Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts
Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts
Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts
5
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
354 reviews
Excellent
321
Very good
23
Average
6
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Ashleigh C
Swansea, UK6 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
I’m sure that this cooking class is normally amazing, and I’m sorry to be writing this review, based on the others we were just very unlucky on our visit! The normal teacher was away so we had the manager of the restaurant as our teacher, and we were taught in the restaurant sitting at low tables instead of at the proper school upstairs. We were also abandoned multiple times (once for 20 minutes) so the manager could go and tend to guests in the restaurant. To top this all off, the electricity went, so the next two hours of the class were done in darkness, with no aircon. Can’t make it up! Thank goodness I had my phone torch. The only compensation we got was a glass of wine and a recipe book. The food was delicious and the manager lovely, and on a normal day the class would have been great, but we paid the same amount and did not receive the same experience we were promised. In all honesty, the manager should have refused bookings, as it was not up to scratch.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
silentD
Ibiza, Spain147 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Mind blowing!!! Stop looking for restaurants, this will fully satisfy your desires and taste buds in all possibilities (if you want to explore traditional thai cusine). After my first visit i have decided to only eat here for the rest of my stay on Samui, as i am tired of trying worthless tourist trap restaurants. Everything - from service to presentation to cleanliness to kindness to prices is on point. The food is just excellent, well balanced and not drenched in oil or fish sauce like other places. Water gets served for free and you can even attend cooking classes and learn how to master plentiful thai recipies. Trust me i know what im talking about when it comes to food and i am blown away. Enjoy!
Written February 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
howzatperth
Perth, Australia2,090 contributions
SITCA REVIEW- WORTH EVERY BIT OF BHATT
What a great experience this was. An absolute must for any foodie. I booked an afternoon class and my wife booked a morning class a few days latter. We both learned to cook different things and it was an amazing experience.
Natsuda – the lady chef Thim is her nickname- is a wonderful instructor and has such a great sense of humour and passion not just for the food but for the culture.
This is not at all a “stuffy, formal” kind of class nor is it a “just rock and put some stuff together” sort of class. Its very hands on making you feel comfortable with what you need to do when you get home. This is an experience, a history class and an education, done in a fun relaxed environment. Plus you can also have a glass of wine or a beer in your hand whilst you do it. You are encouraged to touch, smell and taste the products raw so you understand how they work within the dishes, how the various herbs and spices balance each other out and that the spiciness of a dish is not just down to how much chilli you add.
The classes are in groups (mine had 5 and my wifes had 9 in the group), and the level of attention given to each student is very good and there is plenty of help offered from her, the assistance and others in the class.
We had everyone from complete Thai food novices who wanted to know what it was they were eating whilst on holidays through to those who are experts in their own home kitchen.
The value for money is also amazing. You cook 4 dishes (each class has a separate menu), then you and up to 4 guests get to join you to eat the food you’ve cooked. Trust me arrive on an empty stomach, even then you won’t be able to eat the entire feast.
This is 5 star cooking, 5 star instruction and 5 star entertainment.
Cheers
HowzatPPerth
What a great experience this was. An absolute must for any foodie. I booked an afternoon class and my wife booked a morning class a few days latter. We both learned to cook different things and it was an amazing experience.
Natsuda – the lady chef Thim is her nickname- is a wonderful instructor and has such a great sense of humour and passion not just for the food but for the culture.
This is not at all a “stuffy, formal” kind of class nor is it a “just rock and put some stuff together” sort of class. Its very hands on making you feel comfortable with what you need to do when you get home. This is an experience, a history class and an education, done in a fun relaxed environment. Plus you can also have a glass of wine or a beer in your hand whilst you do it. You are encouraged to touch, smell and taste the products raw so you understand how they work within the dishes, how the various herbs and spices balance each other out and that the spiciness of a dish is not just down to how much chilli you add.
The classes are in groups (mine had 5 and my wifes had 9 in the group), and the level of attention given to each student is very good and there is plenty of help offered from her, the assistance and others in the class.
We had everyone from complete Thai food novices who wanted to know what it was they were eating whilst on holidays through to those who are experts in their own home kitchen.
The value for money is also amazing. You cook 4 dishes (each class has a separate menu), then you and up to 4 guests get to join you to eat the food you’ve cooked. Trust me arrive on an empty stomach, even then you won’t be able to eat the entire feast.
This is 5 star cooking, 5 star instruction and 5 star entertainment.
Cheers
HowzatPPerth
Written March 19, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Canaussielad
Edmonton, Canada61 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
WOW so much food! The class was great, even better than our first class in Phuket, The friendly atmosphere, quality of food, quantity of food blew us away. We were all stuffed by the end of it and had to take away.
Written July 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mel66andPhil
Sydney, Australia92 contributions
Jun 2013 • Solo
This was the 2nd of 4 cooking schools that I attended in Thailand, and the first in Koh Samui.
On arrival I was greeted with a cool drink, followed by a cool face and hand towel. This school was air conditioned throughout which made it very pleasant for cooking, especially as this was an afternoon class. I was asked to remove shoes at the door so was cooking in bare feet, which I really liked. Today there were 4 other students, so 5 of us in total. This was a set menu so we were all cooking the same dishes. We started with the curry paste and preparation of vegetables.
The teacher was keen to tell us about the vegetables and flavours used in thai cooking, and she was very knowledgeable, though I did have a bit of trouble following her accent at times. However, the recipe book had most of the information about the steps required for the dishes so I didn't have to take too many notes. I did ask the teacher to explain some things again, and asked her questions when I didn't understand, but I had the impression that some of the others did not understand her accent and just followed the actions. In terms of cooking the dishes, following the actions is fine!
The teacher first demonstrated the chopping of vegetables and then the students followed. All ingredients had already been washed and measured, so we only needed to chop. This did mean that some ingredients were not recognisable for where they came from, but the teacher did her best to explain and in one instance took us to her computer to look at photos to help our understanding.
Then we were taken into the cooking room, which is separated from the main room by a see through partition. We were set up in a semi circle around her, again with the ingredients and tools set out for us, and we cooked at the same time, following step by step. There were helpers behind us making sure the heat was right and that we added things at the right time. Then we would take the dish back to the table to add decoration for presentation and taste our dishes. The teacher got distracted briefly by a parking office putting a ticket on her car right outside, and some of the others started eating their dishes. But this was supposed to just be the tasting, as we ate all the meals together in the upstairs dining room at the end.
I invited my husband to join me for the dinner, which was encouraged by the school. We were given rice to go with the dishes and there was exactly the right amount for the two of us. We were given a CD as well as the recipe book, which just had photos of the dishes as they were supposed to look, to remind us when we get home. However, the website has free videos, which are available on a channel on youtube.
There were some leftovers but the staff didn't offer to pack them up and seemed to be keen for us to stop talking and leave. The teacher had already left at this stage as she had a young child to take home and it was a school night. But we had had a good feed, a good experience, and great conversation with the other students around the table, so we were happy to go.
This was probably the most informative class in terms of the history of Thai food, the ingredients and all their uses, though I didn't understand everything and have forgotten now that I am back home. However, I do remember one comment that I thought was amusing and that was when the teacher explained that the demo videos on youtube are free because she wants everyone to learn Thai cooking. She hopes this will result in people ordering more Thai ingredients for import, and consequently provide more work for Thai people and this will help the King as he is so tired from helping people. I can honestly say I don't feel the same way about the English royal family!
The school has a western style toilet, encourages hand washing, is friendly, offers plenty of drinks. It also offers packaged ingredients to buy and take home for those who don't have as strict quarantine control as Australia. They were very used to Australians not being able to buy the ingredients after a class, but happy to sell to the Americans.
I wasn't quite sure about some broken tiles in the kitchen which looked like they could harbour germs, but the place looked very clean so I think they do a good job.
On arrival I was greeted with a cool drink, followed by a cool face and hand towel. This school was air conditioned throughout which made it very pleasant for cooking, especially as this was an afternoon class. I was asked to remove shoes at the door so was cooking in bare feet, which I really liked. Today there were 4 other students, so 5 of us in total. This was a set menu so we were all cooking the same dishes. We started with the curry paste and preparation of vegetables.
The teacher was keen to tell us about the vegetables and flavours used in thai cooking, and she was very knowledgeable, though I did have a bit of trouble following her accent at times. However, the recipe book had most of the information about the steps required for the dishes so I didn't have to take too many notes. I did ask the teacher to explain some things again, and asked her questions when I didn't understand, but I had the impression that some of the others did not understand her accent and just followed the actions. In terms of cooking the dishes, following the actions is fine!
The teacher first demonstrated the chopping of vegetables and then the students followed. All ingredients had already been washed and measured, so we only needed to chop. This did mean that some ingredients were not recognisable for where they came from, but the teacher did her best to explain and in one instance took us to her computer to look at photos to help our understanding.
Then we were taken into the cooking room, which is separated from the main room by a see through partition. We were set up in a semi circle around her, again with the ingredients and tools set out for us, and we cooked at the same time, following step by step. There were helpers behind us making sure the heat was right and that we added things at the right time. Then we would take the dish back to the table to add decoration for presentation and taste our dishes. The teacher got distracted briefly by a parking office putting a ticket on her car right outside, and some of the others started eating their dishes. But this was supposed to just be the tasting, as we ate all the meals together in the upstairs dining room at the end.
I invited my husband to join me for the dinner, which was encouraged by the school. We were given rice to go with the dishes and there was exactly the right amount for the two of us. We were given a CD as well as the recipe book, which just had photos of the dishes as they were supposed to look, to remind us when we get home. However, the website has free videos, which are available on a channel on youtube.
There were some leftovers but the staff didn't offer to pack them up and seemed to be keen for us to stop talking and leave. The teacher had already left at this stage as she had a young child to take home and it was a school night. But we had had a good feed, a good experience, and great conversation with the other students around the table, so we were happy to go.
This was probably the most informative class in terms of the history of Thai food, the ingredients and all their uses, though I didn't understand everything and have forgotten now that I am back home. However, I do remember one comment that I thought was amusing and that was when the teacher explained that the demo videos on youtube are free because she wants everyone to learn Thai cooking. She hopes this will result in people ordering more Thai ingredients for import, and consequently provide more work for Thai people and this will help the King as he is so tired from helping people. I can honestly say I don't feel the same way about the English royal family!
The school has a western style toilet, encourages hand washing, is friendly, offers plenty of drinks. It also offers packaged ingredients to buy and take home for those who don't have as strict quarantine control as Australia. They were very used to Australians not being able to buy the ingredients after a class, but happy to sell to the Americans.
I wasn't quite sure about some broken tiles in the kitchen which looked like they could harbour germs, but the place looked very clean so I think they do a good job.
Written July 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sam B
Granada9 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
I have done many cooking classes when travelling and this was one of the best.
Chef Roong is patient, incredibly knowledgable and also pretty cheeky and entertaining!
What made this class stand out was that Roong took the time to explain every ingredient, why it was important, how it balanced other flavours and what we could substitute it with back home.
Her passion and sense of humour made it an amazing and enjoyable experience!
We were given very clear recipe books, and each recipe is generally designed as a double portion, so you have takeaway, and can cook back home for 2 people without having to double it yourself.
Thanks for an amazing time Roong!
Chef Roong is patient, incredibly knowledgable and also pretty cheeky and entertaining!
What made this class stand out was that Roong took the time to explain every ingredient, why it was important, how it balanced other flavours and what we could substitute it with back home.
Her passion and sense of humour made it an amazing and enjoyable experience!
We were given very clear recipe books, and each recipe is generally designed as a double portion, so you have takeaway, and can cook back home for 2 people without having to double it yourself.
Thanks for an amazing time Roong!
Written September 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kiera
10 contributions
May 2019 • Family
Really enjoyed this cooking class I attended with my family May 2019, the owner was very informative and made us feel very welcome and taught us everything we needed to know about the food we cooked! Would definitely recommend, worth the money!
Written May 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bernadette G
Melbourne, Australia72 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
I picked up a brochure representing the above. I was very excited to complete a Fruit and Vegetable carving course. This was advertised for 3000 bht for 3 hours and 6500 baht for 9 hours. Expensive however why not learn a new skill. On phoning to book , no prices were discussed until I had booked my three day course and given my credit card details it was then that I was advised the payment had gone through for 9000 bht . I had confirmed that I had a brochure and that yes all was correct on the brochure until payment . Totally appalled I cancelled the course. It will remain to be seen if I am still charged. Watch this space. I am usually very appreciative of all, however in this instance I am angry to say the least
Written July 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SITCA has been in business since 1999. Since that time we have printed and distributed many thousands of copies of several different iterations of our brochure. There are sure to be old ones still in circulation in hotel lobbies and at tour offices etc. We cannot control this. Never have we, nor would we ever engage in false advertising.
It sounds like Bernadette G. was looking at an old brochure when she made her booking, and that a communication lapse or misunderstanding took place when she called, which failed to alert our receptionist to the fact she had the wrong price.
Written September 3, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sonya E
Grand Terre, New Caledonia40 contributions
Aug 2013 • Solo
Adding to the other positive reviews, attending one of the cooking classes was a definite highlight of my time in Koh Samui.
Everything runs like clockwork, it is well organised, the instructor has a sense of humour and staff are very helpful. You depart with a CD with instructions and a recipe book as well. My only regret is not doing more classes.
And the food is delicious. Get in there!
Everything runs like clockwork, it is well organised, the instructor has a sense of humour and staff are very helpful. You depart with a CD with instructions and a recipe book as well. My only regret is not doing more classes.
And the food is delicious. Get in there!
Written September 2, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cryschuchimac
Boston Spa, UK23 contributions
Jul 2013
We went on the evening course and made prawn pad Thai, duck red curry and pork and oyster sauce stir fry. They were all delicious and we will definitely be making these at home!
Really enjoyed ourselves - its so well organised and everything is interesting. Lots of staff about helping clear things up and make sure you have everything you need. They are really happy to answer any questions you may have.
All round a very pleasant experience. A nice activity to cool off for a few hours (I was slightly worried it would be baking hot but there was nice cool a/c)
Really enjoyed ourselves - its so well organised and everything is interesting. Lots of staff about helping clear things up and make sure you have everything you need. They are really happy to answer any questions you may have.
All round a very pleasant experience. A nice activity to cool off for a few hours (I was slightly worried it would be baking hot but there was nice cool a/c)
Written July 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alas we are arriving on a Sunday aboard a cruise ship. Do you have classes on a Sunday?
Written April 15, 2018
Good day,
How much does it cost for a single person and what are your time slots. Thank you
Written January 9, 2018
The Classes cost 1850 thb and ar monday to saturday 11am &4pm. Bookings can be made at reception or at sitca d0t com
Written January 15, 2018
Hola ! Cuanto es el precio de la clase
Written November 15, 2017
Clase de medio día 1850 THB, Gracias!
Written November 21, 2017
Possible d'apprendre uniquement la sculpture sur fruit? C combien
Written August 23, 2017
How much does it cost to do this course? There will be two of us.
Written August 22, 2016
When we did the course it cost 3700 baht for 2 people. We did 1 afternoon session.
Written August 30, 2016
ciao volevo sapere se se volessi regalarlo alla mia fidanzata e quindi partecipare solo come "assistente" al corso,devo pagare due quote o una soltanto??grazie tanto
Alessandro
Written August 3, 2016
You can book from the Hotel you stay at or you can book on line direct to Samui Institute of Thai culinary
Written January 29, 2015
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