Indonesian Cooking Class Gili Air: Learn Traditional Dishes

Cook traditional Indonesian food with a chef from the islands, then eat what you made.

An Indonesian cooking class on Gili Air where you prepare and cook three to six traditional dishes under the guidance of a local chef from Lombok or the Gili Islands. The chef teaches authentic techniques, ingredient substitutions for cooking abroad, and shares knowledge of Sasak culture and local life. Classes run daily at 11:30am, 4pm, and 7pm/8pm, with options for three, four, or six dishes. Vegetarian and vegan substitutions are available.

The experience

The class starts with your choice of three options: the Intro Course with kelopon, fried tempe and peanut sauce, and fried noodles; Four of a Kind, which adds yellow chicken curry; or the Super Six, which rounds out with chicken taliwang and gado gado. You'll work through each dish from prep to plate, learning the traditional techniques that make these flavors work. The chefs are from either Lombok mainland or the Gili Islands themselves, so they know the ingredients and the methods inside out.

What sets this apart from watching a demonstration is that you're the one holding the knife and the pan. The chefs guide you through each step, but the cooking is yours to do. They'll tell you which ingredients you can swap when you're back home: what grows where you live and what substitutes keep the dish authentic instead of just approximate. If tofu or tempe works better for your diet, they swap the protein without changing the class. Vegan oyster sauce is on hand for that too.

Between the cooking itself, the chefs love to talk. Ask them anything about Indonesian culture, local life, marriage traditions, education, social norms. They're well versed in what it means to be Sasak, and they'll give you the real picture instead of the tourist version. By the time you sit down to eat what you made, you've learned more than recipes.

What’s included

• Instruction from a local chef fluent in English.
• all ingredients and cooking equipment.
• water.
• the meal you cook.
• dietary substitutions for vegetarian, vegan, and other preferences.

Options for this experience

3 options

The 1.5-hour Intro CourseGuide in English · 11:30, 16:00 and 20:00Cook three dishes: kelopon, fried tempe with peanut sauce and fried noodles. Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (1.5 hours).

Four of a Kind lasting 2 hoursGuide in English · 11:30, 16:00 and 20:00Cook four dishes: kelopon, fried tempe with peanut sauce, fried noodles and yellow chicken curry. Duration: 2 hours.

The Super SixGuide in English · 11:30, 16:00 and 20:00Cook six dishes: kelopon, fried tempe with peanut sauce, fried noodles, yellow chicken curry, chicken taliwang and gado gado. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (2.5 hours).

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:30, 16:00 and 20:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (2 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 12

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 today

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gili Air Cooking Classes

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to learn by doing rather than watching. You're cooking every dish, not observing a demonstration. The chef's knowledge of Sasak culture and local life means you leave with stories and context, not just recipes.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (2 to 3 years).

How long does the cooking class take?

The Intro Course runs one and a half hours; Four of a Kind takes two hours; the Super Six takes two and a half hours. All classes include the cooking, the instruction, and eating the dishes you prepared.

What time do the classes start?

Classes run daily at 11:30am, 4pm, and 7pm in low season or 8pm in high season, so you can fit one around your schedule on Gili Air.

Can I do the class if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

Yes. The chefs replace chicken with tofu or tempe in any of the three course options, and vegan oyster sauce is available, so the dishes work for your diet without losing the flavors.

What dishes do I actually cook?

The Intro Course covers kelopon, fried tempe with peanut sauce, and fried noodles. Four of a Kind adds yellow chicken curry. The Super Six also includes chicken taliwang and gado gado, so you leave with six different techniques and recipes to take home.

Will the chef teach me how to cook these dishes at home?

Yes. The chefs explain which ingredients you can use as substitutes abroad and how to prepare the dishes authentically and innovatively back home, so you're not just following a recipe but understanding how to adapt it.