Private Filipino cooking class in Manila: Learn family recipes

Cook Filipino family recipes passed down through generations in a home kitchen.

A private cooking class in a local home in Taguig, Metro Manila, where you learn to prepare traditional Filipino dishes from Isi, a food expert, then sit down to eat what you made. You choose between hands-on cooking or watching a demonstration, and the experience runs three hours with beer included. Vegetarian options are available with advance notice.

The experience

What makes this different from a restaurant kitchen is that you're cooking in Isi's apartment with ingredients like calamansi, garlic, chilies, coconut milk and fish sauce: the core flavors of Filipino home cooking. She'll walk you through family recipes that have been passed down through generations, sharing the stories behind each dish as you work. The class runs three hours, and you pick whether you want to cook hands-on or watch a demonstration. Either way, you're learning the technique and the reasoning behind it, not just following steps.

After cooking, you sit down at Isi's dining table to eat together. The menu shifts based on what's in season and what Isi decides to teach that day, but it typically includes dishes like ensaladang pako (local fern salad with calamansi and raw honey), grilled shrimp in cilantro chimichurri, ginataang kalabasa at sitaw (squash and green beans in coconut milk), and mechado or inihaw na baboy (soy-braised beef or grilled pork), finishing with homemade calamansi pie. Beer is included, and you can request vegetarian options when you book.

Isi has nearly 20 years in recipe development and Filipino food businesses, so this isn't a casual home cook. It's someone who knows the food deeply and has built a life around it. If you want to go deeper, you can add an optional market tour where she introduces you to seasonal produce and local specialties at a lively open-air market. The class is in English, and the dress code is smart casual.

What’s included

• Private cooking class with Isi in her home kitchen.
• choice of hands-on cooking or demonstration format.
• beer.
• lunch or dinner: the meal you prepare, eaten together at her dining table.
• English-speaking instruction.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Stroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?The class is in Isi's home in Taguig, so no hotel pickup is arranged. You'll need your own transport or to arrange a taxi or ride-share to get there. If you're staying in Manila without a car, this works best if you're comfortable getting to a residential address on your own or booking a ride in advance.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What dishes will I actually cook during the class?

The menu changes based on the season and Isi's choice, but typically includes ensaladang pako (fern salad with calamansi and raw honey), grilled shrimp in cilantro chimichurri, ginataang kalabasa at sitaw (squash and green beans in coconut milk stew), mechado or inihaw na baboy (braised beef or grilled pork), and homemade calamansi pie for dessert. You can request vegetarian options when you book.

Do I cook everything myself, or is some of it a demonstration?

You choose at booking: hands-on cooking where you prepare the dishes, or a cooking demonstration where you watch Isi and learn the technique. Either way, you're learning the recipes and sitting down to eat what was made.

Where exactly does the class happen?

The class is in Isi's home kitchen in Taguig, Metro Manila. You'll cook there and then eat together at her dining table in the same home.

Is there a market tour included?

The market tour is optional and separate from the cooking class. If you add it, Isi takes you to a local open-air market to introduce you to seasonal produce and local specialties.

What's included in the price?

The cooking class, beer, and lunch or dinner (the meal you help prepare) are included. Vegetarian options are available with advance notice.