Taipei Taiwanese Cooking Class Market Tour & Meal

Shop alongside local chefs before cooking and savoring your own Taiwanese feast

A hands-on cooking class in Taipei that starts with a guided tour of a traditional market, then moves to a kitchen where you prepare a full three-course Taiwanese meal under professional instruction and eat what you've made. The menu changes by day: dumplings and fried chicken on Mondays and Thursdays, home-style stir-fries on Tuesdays and Sundays, or beef noodles and gua bao on Wednesdays and Fridays. A live English-speaking instructor guides you through each step.

The experience

The morning begins at MRT Dongmen Station, where you meet your instructor and head into the market. You'll walk through the stalls with someone who knows how local chefs shop and what makes the ingredients matter: the difference between ordinary and the right basil, how to pick the fish, why certain vendors matter. This is not a quick browse. It's the foundation for what you'll cook. On Mondays, the market runs only partially, so you'll visit the herbal tea shop and fruit stands that stay open, but the principle stays the same: you're learning how Taiwanese cooks actually source their food.

By mid-morning you're in the kitchen, and the real work starts. You'll prepare a full meal across three courses, whether that's fresh-made fried dumplings with hot and sour soup and fried chicken popcorn, or three-cup chicken with clams and stir-fried bean curd, or beef noodles with gua bao and spicy pickled cucumber, depending on which day you book. Your instructor walks you through each dish step by step, and you're the one holding the knife, working the wok, tasting as you go. All ingredients and materials are provided. By 12:30, you sit down and eat the meal you've just made.

The whole experience runs about two and a half hours from start to finish, ending with a drop-off back at Dongmen Station. A minimum of two guests is required to run the class, though the operator will try to pair solo travelers with others. If that's not possible, you'll get an alternative tour of equal value or a full refund. Bring any dietary requirements to the booking, and the instructor will work with you on adjustments.

What’s included

• All cooking materials and ingredients.
• a three-course Taiwanese meal you prepare and eat.
• instruction from a professional English-speaking cook.
• a Japanese-language menu.

Options for this experience

4 options

Menu for Wednesday and FridayGuide in English or Chinese · 10:00Taiwanese-style beef noodles in soy sauce-based broth, Gua Bao (Chinese burger with braised pork), and garlic-chili and vinegar pickled cucumber

Menu for Tuesday and SundayGuide in English or Chinese · 10:00Three-cup chicken with basil, clams in garlic and basil sauce, and stir-fried dried bean curd with pork in a spicy sauce

Menu for Monday and ThursdayGuide in English or Chinese · 10:00Freshly made fried dumplings, Taiwanese-style fried chicken popcorn, and authentic hot and sour soup

Menu (Wed)Guide in English or Chinese · 10:00Mapo tofu, three-cup chicken flavored with black sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine, and sautéed king trumpet mushroom

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except SaturdayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Operated by MyTaiwanTour

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn by doing (handling the ingredients, working the wok, tasting at each step) rather than watching a demonstration. The market tour beforehand means you understand where the food comes from before you cook it, which changes how the dishes taste and why they matter in Taiwanese cooking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What do I actually cook during the Taiwanese cooking class?

The menu depends on the day you book. Monday and Thursday classes focus on dumplings: you'll make fresh-fried dumplings, hot and sour soup, and Taiwanese-style fried chicken popcorn. Tuesday and Sunday classes teach home-style stir-fries: three-cup chicken with basil, clams with garlic and basil sauce, and stir-fried dried bean curd with pork. Wednesday and Friday classes cover authentic Taiwanese dishes: beef noodles in soy sauce, gua bao (pork belly buns), and spicy cold pickled cucumber.

Does the market tour happen even if the market is closed?

On Mondays, Dongmen Market is only partially open, so instead of the full market, you'll visit the herbal tea shop, fruit stands, and other vendors that remain open. The rest of the week the traditional market operates normally. Either way, you're seeing where local chefs source ingredients before you cook.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs about two and a half hours total. You meet at 10:00 at MRT Dongmen Station Exit 5, tour the market until 11:20, cook from 11:20 to 12:30, then eat your meal and return to the station by 14:30.

Is hotel pickup included, or do I need to get to the station myself?

You'll meet at MRT Dongmen Station Exit 5 and return there at the end. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so arrange your own transport to and from the station.