Stir fried chicken with holy basil at Krabi Cookery School
Preparing stir fried chicken with holy basil at Ya's Thai Cookery School, Krabi

Review: Krabi Ya’s Cookery School, Thailand

Cooking classes have become a bit of a tradition for us when we travel overseas. More than simply about the food (although it certainly holds a high level of appeal) it’s the people that drives us. It’s an opportunity to engage with locals and have a glimpse into their culture and way of life, while picking up a few skills as souvenirs at the same time.

Our recent trip to Ao Nang in Thailand – a laidback beachside holiday town close to Krabi – gave us another opportunity to do just that, joining a class at Krabi Ya’s Cookery School.

Class is in session at Ya's Krabi Thai Cookery school.
Class is in session at Ya’s Krabi Thai Cookery school.

Why did we settle on this one in particular? Because not only is it rated as one of the best Thai cooking schools in Krabi, but Chef Gordon Ramsay himself learned to prepare a classic Som Tum with owner Ya during an episode of his Gordon’s Great Escapes TV show. The segment is available on on Youtube here.

If it’s good enough for Ramsay, it’s certainly good enough for us. We weren’t disappointed.

A quick demonstration at Krabi Thai Cookery School
Learning from the pros with a quick demonstration.

After browsing the website beforehand, carefully perusing the class options and dishes available, we settled on ‘Program A’ for 1,500 ฿ per person (approx. AUD $65). On the list were massaman curry, yellow curry, stir fried chicken and cashew, and spicy tom yum goong soup. Basically, everything we love about Thai cuisine in one menu.

The day begins with a transfer from our hotel to the cookery school, with a couple of quick stops to pick up other attendees, and then we dive right into the culinary action.

Chopping boards and pestles, ready to slice, dice and bang.
Chopping boards and pestles, ready to slice, dice and bang.

Perfectly designed for the Thai climate, the cooking school is housed within an open-air building, set overlooking a small meandering creek and surrounded by tropical gardens.

Inside are five separate workstations already set up with various equipment needed for the class (chopping boards, pestle and mortars, and portable gas burners), plus an upstairs dining area where the feasting takes place after the cooking is completed.

Laughter is the secret ingredient in every dish.
Laughter is the secret ingredient in every dish.

Participants can choose four of the nine dishes to make during the class. As there were two of us, we managed to cover off almost the entire menu by ourselves. Don’t worry though, you’re unlikely to miss out on tasting that final dish – everyone shares their food at the end.

I pick red chicken curry, laab gai (chicken mint salad), chicken with holy basil, and a tom yum soup with coconut milk. From the very first dish, it’s immediately clear the phrase of the day will be “Bang bang”.

Almost every recipe requires some level of banging, be it galangal beaten into submission on the wooden chopping board, or the spices fused into a deliciously fragrant paste using the pestle and mortar. It’s a workout at times, but worth it.

Preparing the chicken with holy basil.
Preparing the chicken with holy basil.

Our instructor guides us through every recipe from start to finish, juggling the various dishes and ingredients needed for each participant with aplomb.

We eat as we go, tasting elements of our own and the dishes of others from our group. My red curry is silky and smooth; the laab kai packs just the right amount of heat. But wow, the massaman curry made by three others in my group is definitely one of the best dishes.

Green curry with two massamans, each one slightly different with more or less peanuts.
Green curry with two massamans, each one slightly different with more or less peanuts.

When it’s time to move onto the next course, the school’s team springs into action, cleaning and resetting each station with the required ingredients and cooking equipment… always with that trusty pestle and mortar for more bang-banging.

Krabi Cookery School have done this many times before, and it shows. Everything flows like a well-rehearsed dance, though there’s still plenty of room for ad libbing and fun. Because that’s what cooking is meant to be – fun. You’re not going to remember the recipes (as there are quite a few of them), but you will remember the laughs.

Chicken with cashew.
Chicken with cashew.
Som tum green papaya salad.
Som tum green papaya salad.
Tom yum goong, with my laab salad in the background.
Tom yum goong, with my laab salad in the background.

Thankfully, there’s no requirement for note taking. Recipe books are handed out at the end of the day. The yellow and green ones have different recipes, so be sure to get both.

All up, it takes around four hours to complete the full cooking program. That’s inclusive of the time devoted to savouring every mouth-watering spoonful as you go. And if I had the opportunity to do another class, I’d grab it with both hands. Highly recommended.

For more info or to book, visit yacookeryschool.com

We participated at our own expense.

Written by
Chris Ashton

We're Chris Ashton and Simon Ceglinski, two Aussie travellers with a love of exploration and adventure, and the odd bit of luxury thrown in. We seek out street art, street food, and scuba diving wherever we go, and prefer the road less travelled over well-worn tourist paths.

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Written by Chris Ashton