Thai Cuisine has taken the world by storm in the last thirty years. From Los Angeles to Tokyo, Thai restaurants offer varying degrees of authentic Thai cuisine. So it’s no surprise that one of the most popular activities for visitors to Bangkok is to take a Thai cooking class. With so many great options where do you begin? Well, I’ve done the work for you. After years of visiting and living in Bangkok, I can say with no reservations, Sompong Thai Cooking School is the best Thai cooking school in Bangkok. A bold claim in a city with literally dozens of classes to attend. But let me assure you, this distinction is well deserved.
Premium Location Equals Premium Convenience.
Located in the traditional Silom area of Bangkok, Sompong Thai Cooking School is located relatively close to all of the cities major hotel areas. Making it an easy place to find by taxi or public transportation. The school is about a 10-15 minute walk from Chong Nonsi BTS stop. Be aware, there are two parts to this cooking school. A primary and an annex.
The main building is the original school and appears to house two separate rooms for classes. The annex is newer and has room for one course. Personally, I preferred the annex/secondary building as it was newer and the air conditioning was perfect. If you’re taking a group, be sure to request it when you book a reservation online. Your class begins with a short walk to a Thai market.
This particular market is a short walk from Sompong and will have you interacting with locals as they go about their daily shopping. Throughout, your instructor will not only teach you about the dishes you’ll be preparing that day, but about Thai culinary history as well. And pay special attention when chilis are being explained. Trust me, this might save you from some very HOT embarrassment later.
A Staff that Understands How to Teach
What an excellent team Sompong has. This family-run cooking school ensures that their staff speaks proficient English and know how to interact with students in an encouraging and professional manner. I was particularly impressed with how they could effortlessly predict our mistakes and help us solve a problem before it happened. For example, a certain someone is a bit impatient and almost burned his garlic as well as his curry. The staff recognized this while assisting several students at the same time.
Sompong Thai Cooking School operates in an instructor team format. Each class has a primary instructor, whose job it is to teach you how to make each dish through demonstration. That instructor is assisted by two others who help at various stages of the class with individualized student assistance and observation. Also cleaning work areas while students sample their culinary feats or receive more training. Our team truly made this a special experience.
All of the Thai Cuisine Hits
Sompong Thai Cooking School has a unique approach to what dishes they teach. Each day of the week has a different menu. So if you take the class on Monday and again on Thursday, you won’t cook the same thing twice. This course diversity is especially refreshing for me since I’m a big fan of cooking classes and will surely return.
Our class was on Friday morning, so we made Chicken Massaman Curry, Homemade Massaman Curry, Thai Fried Rice, Tom Yum Goong, and Golden Pumpkin in Coconut Milk. I’ve had all of these dishes before with the exception of the Pumpkin. And I may be biased here, but the ones I made were THE BEST EVER!!!! FACT!!!!
Value For Your Money
Bangkok is full of great cooking schools. But few offer real value for your money. Above and beyond, Sompong Thai Cooking School offers the best value for your money in Bangkok. Classes cost 1000 baht (30USD). When I saw this, I thought it was an error. Most Thai Cooking classes come in at about 1500 baht (45USD) to start with some being around 2500 baht (70USD). So let me break down everything you receive.
- English Speaking Instruction in State of the Art Air Conditioned Kitchen
- Trip to Local Thai Market and Interaction with Vendors and Locals
- Five Traditional Thai Dishes
- Canvas Bag
- Thai Cook Book
The meals alone would cost you close to 1000 baht. The only thing that can make an excellent experience better is getting it for a great price. And when it comes to value Sompong Thai Cooking School is easily the best cooking school in Bangkok.
Bangkok has no shortage of excellent Thai Cooking Schools. But Sompong Thai Cooking School is the best. Outstanding instruction, delicious dishes, and affordable pricing make this easily the best Thai cooking class in Bangkok.
Sompong Original Thai Cooking School
31/11 Silom Soi 13, Silom Road,
Bangrak Bangkok 10500
http://www.sompongthaicookingschool.com/intro.html
Cost: 1000 Baht
