Yogyakarta Cooking Class and Market Tour: Learn Java Dishes

Cook six Java dishes from scratch, then sit down to eat what you made.

A half-day cooking class in Yogyakarta's traditional village of Bantul combines a morning or afternoon market tour with hands-on instruction from a chef who teaches you to prepare yellow rice, chicken galanggal, tempe and tofu caramelize, gudangan, martabak and a local dessert. Hotel pickup, all ingredients, lunch and an English-speaking guide are included; children from age 4 are welcome.

The Experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel and a visit to a local fresh food market where you choose the vegetables, herbs, meat and spices for the cooking class. You walk through the stalls with your chef, selecting from what is on display and getting a sense of how Yogyakarta's food system actually works. From there, you stop at a rice plantation to see how the staple crop is grown and prepared, then head to the traditional village of Bantul where the cooking happens.

The class itself runs three hours. You prepare one starter (martabak, a local pastry with spring onion, egg and beef), four main courses (yellow rice shaped like a mountain for presentation, Javanese chicken galanggal, tempe and tofu caramelize, and gudangan—mixed vegetables with steamed coconut), and one authentic dessert (putu ayu, a sweet cake with pandan leaves and coconut). Your chef guides you through each dish, sharing the techniques and flavor combinations that define Javanese cooking. You get a handbook to take home with the recipes.

At lunchtime, you sit down to eat everything you cooked. The meal comes with homemade hibiscus tea or traditional wedang uwuh, a eucalyptus drink. The chef offers insights and reviews of the dishes as you eat, so the learning doesn't stop when the cooking does.

What’s included

• Market tour where you select the ingredients.
• all vegetables, herbs, meat and spices for the class.
• instruction from an English-speaking chef.
• preparation of six dishes (one starter, four mains, one dessert).
• lunch featuring your cooked creations.
• homemade hibiscus tea or traditional wedang uwuh.
• a recipe handbook to take home.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Yogyakarta (on the standard option).

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Asmaradhana Borobudur Tours

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to cook real Javanese food, not watch a demonstration—you handle the knife work, the seasoning and the plating, then eat what you made. The market stop at the start means you understand where the ingredients come from before you cook with them.

Traveler reviews

4.96★★★★★★★★★★

112 verified traveler reviews

5 ★109

4 ★2

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What ingredients do I buy at the market, and do I choose them myself?

You visit the market with your chef and select from the fresh vegetables, herbs, meat and spices on display for the six dishes you will cook. The chef guides your choices, so you learn what goes into Javanese cooking and why each ingredient matters.

How many dishes do I actually cook in the three-hour class?

You prepare six dishes total: one starter (martabak), four main courses (yellow rice, Javanese chicken galanggal, tempe and tofu caramelize, and gudangan), and one dessert (putu ayu). Each one teaches you a different technique or flavor combination from Java.

Is lunch included, and what do I eat?

Yes, lunch is included. You eat the six dishes you cooked during the class, served with homemade hibiscus tea or traditional wedang uwuh. The chef reviews each dish with you as you eat.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the cooking class?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Yogyakarta are included. If you choose the "Meet Directly At Our Location" option at checkout, you arrange your own transport to the village of Bantul instead.

Can children join the cooking class?

Yes, children from age 4 are welcome. The class is hands-on and suitable for all physical fitness levels, so younger participants can learn alongside adults.

What is yellow rice, and why do you cook it?

Yellow rice (tumpeng) is a traditional Indonesian dish made with rice, turmeric and herbs, historically prepared as an offering in ceremonies. You shape it like a mountain for presentation and learn the herb combinations that give it its flavor and color.