Best Cooking Classes in Bali: Learn Balinese Cuisine

Ubud is the undisputed center for authentic Balinese cooking classes, offering the widest selection and the most traditional experiences. Classes here typically take place in family-owned compounds surrounded by rice paddies, giving you an immersive cultural experience beyond the cooking itself. Paon Bali Cooking Class is one of the most highly rated experiences in Ubud, run by Puspa, a warm Balinese mother who teaches in her family compound. The half-day class (IDR 400,000, approximately $25 USD) includes a market visit, hands-on preparation of 8-9 dishes, and a communal feast. You will learn to make bumbu base gede (the mother spice paste of Balinese cooking), sate lilit (minced seafood satay), lawar (mixed vegetable and coconut salad), and nasi kuning (turmeric yellow rice). Casa Luna Cooking School, founded by Australian food writer Janet DeNeefe, is another Ubud institution. Classes run in a professional kitchen setting with detailed instruction on both traditional and contemporary Balinese dishes. Half-day sessions cost IDR 500,000-650,000 ($32-$42 USD). For the ultimate experience, the Bumbu Bali Cooking School in Nusa Dua (founded by chef Heinz von Holzen) offers restaurant-quality instruction with a focus on royal Balinese court cuisine, priced at IDR 750,000 ($48 USD) including a market tour and recipe booklet.

While Ubud focuses on traditional village-style cooking, Seminyak and Canggu offer a more contemporary culinary experience that appeals to foodies interested in fusion cuisine and modern presentation techniques. Classes here tend to take place in stylish restaurant kitchens or purpose-built cooking studios with professional equipment. The Amala in Seminyak hosts cooking workshops led by their restaurant's head chef, combining classic Balinese techniques with international plating and flavor innovations. Sessions cost IDR 750,000-900,000 ($48-$58 USD) and include a welcome drink, cooking instruction for 4-5 dishes, and a sit-down meal paired with cocktails. The focus is on elevating traditional recipes with premium ingredients and restaurant-quality presentation. In Canggu, smaller boutique classes have emerged alongside the digital-nomad cafe scene. Bali Farm Cooking School offers a unique twist by beginning with a tour of their organic farm where you harvest ingredients yourself before cooking. The full experience costs IDR 500,000 ($32 USD) for a half-day session. Raw food and plant-based cooking classes are also available at wellness-focused venues like Samadi Bali, reflecting Canggu's health-conscious culture. These workshops teach fermentation, sprouting, and raw dessert preparation for IDR 350,000-500,000 ($22-$32 USD). For a social experience, several Canggu venues offer evening cooking-and-cocktail workshops that combine Balinese appetizer preparation with mixology instruction.

Regardless of which class you choose, several core dishes and techniques appear on nearly every Balinese cooking class menu. Understanding what to expect helps you choose the right class and appreciate the depth of what you are learning. The foundation of Balinese cooking is bumbu, a fragrant spice paste made by grinding together shallots, garlic, chilies, turmeric, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, candlenuts, coriander seeds, and shrimp paste (terasi) using a stone mortar and pestle. Learning to make bumbu from scratch is the single most valuable skill you will take home. Every class teaches this, and the paste forms the base for dozens of dishes. From there, most classes include sate lilit (Bali's signature minced meat satay wrapped around lemongrass sticks), lawar (a finely chopped salad of vegetables, coconut, and spices), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice), and gado-gado (vegetables with peanut sauce). More comprehensive classes add bebek betutu (slow-cooked duck wrapped in banana leaves), ayam pelalah (shredded chicken in spiced coconut), and jaje (traditional Balinese sweets made from rice flour, palm sugar, and coconut). You will also learn essential techniques like making coconut milk from fresh grated coconut, toasting and grinding whole spices, and balancing the five Balinese flavor pillars: spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and bitter.

The best cooking classes in Bali include a pre-class visit to a traditional morning market (pasar pagi), and this component often turns out to be the highlight of the entire experience. Balinese markets are vibrant, chaotic, colorful sensory overloads where locals buy everything from fresh-caught fish and handmade tofu to ceremonial offerings and temple flowers. Ubud's Pasar Pagi (morning market) is the most commonly visited, opening around 5 AM and reaching full bustle by 7 AM. Your cooking instructor guides you through the stalls, explaining each ingredient's role in Balinese cuisine: bundles of fresh lemongrass, knobby turmeric roots with bright orange flesh, fragrant pandan leaves used for wrapping and flavoring, and piles of tiny red and green chilies. You learn to select produce by touch, smell, and appearance, just as local cooks do daily. Beyond the ingredients, the market visit gives you an unfiltered glimpse into daily Balinese life. You will see women weaving intricate offerings from palm fronds, men hauling baskets of live chickens, and vendors grilling fresh corn and sate for breakfast customers. The smells of incense, fresh turmeric, and grilled coconut mingle in the humid morning air. Denpasar's Pasar Badung, the island's largest market, is another excellent option for classes based in the south. Several cooking schools purchase all class ingredients on the spot, so you see exactly where your meal comes from.

Cooking classes in Bali range from $25 to $75 USD per person, with the price reflecting the venue, number of dishes, inclusions (market visit, transfers, drinks), and class size. Budget classes (IDR 350,000-500,000) typically teach 5-7 dishes in a home kitchen with shared cooking stations. Mid-range classes (IDR 500,000-800,000) often include a market tour, 7-9 dishes, a recipe booklet, and hotel pickup. Premium experiences (IDR 800,000-1,200,000) add cocktail pairings, professional kitchen settings, or exclusive venues. Most classes last 4-5 hours for a half-day session or 6-7 hours for a full day that includes a market visit, cooking, eating, and sometimes a garden tour. Class sizes range from 4 to 16 participants. Smaller groups (under 8) offer more hands-on time and personal attention. Private classes for couples or families are available at most schools for a 30-50% premium. Booking through platforms like GetYourGuide, Klook, or Cookly often provides free cancellation, instant confirmation, and consolidated reviews that help you compare options. Direct booking with the school sometimes saves 5-10% but may require a deposit via bank transfer. During high season (July-August and December-January), popular classes sell out 3-5 days in advance. Dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and halal are generally well accommodated with advance notice. Children aged 6 and up can participate in most classes, and some schools offer family-specific sessions with simpler dishes and shorter formats.