Grandma's Cooking Class in Chiang Mai: The Ultimate Thai Experience

This blog post is all about my Grandma’s Cooking Class review.

One of the things we loved most about our time in Northern Thailand was the incredible food. So, what better than to learn how to cook traditional Thai food at a cooking class in Chiang Mai?

From the rich flavours of coconut curries to the delicious stir-fried noodles, we couldn’t get enough of Grandma’s Cooking Class!

Since Chiang Mai is famous for having some of the most amazing dishes in the country, we thought, why not take a cooking class and learn how to make these meals ourselves?

After all, one day, when we finally live somewhere for more than a few weeks at a time, we’ll want to recreate these flavours at home!

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This blog post is all about my review of Grandma’s Cooking Class in Chiang Mai.

6 Famous Dishes that Originate in Chiang Mai

One of the best parts about joining Grandma’s Cooking Class in Chiang Mai is getting to learn about the rich food culture of Northern Thailand.

A region famous for its distinct flavours, aromatic herbs, and unique dishes you won’t find anywhere else in the country.

Chiang Mai’s cuisine has strong influences from neighbouring Myanmar, Laos, and China, resulting in a blend of spicy, tangy, and deeply savoury dishes that tell the story of the Lanna Kingdom.

If you’re a foodie (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?), here are some of the most famous Thai dishes that originate in Chiang Mai, many of which you’ll get the chance to cook or taste during your Grandma’s Cooking Class.

1. Khao Soi

The star of Northern Thai cuisine and my favourite dish in Thailand, Khao Soi is an absolute must-try in Chiang Mai. And it’s often the highlight of Grandma’s Cooking Class.

This creamy, curry-based noodle soup combines rich coconut milk with yellow curry paste, soft egg noodles, and tender chicken. It’s then topped with crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, lime, and shallots for the perfect balance of texture and flavour.

Every chef in Chiang Mai has their own version of Khao Soi, but one thing’s for sure, you’ll never forget your first bowl.

2. Nam Prik Ong

This dish might not be as famous internationally, but it’s a Northern Thai staple you’ll quickly fall in love with.

Nam Prik Ong is a chunky, tomato-based chili dip made with minced pork, garlic, chili, and fresh tomatoes. Kind of like Thailand’s answer to a spicy bolognese.

It’s typically served with steamed vegetables, pork crackling, and sticky rice.

Learning how to make Nam Prik Ong at Grandma’s Cooking Class gives you a true taste of everyday Chiang Mai home cooking.

3. Sai Ua – Northern Thai Sausage

Sai Ua, or Northern Thai sausage, is another dish that proudly calls Chiang Mai home.

Packed with herbs, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, chili, and galangal, it’s bursting with flavour and perfectly grilled to achieve a smoky, aromatic bite.

You’ll often find it at local markets and street food stalls throughout the city. It’s one of those “once you try it, you’re hooked” dishes.

4. Gaeng Hang Lay

Originating from Burmese influence, Gaeng Hang Lay is a Northern-style curry that’s rich, slightly sweet, and deeply comforting.

Made with pork belly, garlic, tamarind, ginger, and curry paste, it’s often simmered for hours until the meat becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Unlike Southern Thai curries, Hang Lay doesn’t use coconut milk, which makes it lighter yet incredibly flavourful. It’s a dish that beautifully represents the fusion of cultures and spices that make Northern Thai food so special.

5. Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao

This flavourful noodle soup is another Chiang Mai classic you might not hear about unless you dive deep into Northern Thai cuisine.

Made with fermented rice noodles and a spicy tomato broth featuring minced pork and dried flowers from the cotton tree, Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao has a complex, smoky flavour that’s completely different from the coconut-rich soups of the south.

It’s a true local favourite, and one that’s best enjoyed from a tiny street stall in the Old City.

6. Mango Sticky Rice

While Mango Sticky Rice is loved all over Thailand, there’s something special about tasting it in Chiang Mai, where the sticky rice is grown in the lush mountains surrounding the city.

During Grandma’s Cooking Class, you’ll often get to prepare this dessert yourself, learning how to perfectly steam the sticky rice, make the coconut cream topping, and plate it beautifully with fresh mango.

It’s the ultimate sweet ending to your day in the kitchen.

How to Book Grandma’s Cooking Class

We booked our Grandma’s Cooking Class through GetYourGuide, and the whole experience was seamless from start to finish.

You can see the exact class we booked right here.

We chose a place called Grandma’s Cooking Class, which had amazing reviews, and it didn’t disappoint.

We were picked up bright and early in a van and taken to a local market to collect our ingredients.

It was a great way to see a bit more of Chiang Mai and learn about the different herbs, vegetables, and spices used in Thai cooking.

An Outdoor Kitchen in Chiang Mai with its Own Farm

After gathering everything we needed, we were taken to Grandma’s Cooking Class location, which turned out to be this amazing large outdoor kitchen set in the middle of its own little farm.

There were rows of fresh herbs, vegetables growing in the garden, and chickens wandering around providing fresh eggs for our dishes.

It was such a beautiful setting, and you could tell that everything we were about to cook was going to be super fresh and authentic.

The Dishes We Made at Grandma’s Cooking Class

We cooked so many delicious dishes that day! Here’s what was on the menu:

Coconut Tom Yum Soup: A fragrant, spicy, and creamy soup that’s full of flavour.
Pad Thai: The classic stir-fried noodle dish that’s everyone’s favourite.
Khao Soi: A Northern Thai curry noodle soup that quickly became our top pick.
Mango Sticky Rice: For dessert, we made this sweet and creamy treat that was the perfect ending to our feast.

Honestly, by the time we finished cooking and eating everything, we couldn’t move – we were that full!

But it was totally worth it. And the best part was learning to cook these dishes step by step, so we could try making them ourselves in the future.

Why You Should Take a Cooking Class in Chiang Mai

If you’re spending any time in Chiang Mai, taking a cooking class in Thailand is one of the best ways to spend a morning.

It’s not just about the food. You get to experience Thai culture, learn about the ingredients, and enjoy a few hours of fun in a beautiful setting.

Plus, you’ll leave with the skills to recreate your favourite dishes whenever you’re craving a taste of Thailand.

So if you’re looking to do something a bit different and want to take a piece of Chiang Mai home with you (in the form of some seriously good recipes), I highly recommend booking a cooking class.

It’s an experience you’ll remember long after you’ve left Thailand. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll all be able to cook up a Thai feast together!

And if I haven’t persuaded you above, I made a TikTok all about the experience which you can watch here or below:

@orlaghclaire
The best cooking class in Chiang Mai, Thailand!! Cooking all the Thai classics like Pad Thai, Khao Soi and Tom Yum soup 🇹🇭 @GetYourGuide #chiangmai #cookingclass #thailand #thaicookingclass #chiangmaithailand
♬ A Summer Place – Hollywood Strings Orchestra

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By Orlagh Shanks

Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.

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This blog post is all about my review of Grandma’s Cooking Class in Chiang Mai.