Phnom Penh Khmer Cooking Class: Learn to Cook Chicken Amok

Cook a Khmer classic in the countryside with a guide who grew up there

A hands-on Khmer cooking class in the countryside near Phnom Penh where you travel by ferry and tuk-tuk to Arey Ksat, tour the local market with your guide Sophors, then prepare Chicken Amok and two side dishes together at Meet The Province before returning to the city. The class runs four hours in the late afternoon and includes market ingredients, cooking instruction, and the meal you make. An optional overnight homestay is available for those who want to stay.

The experience

You'll start in the late afternoon, taking the ferry from Phnom Penh to Arey Ksat, a fifteen-minute crossing, where Sophors meets you for the drive inland. The tuk-tuk heads straight to the local market, where Sophors walks you through the produce and explains what you'll be cooking. Fresh ingredients get bought there, and you'll carry them back to Meet The Province, a calm cooking space set away from the city.

The cooking session centers on Chicken Amok, a Khmer signature dish, with two side dishes built from what you picked at the market and from the organic garden on the property. Sophors guides you through each step while sharing stories about growing up in the area. The kind of detail that comes from someone who actually lived there. You're not watching a demonstration. You're doing the work, and the meal at the end is what your hands made.

After eating, you head back to the ferry point at Arey Ksat for the return to Phnom Penh. If you'd rather not rush back to the city, you can book a night in the homestay instead, waking up in the quiet of the countryside. The class can adapt to vegetarian, vegan or allergy needs if you let them know when you book.

What’s included

• Ferry pickup at Arey Ksat and drop-off after the class.
• local market tour and organic garden visit with Sophors.
• all fresh ingredients for the three Khmer dishes you cook.
• drinking water.
• cooking instruction and the meal you prepare.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 16:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Public transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Meet the Province

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to cook rather than watch, and if an afternoon in the countryside with someone who actually grew up there matters more than a quick city-center lesson. The ferry crossing and tuk-tuk ride are part of the experience, not obstacles to it. They're how you leave Phnom Penh behind.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly do I cook in this class?

Chicken Amok, a Khmer classic, plus two side dishes made from fresh market ingredients and produce from the garden at Meet The Province. You prepare all three dishes yourself under Sophors's guidance, then eat what you've made.

How do I get to Arey Ksat from Phnom Penh?

You take the ferry from Phnom Penh to Arey Ksat, which takes about fifteen minutes. If you need help finding the ferry point, text the operator and they'll send you the location. The ferry costs around 500 riel per person each way.

Who is Sophors and what does she do during the class?

Sophors is your guide and instructor. She grew up in the area you're visiting and leads you through the market tour, explains the local produce, and guides you step-by-step through cooking the Khmer dishes. She shares stories about her life in the region throughout the afternoon.

Can I stay overnight, and what does that include?

Yes, an overnight homestay at Meet The Province is optional. The homestay is available for those who want to relax in the countryside instead of returning to Phnom Penh after the class. Book it when you reserve the cooking class.

What if I'm vegetarian or have food allergies?

The operator adapts the menu to vegetarian, vegan or allergy requirements. Let them know your dietary needs when you book so they can adjust the dishes you'll be cooking.