A Mekong cooking class: from the market to a home kitchen

Request the proposed dishes and ask which steps guests perform. Will you prepare ingredients, cook at a stove or simply watch before eating? Confirm the teaching language, group size and whether written recipes are provided. Choose a manageable menu that lets the cook explain techniques instead of a long list completed mostly out of sight.

If the listing mentions a market, ask whether you visit it with the instructor, buy ingredients or only pass through on a transfer. Market produce changes with the day, so accept a clearly explained substitution rather than insisting on a particular fish or fruit. Ask before touching goods or photographing sellers, and leave the bargaining to whoever is actually buying.

Tell the host what you avoid and ask about stock, sauces, eggs, dairy and shared equipment where relevant. A dish with vegetables is not automatically vegetarian. Request the ingredient list before cooking, not after the meal is served; if the kitchen cannot meet an essential requirement, select another experience rather than expecting an improvised guarantee.

Allow time for handwashing, preparation, the meal and questions about serving at home. Ask which ingredients have practical substitutes in your own country. Confirm whether transfers, drinks and the meal are included and how you return afterwards. Keep the session centred on learning and conversation, not a demand for access to every private room in a host’s home.