I was lucky enough to travel to Bali as a kid, and I will always remember the incredible foods that I devoured, and then craved upon returning back to England.
Nasi kuning, soto ayam, babi guling, sambal matah – these are just a few of those tastes that you try once, and they never leave you.
I always had to wait until our next trip back to Bali to tuck into my favourite flavours again, when all it would’ve taken is joining a Bali cooking class to learn how to recreate those iconic, mouth watering flavours back home.
Now, I join every cooking class I see to make sure I can replicate all my island faves back in the UK.
Here are some of my favourite cooking classes in Bali!
Paon Bali Cooking Class – Ubud
Paon Bali Cooking Class
One of the best and most well known cooking classes in Bali, Paon Bali Cooking Class offers a deep insight into the culture behind Balinese cooking.
The cooking class will start out with a trip to the market to buy groceries, followed by a walk through the lush rice paddies, before heading back into the village to learn how to whip up your chosen groceries and spices into impressive meals.
Alongside friendly, helpful, English speaking teachers you can learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to creating those unforgettable tastes. You will learn how to prepare sate and a traditional Balinese soup dish under the close watch of the experts.
When you’ve sweated over the cooker – hopefully not into any dishes – you can settle down for a peaceful meal, trying out your handmade delights.
I recommend taking notes straight after the class, you don’t want to forget any of their insider tips!
The Casa Luna Cooking School – Ubud
Listed as one of the world’s best cooking schools by an Australian newspaper, The Casa Luna Cooking School was conceptualised and created by the Queen of Ubud, Janet De Neefe. Having released a cookbook and memoir, as well as owning some of the hotspot cafes in Ubud – this is where to go if you want to learn from the best.
Casa Luna Cooking School has a week full agenda of lessons that you can pick and choose from. Whether you want to master a fish curry, tackle nasi goreng, or learn the best ingredients to buy from the local markets – they offer it all!
The classes take you back to basics with lessons on how the herbs and spices were previously used for medicinal purposes, and their important role in the taste of the dishes – the fresher, the better!
Take a one-off class, or treat yourself – and your loved ones – to a whole week of diving into the world of Balinese cuisine. If you want to really impress your friends back home, you will need more than one dish up your sleeve!
Sayuri Healing Food, Bali Raw Food Classes – Ubud
Sayuri Healing Food
Now for a cooking class in Bali with a big difference, there’s no actual cooking..
Bali has always been a haven for vegetarians and vegans, now it’s time for the raw diet travellers to shine! Sayuri Healing Food is a cafe that offers up some raw taste sensations with the intention of healing the body and soul from the inside out.
Wanting to share their deep knowledge of food and its healing possibilities, the wonderful chef has put together not only online courses and an intense chef training course, but also some easy lessons for tourists wanting to try something a bit different.
The Vegan Balinese Super Veggies class will teach you how to perfect a turmeric latte, how to make a delicious vegan gado gado sauce and how to expertly prepare traditional Balinese veggies. It is the perfect day course for those who want to dip their toes into vegan cooking, or add to their already well established recipe book.
Dean’s Bali Cooking School – Seminyak
Dean’s Bali Cooking School
It may seem a little bit backwards to be learning Indonesian and Balinese cooking from a Brit, but with the help of some local assistant chefs, and a vast wealth of knowledge about the islands and its culinary histories, Chef Dean offers an all-day cooking lesson extravaganza.
The day will begin with an optional visit to the local market and fishing village where you can watch some intense haggling, and soak up the lively environment encompassed in the scent of fresh veg and fish. Back in the Seminyak kitchen, you will be schooled on the fascinating, and sometimes tragic, histories of the spices used in the traditional Balinese dishes, as you sip freshly prepared cocktails.
You will learn how to prepare fresh sauces, professionally pound the spices and expertly carve chicken to be used for different types of dishes.
Taking either a hands-on or more relaxed approach, for those who are interested in the experience, more than the cooking, this is a great class to join. You will even be emailed with the recipes of the cocktails and dishes at the end of the day, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting everything in an orange martini haze.
Caraway Cooking Class – Sanur
Bu Dewi Cooking Class & Homestay
From general Indonesian and Balinese cuisine to specialised Martabak Telor and Terang Bulan classes, and kid’s classes, Caraway Cooking Class has something for everyone!
If you are looking to get a broad understanding of your favourite Indonesian dishes, or want to specifically master tasty martabak treats, this is the perfect class for you.
Overseen by the talented Dewi Kartika Sawi, in the heart of Sanur, get ready to show off your skills – or learn new ones – grinding, chopping, blending and mixing to create the iconic flavours of the island, as well as learning about the origin of the spices, herbs and meaning behind the dishes.
If you want to absorb all the culinary knowledge of Bali, in a comfortable relaxed setting, this Balinese cooking class is the best place to learn.
In-Resort Cooking Classes – Island Wide
Four Seasons Jala Cooking Academy
You’re spending your Bali getaway in one of the incredible luxury resorts on the island, what better way to fill your time between lounging in the sun, dipping in the pool and pampering in the spa, than learning how to satisfy your belly with all the best flavours on the island.
Four Seasons Jimbaran, Hotel Tugu Canggu and RIMBA Jimbaran are just a few of the amazing resorts that offer cooking classes in Bali with a luxury edge.
The Four Seasons Jala Cooking Academy takes you to the nearby fish market, teaches you the tips and tricks for preparing a grand 5-course Balinese feast and sets you up with a romantic setting to dine over your own hard work. A blissful cooking experience!
Hotel Tugu Canggu offers a similar in depth look into the histories behind each of the spices and ingredients used in each of the Balinese dishes. Learn how to prepare tasty sauces, smooth curries, perfectly spiced sate and fluffy rice to please your friends and family back home.
A stay at RIMBA Jimbaran can be accompanied by a cooking class that will end with you being a master of exotic, authentic Balinese cuisine. After learning the tricks of the trade from the local head chef, you can dine over your own handmade meal.
Payuk Cooking Class – Ubud
Get your hands stuck in and dirty with this Bali cooking class in Ubud. One of the most affordable options in this list, with the option of a morning class – including a visit to the market – or afternoon session, if you are looking to really get hands on, this is the best class for you.
Learn how to prepare soup ayam (chicken soup), sauce kacang (peanut sauce), ayam bumbu (seasoned chicken) and pepes ikan (wrapped fish) from scratch with local fresh ingredients at your own solo cooking station.
Payuk Cooking Class is led by friendly local chefs, with excellent English, who will lend a helping hand and wise words when you get lost among the garlic and turmeric.
You will leave with a head full of knowledge and excitement to wow your friends back home.
Jeding Bali Cooking Class – Ubud
Set in a traditional local family compound, Jeding Bali Cooking Class is as close to local Balinese cooking as you can get.
After a morning at the market and wandering the rice paddies, you will learn how to prepare a huge menu of dishes including sayur urap (traditional coconut veggies), tempe manis (sweet tempe), sambal matah, and my personal favourite, dadar gulung (rolled cake with coconut).
Tuck in to your handmade feast, and learn how to make traditional Balinese offerings called canang.
For a fully immersive and cultural experience, Jeding Bali Cooking Class is the best class in town!
Lobong Culinary Experience – Ubud
Lobong Culinary Experience
Learn the ins and outs of preparing a delicious Balinese feast from professional chefs at Lobong Culinary Experience. Located in the heart of Ubud, it is a beautiful setting for immersing yourself into Balinese culture and learning how to recreate all your favourite Balinese flavours at home.
Braised chicken, chicken sate and green bean salad are just a few of the dishes that you will be able to master. Get your chef’s hat on, and get ready to be hot and steamy in front of the cooker.
With the traditional techniques, ingredients and methods, you will become the go-to host for dinner parties at home!
Green Kitchen Cooking Class – Sidemen
Green Kitchen Cooking Class
Away from the tourist crowds in the stunning landscape of Sidemen, Green Kitchen offers a more breezy and open cooking class in Bali, set in a traditional open-air kitchen.
You will visit the local Klungkung markets, and wander the rice paddies picking vegetables from the garden, before heading back to the kitchen to put your kitchen skills and fresh ingredients to the test.
With the non-vegetarian menu you will learn how to prepare jukut nangka (pork and jackfruit), gule ayam (coconut chicken curry), and sate ikan (minced fish sate). While with the vegetarian menu you will prepare jukut ares (banana stalk soup), pergedel jagung (corn fritter) and tahu curry (tofu curry).
There is something for everyone! Green Kitchen is one of the most local cooking class experiences in Bali, in the most incredible setting.
Bumbu Bali Cooking Class – Ubud/Jimbaran
Decked out in a striped apron and sat at the cooking station in a traditional Balinese home compound, Bumbu Bali Cooking Class is another of the classes that really immerses you into the histories and stories behind the ingredients of each dish.
With friendly, english speaking teachers, you can learn how to perfectly mix spices and herbs to marinate chicken for pepes be siap and become savvy to the secrets behind the island famous opor ayam (chicken in spicy broth).
Get the insider tips for haggling at the market ,and leave with a full recipe book and stomach full of tasty delicious treats.
If you are looking for a place to learn all the best flavours of the island, in a comfortable, fun and breezy atmosphere, Bumbu Bali Cooking Class is an excellent class to try out!
Final Thoughts
And there we have it! All the best and must-try cooking classes in Bali that are worth your money and time.
Whether you have a favourite dish you want to master – hello dadur gulung – or want to be able to prepare and serve up a huge Balinese feast to your loved ones, these cooking classes will not only teach your the tricks to perfectly prepare your ingredients, but will also fill you in on the histories behind each taste.
In a luxury resort setting, or in a traditional home compound, there is the ideal cooking class for every type of traveller.
Get ready to satisfy your belly and impress your friends!
