Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. You teach that man to cook the fish in locations from Tuscany to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and he’s got himself one kick-ass vacation. You can too. These are the top cooking schools in hotels that can help you refine your culinary skills.
The Cooking School: Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
When it comes to cooking schools in hotels, Thai food is best learned in one of the best hotels in Thailand. The Rim Thai Kitchen at the Four Seasons is lead by talented chef Pitak Srichan. You begin the day taking a tour of the Secret Garden that’s full of fresh indigenous ingredients. You harvest your bounty for the class, then head to a beautiful professional kitchen made especially for large classes. The course will teach you to master dishes from one of the offered six programs: Mastering Thai Curries, Lanna Origin, Lanna Contemporary, Thai Street Food Delights, Tour of Thailand, and Thai Balanced Cuisine. Some of the highlight dishes include Chu Chee Pla Kapong (sea bass with dried red curry, and Sago Moo (steamed pork and tapioca confectionary. There is a morning session from 9 am to 1 pm, and an afternoon session from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The Cooking School: MIMO Bite the Experience
The Location: San Sebastian, Spain
Located in the Maria Cristina Hotel in San Sebastian, Spain, MIMO is hands-down the best cooking school in San Sebastian, and likely in Spain. That speaks volumes, as San Sebastian is one of the foodie capitals of the world. Aspiring chefs from all over come to stage at the top Michelin restaurants in town.
With his team of top chefs, Pato Fuentes helms the kitchen at MIMO. Whether you need to learn how to boil water or perform next level sous-vide, they have a diverse repertoire of classes for all levels. At MIMO they know though that food extends beyond the kitchen. The team also offers culinary tours, team-building workshops and conferences, and private dinners. One class, Michelin Secrets Cooking, dishes modern cooking techniques, like the water displacement method, to vacuum-seal your food. MIMO also creates unique dishes for the adventurous, like wild pigeon with pickled mushrooms
At the end of the day though, MIMO wants you to have a good time. At the Cook and Speak Spanish class, you can practice your language skills while making traditional Spanish food. Finally, the Market Tour and Fish Cooking class includes a trip to the local market and a meal made of your hard work.
The Cooking School: La Canonica Cooking School
The Location: Montalcino, Italy
La Canonica Cooking School is a part of the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco hotel in Tuscany. Owned by the Ferragamo family, the Castiglion del Bosco has to-die-for views of the rolling Tuscan hills that surround it. At the school, chef Matteo Temperini leads a trip trough traditional Italian cuisine. It’s all personal for Temperini, who is proud to be from the region. He emphasizes the connection of food and culture during your classes, so it’s like a two-for-one. The chef is passionate about the ingredients as well. His organic kitchen garden features over 180 vegetables and herbs.
Four classes are currently available, which include La Pasta Fresca Experience, Pizza Experience, Tuscan Meal Experience, and Vegetarian Tuscany: Forgotten Flavors. These classes can be taken in small groups or as private lessons.
The Cooking School: Cavallo Point Lodge
The Location: San Francisco, California
Like the others on the list, Cavallo Point Ranch’s cooking school has a room with a view. In this case, the hotel is located at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, in converted military barracks. There’s no roughing it though; Cavallo is laid-back luxury all the way.
The Cavallo Point Cooking School offers a rotating roster of classes in seasonal food, French and Japanese Cuisine. So yes, you can be a master of all trades. A few current classes include Intro to French Pastries and The Art of Fusion. One of the signature programs is the Chef’s Counter. This program is only open to eight people and includes a private dinner. All classes run either from 11am to 2pm or 6pm to 9pm, and are optimal for singles to meet new people.
FAQ
Q: What are some of the best cooking schools in hotels in the world?
A: Our top picks include the Four Seasons Chiang Mai, Thailand; MIMO in San Sebastian, Spain; Castiglion del Bosco in Italy, and Cavallo Point Lodge in California.
Q: What hotel is Mimo San Sebastian in?
A: Mimo San Sebastian is in the Maria Cristina Hotel.
Q: What hotel is La Canonica Cooking School in?
A: La Canonica Cooking School is in the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco hotel in Tuscany.
