There’s no better way to get acquainted with Singapore’s many cultures than through our island’s food.

Whether you’re heading to a Michelin-starred restaurant or a local coffee shop for your fill of nasi lemak (rice dish cooked in coconut milk, served with an array of side dishes), you’re bound to find something that suits your taste buds.

Don’t worry about missing the food once you leave the city, though. Sign up for these cooking classes in Singapore, where you’ll learn how to make your very own version of local delicacies.

Children at a cooking class at Culinary On.

Cookery Magic
People participating in a cooking class at Cookery Magic

More than just cooking classes, the sessions at Cookery Magic are enchanting forays into the realms of culinary creation.

Founded by irrepressible food lover and chef Ruqxana Vasanwala, these home-cooking classes will have you discovering our island’s rich food heritage.

A three-hour cooking session—held in Ruqxana’s cosy kitchen—will have you learning how to whip up delicious dishes like chicken satay (grilled meat skewers), Peranakan-style laksa (spicy coconut milk-based noodle soup) and char kway teow (stir-fried rice noodles).

Alternatively, opt for Cookery Magic’s Kampong Cooking Escapade—an all-day cooking-themed adventure that takes place in a century-old house on the island of Pulau Ubin. Enjoy the great outdoors, soak in the lush greenery, and learn how to create delicacies like nasi ulam (Indonesian steamed rice dish mixed with various herbs) and ice kacang (shaved ice dessert).

Virtual classes are also available for gourmands based overseas, and aspiring chefs who’d like to savour a taste of Singapore from home. 

*The term is an Indonesian/Malay word that means “local born”, which generally refers to people of Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage.

Cookery Magic. 117 Fidelio Street, Singapore 458492. +65 9665 6831.
To book your class, click here.


Palate Sensations
A cooking demonstration by a chef at Palate Sensations.

You’ve probably been to the various hawker centres in Singapore or tried our Michelin-starred hawker dishes. Now it’s time to take a piece of that home.

Palate Sensations‘Tourist’ classes will have you working the wok in no time. As the name suggests, the class is designed for travellers who want to take home a slice of Singapore’s culinary culture, with recipes and techniques that you can replicate in the comfort of your own kitchen.

So the next time you host a dinner party, you’ll be able to lay out a spread of sambal sotong (squid in chilli paste), sambal kangkong (water spinach stir-fried in a spicy sauce), chicken rice, and laksa.

Palate Sensations Culinary School in Chromos at Biopolis. 10 Biopolis Road #01-03, Singapore 138670. +65 6478 9746.
To book your class, click here.


Bollywood Veggies
A class at Bollywood Veggies Photo by Bollywood Veggies

The folks at Bollywood Veggies —a farm with an in-house bistro—will show you how they do farm-to-table at their Bollywood Bhanchha class (“bhanchha” is the Nepali word for “kitchen”). You’ll get to forage ingredients straight from the establishment’s 10-acre farm and learn to cook them in a private culinary class.

Besides being a farm-to-table restaurant that grows the ingredients and herbs for its dishes in its own garden, Bollywood Veggies has a trove of recipes to share.

Vegetable-filled wraps and exotic salads made with farm-fresh produce are the healthier options, while dishes such as chicken curry and deep fried moringa leaves tip the scale towards the more decadent. Local desserts—such as goreng pisang (deep fried banana fritters)—are also on the cards.

While you’re there, don’t forget to drop by The Earth Shop to purchase seasonal produce and herbs, or visit The Bollywood Food Museum to admire a collection of oil paintings that illustrate the history of food and agriculture.

Bollywood Veggies. 100 Neo Tiew Road, Singapore 719026. +65 6898 5001.
To book your class, call +65 6898 5001 or drop them an email.


D’Open Kitchen

With a variety of cooking classes for aspiring chefs of all levels, D’Open Kitchen’s repertoire of lessons include everything from seasonal cuisine and local fare to artisanal desserts.

The establishment offers a range of classes focused on teaching you how to create a whole range of dishes, from Japanese-style bento and Italian pizza to Asian fare and even mooncakes.

We suggest signing up for the latter two classes, so that you can take a taste of the region back home to your loved ones. The class that focuses on Asian fare will have you whipping up locally-beloved staples like ondeh-ondeh (glutinous rice balls with palm sugar filling, coated with desiccated coconut), pandan chicken and chicken rendang (braised meat cooked in coconut milk and spices).

D’Open Kitchen. 10 Anson Road, Singapore 079903. +65 8228 6217. 
To book your class, click here.


Food Playground
A class photo at Food Playground.

Just like the Singaporean dish rojak (mixed fruit and vegetable salad), Singapore’s cuisine is a reflection of our myriad of cultures.

To sample the sheer breadth of our cuisine, join the Cultural Cooking Class at Food Playground. You’ll learn to cook Chinese, Malay, Peranakan and Indian dishes in just three hours, and discover more about the country’s heritage at the same time.

Alternatively, sign up for an online session and learn how to make Hainanese kaya (a traditional jam made from coconut and eggs), curry puffs and handmade noodles from the comfort of your own kitchen. Expect to be enthralled by fascinating factoids surrounding Singapore’s food culture in this two-hour session.

Food Playground. 24A Sago Street, Singapore 059020. +65 9452 3669.
To book your class, click here.


Tools of the Trade
A demonstration of kueh making classes by Chef Julie Yee.

Whether you’re looking to dish out savoury treats like chicken rice, chilli crab or pandan-flavoured cakes, you’re bound to find a class that’s up your alley at Tools of the Trade (ToTT).

The establishment boasts a roster of local chefs, culinary experts and cooking instructors, each with their own specialisation in a culinary field. Whether you’re whipping up Peranakan treats or learning how to cook char siew (barbequed pork) and roast pork, the classes here will certainly help you hone your skills in the kitchen. 

Aspiring chefs looking for a bite-sized sample of the lessons on offer can find a whole range of free videos on their website.

Tools of the Trade at Suntec City. 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-427, Singapore 038983. +65 6238 1578.

Tools of the Trade at Century Square. 2 Tampines Central 5 #02-14, Singapore 529509. +65 6219 7077. 
To book your class, click here.