Any ‘foodie’ would know that Thai food is the newest culinary ‘rage’! Indeed Thailand’s fragrant dishes have escaped from shabby roadside eateries to join the league of Asian cuisines that is gaining the spotlight in the global culinary scene. Known for exotic ingredients, sweet-and-sour dishes and creamy curries, Thai cuisine has a loyal following with its dishes featuring in the menus of many star-class restaurants and Chaweng hotels.
If you want learn how to make delicious Pad Thai and Som Tam in your home kitchen, then a crash course in Thai cooking just what you need. While cookery books fail to provide an authentic Thai cooking experience, Thailand’s Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts (SITCA) promises visitors an opportunity to learn basic Thai cooking techniques from some of the country’s esteemed chefs in a lively, interactive session. Situated in the laidback Thai city of Koh Samui near Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort & Spa, SITCA is a training facility for aspiring Thai chefs which also welcome food lovers for a one-of-a-kind lesson in one of Asia’s most beloved cuisines.
Opened in 1999 by Thai master chef Roongfa Sringam, SITCA lies in a sprawling 300 square-metre facility complete with two teaching kitchens, a dining hall and a retail shop that sells Thai food and kitchen aids. Sign up for the three-hour long Thai cookery classes held twice daily and let the experienced chefs take you on a culinary journey through Thai cuisine. Learning courses at SITCA are changed regularly and you can choose the one that fits your taste with even one and two week crash courses available for those visiting Koh Samui for a short time. If time permits, test your artistic skills in the three-day Thai Fruit and Vegetable Carving course or take the challenging, yet exciting, extensive cookery class designed for professional and more experienced cooks. In the end, you won’t just walk away with lasting memories but also a useful Thai recipe book and Certificate of Completion to take with you on your next culinary adventure.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
