Siem Reap Khmer Cooking Class: Learn 4 Dishes at Home

Cook four Khmer dishes in a local's kitchen, starting at the market

A three-hour Khmer cooking class in Siem Reap where you shop for ingredients at a local market, then prepare and eat four authentic dishes—Fish Amok, Tom Yum, and others—in a private home kitchen with an English-speaking local guide. Hotel pickup and drop-off by tuktuk are included; vegetarian and allergy accommodations are available on request.

The Experience

How do you learn to cook the food that defines a place? Start where locals do—at the market. You'll walk through a Siem Reap market with your guide to select fresh ingredients for the dishes you'll make, seeing what goes into Cambodian cooking before you touch a pot. This is not a demonstration you watch; you're gathering the pieces of the meal yourself, learning what makes each ingredient matter.

Then you move to a local's home kitchen, where the actual cooking happens. You'll prepare four courses: a salad (green mango with smoked fish, pomelo prawn salad, or beef salad depending on your choice), a soup or curry (Tom Yum seafood with Khmer spice or Fish Amok), a main (sweet and sour fried chicken or fried chicken with cashew nut), and a vegetable or rice dish (vegetable tempura, vegetable curry, or pineapple fried rice). The guide walks you through technique and timing, teaching the tricks that make these dishes work. You cook, you taste, you eat what you made—all in three hours, with lunch built into the class itself.

A tuktuk picks you up from your hotel and brings you back after the class ends. If you're vegetarian or have food allergies, let the operator know when you book and they'll adjust the menu. The class runs in English with a local host who knows not just recipes but why Cambodian food tastes the way it does.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off by tuktuk.
• market walk to select fresh ingredients.
• instruction from an English-speaking local guide.
• all ingredients for four Khmer dishes.
• lunch (the four-course meal you prepare).
• optional visits to a mushroom farm and crocodile farm with your guide if time allows.

Good to know

Infant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Angkor Wat Travel Tour

Is this one for you?The class runs three hours with walking at the market and standing time in the kitchen, so it suits anyone comfortable with a morning or afternoon on their feet. You're cooking the whole time, not watching—if you want hands-on learning over a lecture, this is the format that delivers it.

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Top questions

What four dishes do I actually cook in this class?

The Khmer cooking class includes four courses you prepare yourself: a salad (green mango with smoked fish, pomelo prawn salad, or beef salad), a soup or curry (Tom Yum seafood or Fish Amok), a main dish (sweet and sour fried chicken or fried chicken with cashew nut), and a vegetable or rice side (vegetable tempura, vegetable curry, or pineapple fried rice). You choose which version of each course suits your taste, and the guide teaches you how to make them from scratch.

Do I need to know how to cook before I book this class?

No experience is required. The class is built for beginners; your local guide teaches you valuable tricks and tips on preparing Cambodian cuisines and walks you through each step. You'll learn the techniques as you go, and the three-hour format gives you time to practice without rushing.

How does the market visit work at the start?

You walk through a local Siem Reap market with your guide to select fresh ingredients for the dishes you'll cook later that day. This is part of learning how Cambodian cooking works—seeing what's in season, how to choose quality produce, and what the market itself looks like when locals shop. Then you carry those ingredients to the home kitchen where you prepare the meal.

Is hotel pickup included, and what time does the class start?

Hotel pickup and drop-off by tuktuk are included in the class price. The operator will confirm the start time when you book, based on your hotel location and the market schedule in Siem Reap.

Can I accommodate dietary restrictions or allergies?

Yes. If you're vegetarian or have allergies to specific foods, let the operator know when you book and they can adjust the menu to suit your needs. The class is flexible enough to swap ingredients or prepare alternative dishes while keeping the cooking techniques and the Khmer flavors intact.

What's included in the price besides the cooking class itself?

The class includes hotel pickup and drop-off by tuktuk, all fresh ingredients for the four dishes you cook, lunch (the meal you prepare), and instruction from an experienced local guide who speaks English. Beverages like beer and wine are not included.