COOKING TRAVEL GUIDE
The kitchens worth booking.
The 12 best cooking classes in china travellers love most, gathered in one place. What you cook, how long you spend at the stove, who teaches, and what a seat at the table costs.
Shop Liangjiaxiang spices in Chengdu, cook classic Sichuan dishes with a chef, then eat your creations with drinks and recipes included.
Most Popular“Jerry and Lance were kind, knowledgeable and kept the experience so fun for our group. We learned a lot and had a wonderful time doing it. Highly recommend!”
Join a small-group Beijing cooking class with a market walk in a hutong home. Learn dumplings, sauces, and eat what you cook.
“Well first off I turned out to be the only student so it was a one on one cooking class. We made way too much food for just little old me. However I strongly recommend the cooking class. Making Dumplings was a lot more trouble than I ever realized. Instructor and his helper were great…”
Cook Beijing-style dumplings online on Zoom with Chef Miss Li: private, flexible timing, ingredients list early, vegan options, $20.
“It has been a fantastic experience to cook with Sunflower. She had sent the ingredient list the a few days before with some comments about substitution for in the case I wouldn't have found all the ingredients I needed for the three meals Read more”
Shop a major Naxi market in Lijiang, then make and eat three dishes in a small cooking class with Fancy, plus snacks, lunch, and photo help.
“Lovely experience to discover Naxi culture through food. You will learn a lot about culinary traditions at the market and cook a delicious meal that is easy to cook and to replicate at home. Fancy host I lovely and kind, I highly recommend it!”
Spice-market walk and small-group biang biang noodle making in Xi’an, with tea, beer, recipes, and plenty of food.
“Anyone interested in cooking and looking to up their noodle game MUST book this class. The host is incredibly fun, inviting, and kind. I would happily do another experience with her in the future. We started our day with a tour of the marRead more”
Half-day Chengdu cooking class with a spice market visit, tea ceremony, and a chef-led workshop kitchen session. Includes meals and recipes.
“Definitely a must to do activity in Chengdu. A mix of cultural qnd culinary experience brought by our lovely host, Jerry (he is Chinese, don’t get fooled by his English name). A bit about the experience: the local market was great, I can compare it with an indoor western supermarket in terms of diversity of…”
Shop Yangshuo’s market with Hans, then cook beer fish and tea in a hands-on class. Includes drinks, snacks, transport, flexible slots.
“Such a fun, delicious, and cultural day! Hans met us near the market, where we found ingredients for our meal, learned about local food customs, and even sampled a bunch of things! Hans speaks excellent English, is knowledgeable, immeRead more”
A 2-hour private dim sum cooking class in Shanghai’s French Concession. Pick two dishes, learn techniques, and eat what you make.
“Definitely recommend this experience (and the night food tour) early on during your time in Shanghai. We loved cooking with the chef and learning the history. Plenty of food to eat as a result of your cooking too!”
Chengdu’s half-day Bao Zi class pairs a guided Sichuan spice market visit with hands-on steaming, plus tea and drinks in the end.
“A great experience, the local market was fun, interesting and we got to try and use a little Chinese language. Lance our guide was great from start to finish and took lots of fabulous pictures which meant we could get with our cookery class. Read more”
Shop Ngau Tau Kok wet markets, then cook a 3-course Chinese meal in a pro studio with a small-group guide.
“Excellent experience. Logistics very well organized, starting from the market tour until the cooking in a master chef looking kitchen. Bill has plenty of stories to tell, lets peope ask and experiment, and can make people feel relaxed and at ease. We will return home with three new dishes to cook. Highly recommended.”
Half-day Sichuan cooking class in Chengdu with hotel pickup, small groups, dishes like Kung Pao and dumplings, and take-home recipes.
“Could not want a better experience, Easy cooking directions and recipes. Hands on experience. Food as good as any I have had at restaurants. In fact I made one of the dishes almost immediately on my return home. It received rave reviews. If you enjoy cooking or even eating a worthwhile experience”
A private 90-minute jian bing workshop in Beijing: hands-on batter and pan skills, guided history, and sweet or savory fillings for $80.
“Such a fun workshop. Dom explained the history of Jian Bings with an entertaining story, then the technique of making them and was there to help when needed. There was a plentiful assortment of fillings to use, from traditional savoury to sweet chocolate and banana. Read more”
Hands-on classes and market tours, city by city.