture and traditions. Our family left with full stomachs, new recipes to try at home, and wonderful memories. If you're in Laos, don't miss this experience. It's suitable for all ages and cooking levels. Tamarind's cooking class is a must-do for food lovers and families looking for a unique, hands-on cultural experience.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 July 2024
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles690 reviews
Excellent
583
Very good
82
Average
17
Poor
7
Terrible
1

Greenclifflady
West Yorkshire, UK268 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This class, held in a lakesdie setting, a couple of miles from LP, was great fun and we learned lots. They keep the groups to around 8-10 and there is plenty of help with each element. We found it quite challenging - which was good, as some classes can be dull in their simplicity, but this really held our attention. The food we created was delicious and the chefs had made other dishes so we had a full and varied meal to eat at the end. Sit was a brilliant instructor, who explained every step well, gave clear demonstrations and helped when needed. He's also very entertaining and made us laugh a lot. Transport to and from the class is provided. HIghly recommend
Written 10 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dave M
Seattle, WA148 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
My wife likes to cook and we have done cooking classes throughout the world. We both rated this as one of the best classes ever. Sit is a one man talent show ... part entertainer, comedian, host, teacher, and chef. We met at their restaurant in town, piled into a van, stopped at the market for a tour, and then out to the class in the jungle by a river. It is an exceptional locale. They have laid out everything to make this an amazing experience. The Laos food that we cooked was unique, creative, and very tasty. It was a wonderful full day experience. Who would have thought I could stuff lemongrass ?
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachel S
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
I couldn’t recommend this more!
Sit, the chef who takes you on your cooking cultural experience that starts and the market and ends with an incredibly full belly, is one of the most charismatic people that I have ever met.
This was probably my favourite day in Luang Prabang.
Loved it!
Get in early though, because it books out!
They were also incredibly accomodating of different beliefs, providing vegetarian and other meat options for people.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen P
Sydney, Australia12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
The morning class was 350000 kip and went from 9am to 3pm
Met at there restaurant in town, then went to a large market- to learn all about the local food in a private shuttle. Then drove 20 mins to there farm and large kitchen. There was 8 in our class but there is a max of 14 people per class. Our teacher spoke great easily understood English. Cooked 5 dishes and desert and then sat down to eat it with new found friends from the class. Great cultural as well as learning experience.
Written 18 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stefanblank
35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We did the evening cookingclass with Sid, who is very professional, funny and speaks very good english. It was a small group and everything was perfectly organized, from the beginning to the end. We cooked different dips, sticky rice, fish in bananaleaves and stuffed lemongras. Especially the sweet black rice was amazing !!! After cooking we all sat together at a big table and eat what we had cooked. If you are vegetarian or don’t like fish, just tell them and you will get an alternative. The cookingclass takes place in a really nice location about 20 minutes from town (minibus included).
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CaptainJohn17
Washington DC, DC34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Our family of 5 (kids 19, 18 and 15) had a great night. When we arrived after a long day of sightseeing, we were not excited about a 3+ hour cooking class. But it was great! The setting was beautiful and the way it was set up allowed for a lot of hands-on experience - more than other cooking class we've experienced. Sit was very thorough with is explanations and his "helpers" were so behind the scenes that they cleaned up our materials as we were moving along without being noticed. Highly recommend this class.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

molyles
Norwich, UK26 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
I’ve taken a cooking class in most countries I visit. Sorry to say that in spite of its reputation I was disappointed with Tamarind. We had no choice of dishes to cook, and all six of us cooked the same (except mine was vegetarian). Stuffing a lemon grass stalk with mashed potato and frying it - very bland and not very nice. Our chef was personable and very slick with lots of rather corny jokes.

Everything is prepared ready for us and the assistants were helpful. Cooking on the charcoal was interesting. The meal we eventually sat to eat was partly cooked by us and part by the staff. Not sure what the soup was but no one ate it!

I think there are better cooking classes in Luang Prabang.
Written 9 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

homebeijing
Sydney, Australia136 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
A beautiful venue, very well set up with a professional, entertaining teacher.
We were a large group at an awkward time as the township was celebrating the annual light festival. Everyone was very obliging and went to great lengths to accomodate our request when they may well have preferred to be in town. We loved the recipes and the ingrediants were fresh plentiful and delicious. Our chef made sure after our class that we found the best spot to view the festival which was way beyond his responsibilty and we were very grateful. A wonderful experience all round!
Written 18 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sgaluh
Berlin, Germany29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The evening cooking class at Tamarind was the highlight of my trip to Laos for many reasons. Even before the class, the Tamarind team is quick to respond to my inquiries and is also reachable via WhatsApp. In the class, we are taught by Sit who is much more than a knowledgeable professional chef - he is also very warm and funny! The entire class is very well run too, major thanks to the support staff who are always ready to help out. The cooking class itself is located in a peaceful garden slightly out of the city center, but worry not, transport from the city center is provided. The heat in Luang Prabang can be quite harsh, but since we're surrounded by shades of trees and the kitchen is outdoor, I can barely feel the heat and can focus on cooking and having fun. I also love that we are very hands-on - Sit gives detailed instructions but still allows us to perform most of the cooking ourselves, and is ready to help out whenever needed. Not to mention that we end up with four tasty dishes that we made ourselves for dinner (plus even more dishes that the chef cooked for us!). I have taken many cooking classes in different parts of the world, but this one is hands down the best one I've ever done.
Written 9 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KeenSeer
Philippines60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
This cooking class made me understand and appreciate the Luang Prabang cuisine and local cooking practices more. Chef Sit of Tamarind Cooking School brought us to the Phosi market and described the local ingredients we saw. He was very informative, respectful and had a good sense of humor. The cooking school is in a different area from the restaurant. The school has a professional set-up, even as it allowed the day students to cook using the traditional methods.
Written 12 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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TAMARIND COOKING SCHOOL (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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