BANGKOK, 8 October 2025: Bangkok’s street food is world-renowned, but for travellers eager to delve deeper into the art of Thai cooking, the White Lotus Thai Cooking School offers an immersive half-day journey into Thailand’s culinary heart.
Located in the capital’s ‘Old Town’, near the Chao Phraya River, the school provides a distinctive experience that combines a lively market tour, a hands-on cooking class, and cultural traditions in one unforgettable experience.
“White Lotus has been my passion and dream. I simply love Thailand, and I wanted to offer tourists visiting Bangkok the chance to experience a traditional Thai cooking class, an activity that brings people happiness. I’ve lived here for eight years, and my company is run with a Thai business partner. Our instructors and colleagues are also Thai,” says Krysia, the school’s founder, originally from China but now proudly calling Thailand home.
Market first, kitchen later
The adventure begins at Pak Khlong Talat, Bangkok’s century-old flower and produce market. Students follow their teacher through colourful stalls filled with jasmine blossoms, fiery chilis, and kaffir lime leaves while learning how to select the freshest ingredients. The hustle and bustle of the market becomes part of the lesson, turning shopping into a lively introduction to Thai culture.
Cooking with Pat
Shop, chop, cook, taste, smile – and graduate with your White Lotus certificate.
Back at the school’s welcoming teaching kitchen, classes are led by Pat Rodtim, a dynamic instructor whose cooking is often described as tasting “just like a mother’s kitchen.” Students prepare four classic dishes — Tom Yum Goong, Pad Thai, Som Tam, and Mango Sticky Rice — as well as coconut cream and curry paste. Each step is explained clearly in English, ensuring international guests feel confident, engaged, and able to replicate the dishes at home.
More than food
Alongside cooking, guests enjoy a flower-arranging workshop where they craft jasmine garlands or traditional Krathong baskets. Every class includes a herbal welcome drink, an apron, fresh ingredients, a recipe book, a certificate, a souvenir, and of course, the meal itself.
Practical details
Duration: 3.5 hours, halal-friendly.
Language: All classes taught in English.
Sessions: Morning (0830 to 1200) and Afternoon (1330 to 1700).
Capacity: 20 guests per session.
Location: 390/18 Ban Mo, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200.
Price: THB1,200 per person on the official website; THB1,100 via Klook, GetYourGuide, and Viator (inclusive of market tour, class, flower craft, meal, souvenir, and certificate).
Getting There: MRT Sanam Chai (Exit 5), Chao Phraya Express (Memorial Bridge Pier), or 20 to 30 minutes by taxi/tuk tuk from Sukhumvit or Silom.
How to book
Website: https://lotusthai3.com
Google Maps: Search White Lotus Thai Cooking Class
Also available on: Klook, GetYourGuide, Viator, Tripadvisor (Airbnb and KKday coming soon)
A Taste of Thailand to take home
From the bustle of the market to the sizzle of the wok, White Lotus Thai Cooking School is more than a cooking class — it is a cultural immersion, a joyful memory, and a flavour of Thailand to take home.
About the author
Andrew J Wood is a Bangkok-based writer and former hotelier who has lived in Thailand for over three decades. He writes about travel, gastronomy, and culture across Asia. He is a former Director of Skål International, as well as Past President of Skål International Asia, Skål International Thailand, and twice Past President of Skål International Bangkok.
