Paon Bali Cooking Class

Paon means kitchen in Balinese, and this much-loved class takes place in exactly that: the family kitchen of a traditional compound in Laplapan village, just north-east of Ubud. It is run by Puspa, who leads the teaching with her husband Wayan, and the setting – with its family temple, pavilions and gardens – gives as much insight into Balinese home life as into the food itself.

What makes Paon special is that it feels like being welcomed into a home rather than a commercial cookery school. Classes are hands-on and good-humoured, you learn to make the spice pastes that underpin Balinese cooking from scratch, and you finish by sitting down together to eat everything you have made. A recipe book is provided so you can recreate the dishes at home.

What to expect

The morning class includes a visit to a local market to see and buy ingredients, then a short stop to look out over the rice terraces while guides explain how rice is grown. Back at the compound, you get an introduction to the house and its shrines before cooking begins. The afternoon class skips the market but covers the same cooking. Over about four hours you prepare around nine dishes. Past menus have included chicken satay (sate lilit and skewered sate), gado-gado with peanut sauce, pepes ikan (fish steamed in banana leaf), sweet soy tempeh, chicken in coconut curry, a coconut and snake-bean salad and a clear mushroom and vegetable soup.

Packages & prices

• Morning class – starts 08:30, includes market and rice-field visit.
• Afternoon class – starts 15:30, cooking only.
• Menus – vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available.
• Included – ingredients, lunch or dinner of your own dishes, recipe book and Ubud hotel pick-up.

Check the official website or message the team for the current price per person.

Safety & requirements

Tell the team about allergies and dietary needs when you book – peanuts, shrimp paste and chilli feature in many Balinese dishes, but most can be adjusted. The kitchen is open-air and hands-on with knives and hot woks, so younger children should be supervised.

Tips

Choose the morning class for the market experience, and arrive hungry – portions are generous. Book a few days ahead in high season, as classes fill up. Wear light clothes and comfortable shoes, and bring a small notebook if you like to jot down tips. Combine the day with a visit to Petulu’s white heron colony nearby in the late afternoon.

Classes are popular with families and small groups, and the relaxed pace suits all ages. The class ends with everyone sitting down together to eat what they have cooked – a friendly way to meet other travellers. Because you make the spice pastes by hand, you leave with a real understanding of how Balinese flavours are layered, and the recipe book means you can recreate favourites such as sate lilit or pepes ikan back home.