Sichuan Hotpot Cooking Class: Chengdu Market Visit Lunch

You make both the spicy red pot and the mild white pot in the same class.

A half-day private cooking class in Chengdu where you visit a local spice market, then learn to prepare hand-made hotpot bases and arrange fresh ingredients under a professional chef's guidance before eating what you've made. The class includes private transportation, traditional Sichuan tea, local beer, and lunch or dinner depending on your session time. A live guide speaks English or Chinese.

The experience

You start at a vibrant spice market where your guide walks you through the stalls of local ingredients and lets you sample authentic snacks. This is where you'll see what goes into Sichuan cooking before you make it yourself. From there, you head to the cooking class venue and settle in with a cup of traditional Sichuan tea before the chef arrives.

Under the chef's instruction, you'll craft your own spicy beef hotpot base for the red pot, then prepare a beautifully arranged platter of fresh ingredients and mix your personal dipping sauce. The class teaches you both the red pot (made with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns) and the white pot (a non-spicy broth version), so you're learning two distinct techniques in one session. You're not watching a demonstration. You're doing the cutting, the mixing, the layering.

Once everything is ready, you sit down and eat the hotpot you've made, with local beers or other beverages included. If you book the morning class, this becomes your lunch. The afternoon slot makes it your dinner. The whole experience runs four hours, which includes the market time, the prep work, and the meal itself.

What’s included

• Private transportation to and from the venue.
• local Sichuan tea.
• local beer.
• the hotpot meal you prepare (served as lunch for morning classes, dinner for afternoon classes).
• professional chef instruction in English or Chinese.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 13:30

Book up to8h before

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Infant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Chilli Cool China

Is this one for you?Four hours is enough time to visit the market, learn both pot styles, and eat without rushing, but it leaves your morning or afternoon free for other parts of Chengdu. If you're arriving fresh or have a half-day to spare, this fits neatly into either end of your day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between the red pot and the white pot in Sichuan hotpot?

The red pot is spicy, made with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, while the white pot is a mild, non-spicy broth. You learn to prepare both bases during the class.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No prior experience is required. A professional chef guides you through each step, from making the hotpot base to arranging and cutting the ingredients and mixing your own dipping sauce.

What happens at the local market visit?

Your guide leads you through a vibrant spice market where you can explore the colorful array of local ingredients used in Sichuan cooking and taste some authentic local snacks along the way.

Is the meal included, or do I need to pay separately for lunch or dinner?

The hotpot you cook is included in the class. You eat it as part of the experience, along with local beer or other beverages. There's no separate meal charge.

How does the timing work if I book a morning versus afternoon class?

The morning class includes hotpot as your lunch. The afternoon class serves it as your dinner. Both sessions run four hours and include the market visit, cooking instruction, and the meal.