This was everything I could have asked for in a cooking class. The Mama Thai experience was a birthday present from my family for the four of us to do together. I have a decent amount of Thai cooking experience, while the rest of my family had none. Still, we all learned quite a bit, and had fun doing it! Jirayu has a beautiful home, and we immediately felt welcome and at ease. She's been doing this for more than 20 years. She and her daughter Saorise had stations set up for us, each with their own propane burner, tools, wok, and ingredients. We chose to make green papaya salad, red curry fried rice, and green curry eggplant with bamboo and rice noodles. After settling in, we started on the first of our dishes. We worked at a good pace, and Jirayu kept an eye on how we were doing, providing feedback where necessary. We made and ate each dish one at a time. It is an understatement to say that they turned out absolutely delicious! By the end of the first dish, we knew that we wanted to come back and do a few more menu items. Through each menu item, Jirayu talked about the brands she uses that have a more authentic Thai flavor. We talked about coconut milk, fish sauce, bamboo shoots, and palm sugar to name a few, and surprisingly some of the best brands were not Thai! She has also done her research on more healthy cooking, finding ways to omit MSG and unnecessary additives, and to make recipes more vegetarian-friendly. She herself is a pescatarian like me! One really neat trick that we learned is to use a juicer to make curry paste from scratch! If you've ever tried to make curry paste, it can be a long process with a mortar and pestle. I've take around 45 minutes to do it myself, and it makes for sore arm and hand muscles, for sure. For green curry paste, we spent probably five minutes using the juicer technique, and the results were amazing! We had plenty of extras to take home. Jirayu was also very generous with her time and answered so many of our questions. We even got to play with her dog, Ziggy! read more

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When I heard we were doing another cooking class for a team activity in my mind I wanted to say not again. But, Jirayu proved me wrong. Not only was her cooking class engaging, but she was knowledgeable, friendly, well prepared, had an awesome Chef's kitchen, and cleanliness was as important to her as it was to us. We came here for an off-site to do some team building like cooking. This is not my first cooking class, nor will it be my last, but this is definitely the best cooking class I've ever taken. And I've taken them all. I've taken Italian food cooking classes, dessert cooking classes, and your good old-fashioned American Cooking Class, but this one blew me away. I'm not going to lie, we had a busy group that had to take business calls and work inbetween cooking, and Jirayu took it all in stride. She even had a sense of humor saying we were the only group should have ordered three entrees without any dessert or appetizers LOL. Our first dish was spicy crab which was prepared fresh by us, but was chopped up and cleaned by her. Our next dish was the pad thai. Our third dish was chicken Pumpkin Curry. We were broken out in two teams of two, and each team would prepare its own meal. Not to brag or anything but we had the best Pad Thai, even the instructor said that. I also liked how the instructor accommodated a vegetarian in our class, and was able to accommodate people who liked Spicy Thai food on a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being wild and 10 being flaming hot. For those who wanted flaming hot our instructor was nice enough to take out some Chili's to make the dish extra extra spicy. She told us she does this as her full-time job, and I support her 100%. She's an awesome cook and a great instructor. Take her class you won't regret it! read more

Mama Thai Cooking Club - Great for learning how to cook traditional thai food - Cooking Classes Near Me

My friends and I had a blast at Mama Thai Cooking Club, thanks to our wise and fun cooking guru, Jirayu! Jirayu is an instructor who is very easy to learn from: she's precise, patient, and as spicy as the chilis she'll have you throwing into your panang curry! (Think of the sassiness of Gordon Ramsey, except she's incredibly nice.) The format of the lesson was really worth the cost: we enjoyed a private cooking lesson complete with advice on everything from ingredient sourcing, cooking prep, techniques in the kitchen, with some fun personal anecdotes and some Thai history mixed in. I appreciated that each person had their own station and burner, allowing each of us to follow Jirayu's instruction, while remaining sensitive to personal preferences (e.g. she'd have gluten free folks exclude the soya step, and had wimps like me scale back on steps when introducing chilis.) After cooking each dish, we all sat to eat while her crew cleaned the stations and refreshed it for the next round, which allowed us to focus on the best parts: cooking and chowing down! By the end of it all I had walked away having cooked larb kai (Thai spicy chicken salad,) shrimp pad thai, and beef paning curry, which somehow came out delicious! We also got to shop her store of hard-to-find Thai ingredients (mmmm that palm sugar,) leave with some extra ingredients, to-go containers of our leftovers, recipes of what we cooked, and a link for more of her recipes on her site! Thanks, Jirayu for giving me my cooking mojo back after previously failing at Thai, and for providing a professional, fun, and exciting experience in your classroom! Brace yourself because I'll be back soon! read more

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If you enjoy Thai food, you have to give Jirayu's Mama Thai Cooking Club a try! You can be a novice chef and have no exposure to Thai cuisine at all to a professional, yet she manages to make her cooking class fun, interactive, and well worth your evening. Her classes take place in an Outer Sunset home transformed into a cooking classroom of 8-10 students (private sessions are available too). Everyone has his/her own cooking station, equipped with a portable gas stove, cooking utensils, and all the necessary ingredients/spices needed for their dishes that evening. Along with the hubby, we went with another couple and made the following dishes: -Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup) -Yellow Curry Beef Rolls -Pad Si Ew w/ Shrimp Everything came out delicious and Jirayu makes Thai cooking look so easy. She explained to us all the different type of ingredients she uses and allowed us to take pictures of each item so we know what to look for the next time we are in an Asian market. She also showed us how to make fresh curry powder from scratch, taking out the mortar and pestle and allowing each student to take turns grinding the spices. Not only did we find our Thai chef guru that we can turn to for questions, the 4 of us had a blast getting to meet others as well feeling like a chef by the end of the evening. The couple who went with us rarely cooks and they were ecstatic just how fun and easy Jirayu made cooking to be. As long as you have the proper ingredients, you are set! The setting is very casual and you can totally BYOB to accompany your meal with. Whether you are looking for a different date night setting or looking to get a gift for someone, the experience and value that comes with this cooking class is well worth it! I cannot wait to take another class with Jirayu! :) read more

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Our party of eight signed up with a Homerun deal. Jirayu was very patient in all our questions and requests to get a private class. She was very patient with us, even when we asked several times the same question over us talking over her instructions 'cuz we were too busy teasing each other. She was very a patient and informative and gave good advice on which soya and other sauces were best (low MSG and/or low sodium). She was very patient and had a wonderfully calm personality. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lSGHqTtLxd1wUek9oqSiRw?select=L0x7_6M3iBDMSvr7S_Od3w#L0x7_6M3iBDMSvr7S_Od3w Each person had their own cooking station, so we were able to customize each dish to our own tastes: ranging from 1-10 on a heat scale and even catered some last minute non-meat options for vegans in our group. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lSGHqTtLxd1wUek9oqSiRw?select=L0x7_6M3iBDMSvr7S_Od3w#fOjQ3qN8hKXoTxyAZ-k91A It was a wonderful class and we were all quite pleased with the instruction and experience we received from the class. Jirayu is an awesome teacher and we hope to take more classes from her very soon! read more

Mama Thai Cooking Club - Dining area to eat our cooked meals - Cooking Classes Near Me

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I had purchased a private cooking class as my Xmas gift to Sis We met Jirayu in front of the grocery store & she walked us around the various aisles to show us which brands were organic, which were better quality & which were truly vegetarian.....this was an eyeopener! For our meal, Sis had chosen 3 dishes & we were guided through each, making most everything from scratch & having the opportunity to eat everything we made Papaya Salad Pumpkin Curry Mango w/ Sticky Rice It was amazing how the most random ingredients were combined to create these wonderfully fragrant & flavorful sauces & although we cooked our Thai staples & the dishes we always order, I'd had no idea what actually went in there I really liked how she taught us how to alter the spice to each of our tastes - Jirayu had asked each of us how hot we liked things & then assigned us a number & she was right on the money w/ us both! Sis likes it extremely mild & I like it hot enough to make my nose run..... we both used the same ingredients but each got our targeted number! Impressive! Only thing we did not make from start to finish was the coconut sauce for our Mango w/ Sticky Rice But our 3 hrs class flew by & we had a fab time - huge fans!! read more

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Just returned from having taken a wonderful cooking class with Jirayu at Mama Thai Cooking Club. Jirayu is a star. She is charismatic, patient, and explains things well enough that even a very amateur chef like myself can make a tasty meal! Seriously fool-proof. Everyone has his/her own cooking station complete with a portable gas stove, cooking utensils, and your already prepared mise en place (why, yes, I DO watch Top Chef!), so everything you need is literally at your fingertips. Unlike some cooking classes (which should really be called cooking demos), Jirayu walks you through each step of the cooking process, but you do all the work. But don't worry; cooking with Jirayu is FUN, and you'll be amazed with the Thai flavors that YOU cooked! Here's what was on tonight's menu: - Coconut Soup w/ Chicken - Yellow Curry Beef Roll - Pad Si Ew Everything was delicious. We cooked one dish, ate, cooked another, ate, and repeat. With each bite of one dish came the exciting anticipation of what was up next. What a fun (and filling!) experience! And the pride in knowing that, "Hey, I CAN cook?" Priceless. Thanks, Jirayu! Not only did you feed me well, but you gave me confidence that I cook something other than cup o' noodles. Can't wait to sign up for my next class! P.S. Special thanks also to Jirayu's trusty assistant, who, like a stealth agent/ninja, performed thankless duties from arranging our place settings to washing our dishes to cleaning up our messes. Kob khun ka (name that movie reference!). read more

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Nothing but wonderful things to say about Jirayu's class! The Yelp deal is well worth it - so snag it before it's gone! I had bought this for my boyfriend's birthday and he loved the whole experience! Thai food does have a lot of unfamiliar ingredients but Jirayu made the whole class super easy and fun. Her team had measured out everything and the recipes were easy enough to follow so we didn't have to make a big mess just measuring the ingredients alone or wondering how much to prep. She gave us great tips on cooking, where to shop for the ingredients and even shared stories about her hometown in Thailand. All the food also turned out tasting pretty yummy! Yes, way to toot our own horns, right? I would really love to come back and take another class! ** Parking was not bad at all! read more

Mama Thai Cooking Club - Cooking our yellow curry chicken! - Cooking Classes Near Me

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Highly recommend!! My friends and I LOVED this! We each got the $45 for $85 Yelp deal (enough to sign up for one three-hour class) and it was soo worth it! I don't even cook but Jirayu made it really fun and interesting! The home is beautifully decorated and every person has their own small station of a gas stove and every ingredient/utensil you need. Before cooking each dish, we first learned about the ingredients and which ones we could get at the store that are more authentic. The menu for my class was tom yum soup with shrimp, pad thai with chicken, and red curry with beef. I absolutely loved each dish and they were surprisingly not too difficult to make that I'll definitely try to recreate it myself. It is a lot healthier than what you would get at a Thai restaurant but just as flavorful. In fact the red curry was some of the best curry I have ever had and I couldn't believe I made it. She was also very thoughtful as to make sure everyone's dish was at the right spice level for them. I love that she sends you home with the recipes too. It was really fun to get to meet the other people in the class. After each dish you make you sit down at the communal table to eat with everyone. There were 8 people total in my group and many couples there so it would be a fun date or activity with friends. I would definitely do this again! Amazing deal and experience! read more

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One of the best Homerun deals I've purchased! Fantastic Thai cooking class taught by Ms. Jirayhu - such an excellent teacher! Requested a private class since we had a group of 8 people (max). Scheduling was an ease but book in advance. Class held in a family residence located in the sunset district. A little concerned at first that the the kitchen facility would be a bit cramp with such a large group but the set up was superb! Each student had their own cooking station and each of us prepared our own 3 pre-selected dishes. No one standing around, watching/observing others, or taking copious notes. Everyone got their hands dirty which was great! Not only did we get to cook our own dish but we got to eat it too! The best part of Jirayhu's cooking class is her introduction/explanation of the types of ingredients being used. Not only is she teaching you how to prepare delicious Thai food but preparing it in the most healthiest manner. Ideal for couple and group activities! Had a blast and would definitely be interested in going back to learn more! read more

Highly recommend! We took the afternoon off to finally use last year's xmas present - a gift certificate for Mama Thai's Cooking Club! And what an afternoon it was. We did three delicious dishes in her warm and sunny home kitchen and learned so much about the different spices and how to blend them. Everything is organic and healthy, and results were fantastic! We can't wait to bring our son when he's back from college to teach him to cook something other than ramen noodles! Thank you Jirayu! read more

I bought a Homerun voucher for Mama Thai Cooking Club and procrastinated till it was almost time for the voucher to expire. I finally took the cooking class last weekend and was so pleasantly surprised with how much fun it was. There were a total of 8 people in the class, held at the instructor's home in San Francisco. The layout was perfect in terms of allowing each student their own space and all of the ingredients were provided for our use. We cooked 3 dishes and ate the food after each preparation....yummy! Jirayu is an excellent instructor, friendly, knowledgeable and eager to share her culinary expertise. She's a great cook and is also available as a private chef for dinner parties. Her assistant Eileen was on top of the clean up and prep for the class, which was executed in a smooth flow of events. It was fun to meet new people and learn a new cuisine. I definitely recommend Jirayu's classes and intend to go back to learn more Thai cooking! read more

Just had Jariyu from mama Thai come to our house as a surprise birthday gift for my husbands birthday what a wonderful surprise it was .we learnt how to cook three different dishes they were all superb delicious.she was so professional and clean .highly recommend this .my husband was just thrilled with this surprise .thank you Jariyu. read more

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This is the class I've been looking for! Having moved recently to the Sunset neighborhood and being surrounded by amazing Asian grocery stores, I want to be able to cook authentically, and not have my Chinese stir fry taste like my Vietnamese stir fry which tastes like my Thai stir fry. A friend led me to Mama Thai, which is really more than a cooking class, but an education on what makes Thai food really Thai. Technique-wise, things are very straightforward, mostly high heat, small, bite-sized pieces that cook fast, lots of stirring, etc. What made Jirayu's class special is her attention to ingredients - why certain fish sauces give Thai flavor (vs. Chinese), which soy sauce brands work better than others (and don't contain MSG), the "secret" ingredient for getting sweetness into your Thai cooking. My favorite, though, is her recommendation for rice noodles (which are delicious) - it isn't enough to just buy that brand, but Jirayu gives advice on what time to visit the store so you can get the freshest ones! Call me a cooking geek, but these things really matter to making delicious food. I'm looking forward to my next class, but this time with a market visit. Only one word of caution, though, when Jirayu asks you "how spicy you like your dish," look out! read more

I just got home after an amazing experience at Mama Thai Cooking club. We learned how to make Tom Yum soup, minced beef with basil, and home made panang curry with fish. She let us take pictures, ask questions, and told us which ingredient brands to purchase and where. The classes are held in her home and each student has their own cooking station. She has her business license posted along with her accreditations and many student photos. Before we began the class you had to sign a waiver and list any food allergies. I have slight skin allergies in combination with eating shrimp. She said if I told her sooner she would have substituted it with chicken for me. I told her it was ok and that I'd just drink the broth, but she was kind enough to make me a tofu version and let me bring mine home to husband. Most of the food prep (washing) was done by the teacher and her assistant. But we did chop and cook the food ourselves. She starts out each course by teaching us the ingredients and then moving onto our personal stations. After we're done cooking we plate each dish and then sit down to eat our food course by course. I had a wonderful time and will definitely take this class again. read more

Fantastic cooking class! My boyfriend gave me a private class for 2 for my birthday, and we had a fantastic time. Jirayu is sweet and a thorough teacher. I feel like the ingredients she uses are healthier options to typical restaurant style thai food, and she gives you tips to be able to find them yourself at local markets. The space is gorgeous, and the food is delicious. Full of flavor, perfectly laid out to easily use. We made: Honey Baby Pork Ribs Fried Drunken Noodle with Shrimp Yellow Pumpkin Curry with Chicken They were all phenomenal. I can't wait to make more! Don't try to stuff yourself too much on the dishes, you can take them home :) Lots of leftovers! Thank you Jirayu for the wonderful class! read more

We just had a cooking class with Jiraya last night and it was fantastic. We were a group of 8 and we were set up with our own individual cooking stations (burners, cutting boards, aprons). We made Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and red curry with alaskan cod. Jiraya was great in modifying recipes for people with dietary restrictions (she makes you sign in with any relevant restrictions before you get going) Throughout the process she explained where she bought the products she used (anywhere from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and the Asian supermarkets) and what types of products to buy (no MSG, gluten free, etc) The class was well paced as we got to eat after every dish and we were definitely full and satisfied with leftovers by the time we were done. I would highly recommend a cooking class for people looking to try something different. You get a lot more interaction and a great sense of accomplishment (not to mention knowing exactly what went into your dish) That being said, if you like Thai food and you're looking for a place to start, I'd start with Jiraya. She's friendly and extremely clear in her instruction and she makes it super fun. read more

My cousin invited us to her bachelorette party this past weekend for our group of 8. I am so glad her sister picked Mama Thai Cooking club and was able to participate and cook along with our cooking instructor, Jirayu. My first thought was "what? I can go on youtube and learn how to cook Thai food...." The 3 dishes we picked to learn was: Minced Beef with long beans, Shrimp pad thai, and Green curry egg plant shrimp w/ coconut milk But the after going there and experiencing this in person, I realized it is quite worth it. Everyone in the party got to cook in our cooking station. Which is a plus! I like the hands on experience and not like other cooking class party I went to before where they split you into group and everyone shares a turn to stir fry or marinated the ingredient. Jirayu will show you how to prep and prepare for the dish and will walk around and assist you if you need. I don't feel stress out and she was super friendly when you have a question... she will explain it with patience. It is a different experience unlike going to youtube online since there's more interacting during the class with the instructor. The ingredients that Jirayu introduces us was either more healthier, less MSG and organic. I like how she would teaches 3 pre selected dishes and each time after you finish cooking, you can enjoy and eat the food with your group and afterward, we will continue with the next dish. Can't forget about Connie.... the assistant for Jirayu. She would clean our cooking pan and our cooking boards and replace/replensish our sauces/ food ingredients mostly during the time when we're eating our food. And if you can't finish your food, she allows us to bring it own. My hubby got to try my Thai cooking that taste pretty good like eating out at a restaurant BUT even better!!! Thank you Jirayu and Connie for the wonderful experience and giving us the knowledge to make good and healthy home cooking Thai food and allowing a group of friends/family to hang out and cook together!!! I will be back next time to learn other dishes!! (maybe I will bring my hubby next time so he can cook me something yummy!) read more

Loved the experience!!! Class was held in her house which was interesting. I think there was plenty of space and everyone has their own set-up and ingredients. Jirayu was patient and a great teacher. The food we made actually tasted good & authentic. We made the Green Papaya Salad, Coconut Soup w/ Chicken, & Panang Beef. All were delicious! read more

Jirayu is amazing. She is extremely patient with her elaborately detailed instructions, especially the important small steps and made sure we were 100% confident with what we were preparing. We found our dishes easily achieved the authentic flavor we desire. Its evident she's been doing this for years, not only because she explains all the ingredients, and can take you to the store to find the proper brand, but also the amount of hands on instruction was far more than we expected. This was an experience we will never forget. The reason every review is five stars is because you can't give it six. read more

Fun and hands-on cooking class! Jirayu demystifies Thai cooking and breaks everything into easy simple steps. Everyone has own cooking station with the ingredients and spices. We cook, we eat and someone's there to clean up. Jirayu is friendly and patient. I especially appreciate the useful tips on what ingredients to buy and where to buy them. Tip: Go with a group of friends and have a cooking party. read more

Jirayu makes healthy thai food! Likes she says, "if you cook it this way, you won't get fat". I know she's a woman of her word because she used things like nutiva coconut oil, organic coconut milk, and let us know what brands to lean towards to avoid msg. She also let us know where to get the harder to find ingredients such as the kaffir lime leaves. Her website lays out 3 course meals options to choose from, you just click on the date of the class you'd like to join, and then pay online. My boyfriend and I cook alot and really enjoying working as a team to create meals so this was a great date night. I appreciate Jirayu's attention to food allergies, as I am someone who has a strong response to shrimp. We made chicken cocunut soup, pad see eeww and beef red curry (from scratch with a mortar and pestle!) She made it so easy and we have practiced many times and have got it down. Also, her fees are SOOOO REASONABLE. We were originally looking at Italian cooking classes and others but Jiraryu goes above and beyond without costing an arm and a leg. Book a class with Jirayu and continue giving her positive reviews so that her legacy continues! read more

8 of us bought the HomeRun deal, so we got a private class. We liked it so much, we'll probably take another class to learn more recipes. The instructor was very patient and informative. We all had our own cooking stations, so we all cooked the 3 dishes we had pre-selected. No one had to sit around, waiting for their turn. Also, you eat what you cook, so you can season to taste. Our group ran the gamut from 1 to 12 on the spiciness scale, so that was great. It was a really fun activity to do on a Saturday afternoon, and I'm looking forward to the next time. read more

My husband signed us up for this cooking class as part of my birthday gift--and I'm so glad he did! From beginning to end, it was great! The class size was small (only 10 people) so there was lots of personal attention. * What we loved about this class was that everyone had their own cooking station and got to prepare everything individually. In other cooking classes, students were split up into groups and each group would prepare a different dish. Not every student would get to have hands-on experience. * We also liked that we would cook one course, eat, cook the next course, eat...no need to wait all the way until the end to eat! * Juriya also uses fresh organic/grass-fed/no msg types of ingredients which results in healthier dishes. * Students also get to pack up all their extra food to be taken home for later enjoyment :) Overall, a really great experience and I would definitely recommend! read more

My boyfriend have me a lesson for two for a Christmas gift. We didn't know what to expect since it was at a private home and we had never done anything like this before. Also, we thought it would be a challenge since he eats meat and I'm a veggie. Once we got started, it was great and we understood what was going on. We each made our own dishes and were able to see the modifications between the meat and non-meat versions of the dishes. What I appreciated most was her breakdown of all the ingredients and the recommended products. It would be great if she provided a list of all the recommended products and things to have on hand in your cupboard and where she finds them. Either way, we enjoyed a lovely afternoon together and good quality time and made gourmet style Thai dishes. We are so excited now, we want to cook for our friends. This class gave us confidence. We made Tom Kha soup, pad Thai, and shrimp panang/red curry. read more

I HIGHLY recommend Mama Thai Cooking Club!!! My boyfriend and I had a cooking class with her as my Christmas gift to him and we both really enjoyed it. He was worried that it was going to be awkward, but it wasn't at all -- Jirayu is super friendly and easy-going and is very patient, even with noobs like me. We worked out the details of the class over email; she's very responsive and accomodating. We couldn't make any of the dates for her public classes, so she hosted a class just for the two of us for only $85/person! We got to pick the date, time, and 3 dishes to cook. Before the class, we met at an Asian supermarket in the Sunset district. She took us around the store and showed us ingredients that we'd be using, as well as common ingredients used in Thai cooking. She gave us great tips, such as which brands used less preservatives, were more authentic, had a milder flavor, etc. Then we met her back at her place, which is really cute!! Her living room/dining room is all set up for the class -- each person gets their own station with the necessary materials for cooking, and she'll lead you through each recipe very slowly so that you can follow along. Here is a big selling point if you're looking for a cooking class -- at a lot of other classes I looked into, it seemed like everyone worked communally on a dish, each person putting in a few ingredients. That can be hectic and also leave you without a sense of how the full meal is cooked. Here, each person makes each dish, so you make everything yourself! After you cook a dish, you eat it at a cute dining table set up by the cooking stations. It's a nice break between cooking dishes and gives you a chance to appreciate how DELICIOUS the food is, even though it was made by YOU and not a fancy Thai restaurant! Seriously, we were both surprised by how good the food was. My boyfriend commented that it tasted just like the dishes we normally order at Thai restaurants. We chose to make a green papaya salad, thai basil chicken, and yellow curry. All of the dishes were really good (especially the papaya salad and basil chicken) and really, really simple to make. Even though I'm not great at cooking, I'm confident that I can remake all the dishes myself at home. If you're at all interested in a cooking class or in cooking Thai food, definitely go here. It's an awesome experience and you'll come away actually knowing how to cook great Thai food! read more

After reading all the good reviews on-line, I took the plunge and trekked out to the Sunset for a semi-private class with Jirayu. She teaches Thai cooking classes out of her home as well as private parties at your place. To say she exceeded all my expectations in every way (knowledge and experience, friendly demeanor, excellent teaching style and superb recipes) would be an understatement. I was greeted by a Jirayu on my arrival, and guided through where all the ingredients were and the teaching space. It's a pretty homey affair, so I was a bit unsure of what I was getting into at first, but it became quickly apparent that I was in excellent hands. We had agreed on making three separate dishes I had previously chosen (we ended up making four dishes...excellent!) Each student had a small work station with a stove, chopping board and utensils. Common use ingredients were in the middle of the table. Each student created their own dish from start to finish under Jirayu's gentle instruction. She gave ideas on substitutions and customizations based on your preferences. While I could have made any of these dishes just reading off the printed recipes, it is readily apparent that mine wouldn't have turned out half as well without good instruction. Timing, technique and proper balance of ingredients are the key to bringing out the complex flavors of the food. After each dish was created we sat down for a tasting while Jirayu prepped for the next dish and neatly packed up any leftovers in containers for us to take home. By the end of the class I was 1) full as a tick, 2) feeling as if I learned a tremendous amount of information 3) able to recreate these dishes at home (I did) 4) had enough left overs from class for dinner that night and lunch the next day and 5) felt I had spent my money very wisely. Without question I will be going back for more classes. Thank you Jirayu for an excellent cooking class experience. read more

A very fun learning experience. Jirayu is very friendly and open to her students, she answers all questions patiently. Very efficient and clean setup and every student gets to cook at their own station. We also get the leftovers in neatly packed containers to take home. I was very happy to cook spring rolls, pad thai, and the best green curry with fresh made curry paste in the class. Highly recommended!! read more

Wow! We took a class at Mama Thai Cooking Club last Friday. There were 8 cooking stations set up so we all cooked the food we ate. The first dish we made was the Tom Yum soup with chicken. It was very good and even better the day after (we had leftovers). Next, we made the spicy beef with basil. It was AWESOME!! It tasted totally authentic and restaurant quality....or better! The last dish was the panang Sawai fish. It was sooooooooooo good too! We could hardly believe we made it! Jirayu was an awesome instructor! She is super-knowledgeable, teaches you what to do, why, and what to buy and why. And to top it off, she's funny too. We emailed her the next day with a couple of questions and she replied really quickly. We're definitely going to cook these dishes so we can impress our family and friends! BTW, we liked the format of the class: Cook a dish, then eat it. Cook the next dish, then eat it. Cook the last dish, then eat it. Overall grade: A+ read more

I was invited to a party that featured the Mama Thai Cooking Club. There were several courses of excellent dishes. I really love the chicken curry soup. all ingredients were fresh and the spice/hotness appealed to all. I would highly recommend them as a class or for a function you may be having. read more

Awesome experience! Her workspace is setup in her house out near the coast in SF, nestled in a quiet neighborhood that had plenty of parking. Jirayu was extremely friendly and welcomed us in, even though we were a little early and they were still setting up. (I started helping out with some of the prep :-) ) The dining room was converted to a kitchen classroom, with 3 main tables with each student getting their own cooking station (burner, pots, cutting board, etc.) The spices in the middle of the table are shared. Each lesson started with an overview of the ingredients for the dish, Jirayu would go over the items, where you can find them, and in some cases what you can substitute. Then she would walk us though the cooking process, visiting each student, and when the dish was almost ready, would taste/recommend any spices to bring out the flavor. After plating our own dishes, we would retire to the main dinning table to chat and socialize with the rest of the students. Meanwhile Jirayu's helpers clean up your station and prep it for the next dish. Since every student cooks about 2 servings per dish, Jirayu automaticaly supplies to go containers. Once you've had your fill, and the stations are ready, you repeat the steps for the remaining dishes. All in all, it was a great experience, and set at a terrific pace. I would highly recommend her classes to anyone (I know I'll be bringing friends back). read more

Heard about this class through a friend, and we both got a deal through Pinchit. This was one of the BEST cooking classes I have ever experienced! Jirayu is an excellent instructor. My favorite part about her is that she is into very healthy cooking. I never knew you could find healthier versions of Asian ingredients! My friend and I took the vegetarian class and although we are not solely vegetarians, each dish was so full of flavor and very simple to make! I will definitely be back for more lessons! Great job Jirayu! read more

What an awesome experience! I went with three friends for a class we'd purchased through Homerun. Having never been to a cooking class, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived, we signed a waiver, and were asked about our food allergies and our spiciness tolerance. After that, it was straight to the food education! The instructor spent a good amount of time going over the basic sauces and ingredients, giving really valuable callouts on what to look for when shopping (e.g. these two brands look the same, but one has 2% sodium and one is 58%). After that, cooking time! We made green papaya salad (awesomely simple), yellow curry rolls (super, super delicious but making curry paste is hard!) and basil eggplant. All in all, everything turned out great and the recipes were easy to follow thanks to the awesome instruction! In addition, she is a riot - totally willing to mix it up with her students (I in particular was the brunt of many jokes) but always ensuring everyone is keeping up and comfortable. If this review sounds effusive in its praise, that's because it's 100% meant to - this is one of the coolest culinary experiences I've had, and I would highly recommend it to 95% of people (the 5% - experience Asian/Thai chefs). Tl;dr version: GO.HERE.NOW. read more

I bought a private cooking class for my mom and I as a mother's day gift. It was absolutely amazing. The class is nicely set up and everything was prepared very well. She taught us how to cook the yellow beef curry rolls, which i HIGHLY recommend. It is lots of fun to make and tastes REALLY good! We had lots of lefts overs to let my brothers and dad try as well. After you cook the food, she has a nice sitting area for you to eat while she prepares for the next dish. The second and third dish we cooked was the basil shrimp and pad thai, which were amazing as well. What i liked a lot was that she didn't just teach you how to cook the dish, but she also teaches you how to make the dish look nice as well. Jirayu was very helpful, patient, and kind. She goes out of her way to give you any recipes you need and also gives you lots of cooking tips. The price is really worth it. Believe me. You aren't just getting a thai cooking class, but you are also getting a lesson on cooking in general, how to decorate the plate and put the finishing touches, a meal because she has you sit down after every time you cook to eat, and lastly there are A LOT of left overs afterwards. So, you get food for the next few days as well! read more

I got the private class as an xmas present for my girlfriend since we enjoy cooking and didn't have any experience cooking Thai food the traditional way. Our session took place at Jirayu's own apartment, but was professionally set up and at the same time relaxed and comfortable. We decided on Tom Yom soup, Pad Thai w/chicken, and Red Curry chicken w/squash. We each had our own cooking station giving us each the opportunity to make our own dish. It was a lot of fun sampling each other's creation and experiencing both the large and subtle differences. Jirayu was very friendly and easy to get a long with. She has a little bit of sass that made the cooking fun. You do everything from preparing the shrimp and cutting the meat/veggies to plating/garnishing the food. So, you are actually cooking here. You also get the recipes for the food you make, but take notes...there are definitely little difference that could make/break the outcome! She will tell you her favorite brands, where to find the best ingredients, and give you extras such as how to make the fresh curry (that you can freeze and use a little at a time). Also, the Pad thai turned out way better than I've had at some restaurants! This was an awesome couples date and I received the "best gift ever" affirmation from the GF. It would be fun to do as a group with people that you know, or even meet new friends. I completely recommend Jirayu for anybody looking for a cozy, delicious, traditional Thai cooking experience. read more

Mama Thai Cooking Club - Pad Thai that was about to go into this hungry hungry hippo - Cooking Classes Near Me

Fantastic Experience with my loved one. I bought a private cooking class as a bday gift for my boyfriend. We had a wonderful time with Jirayu. We made Tom Yum soup, Pad Thai, Spicy Chicken with Basil. My bf is not a big fan of curry, but I do. Jirayu was so nice and taught me one more dish of yellow curry chicken. She was extremely patient and detailed to introduce ingredients and steps to make the curry paste, I am so happy my bf enjoyed the curry very much, and that is a turning point for him to be a curry fan. :) Besides that, I am very impressed with Jirayu well organized, resourceful and professional teaching skills. She assigned a helper to clean up and prepare for next dish ingredient and cooking utensils, so everything is all ready to cook when we done tasting the previous dish. This is not only a superior cooking class, but also a FIRST CLASS dining experience with my love one. A big heartfelt Thank You to Jirayu for organizing such a great class, I would definitely book another class in the future again. read more

Mama Thai is nothing short of 5 stars! I bought a private cooking class for my boyfriend for a Valentines gift, so we could try something completely new and different! We both like to cook, but usually cannot cook more than a simple meal for two. We were a little nervous going into it that we would not be able to keep up, or that it would be a little weird being in her home kitchen. However, as soon as we got in and started cooking, our worries where gone! Jirayu was sweet, knowledgeable of her art, and explained each step and direction very thoroughly. She even made sure to take photos for us with my camera so we could take home some memories with our food! We made Spring Rolls, Yellow Curry and Pad Thai, all of which were delicious! We also had lots of leftovers to bring home any enjoy for the week. I would HIGHLY recommended Mama Thai for anyone looking to do something a little different. This could be a great date, afternoon out with friends, or even something to do with a big group pf people. Whatever the occasion, I'm sure everyone would have a blast with Jirayu! read more

Sign up for Jirayu's cooking class. She is absolutely fantastic. She makes cooking fun and the food is sooooo delicious. You'll never be able to go back to eating at a Thai restaurant anymore after you have her home-made curry paste. Jirayhu is very knowledgeable, super nice, and very consciencious about nutrition and what we put in our body is good for us. If you have a group of 8, buy out her entire class so that you and your friends can enjoy a really nice afternoon together - cooking, eating and enjoying quality time. The class is educational and a lot of fun. Go sign up! We love you, Jirayhu. read more

Great birthday gift... fun Thai cooking class, informative, casual and relaxed... and tasty. You learn about basics - even how to cut chicken properly, which ingredients to buy and not to buy (and where!) - for organic and fresh food conscious californians. Jirayu will make sure everyone does it right... so you feel you can cook Thai food. Making curry from scratch was the highlight for me and consuming it as well - delicious! read more

We had the best time ever! My daughter and I joined 4 other strangers for an evening of food and fun. We couldn't have been more surprised. The location (a former residence in the middle of a residential neighborhood) was intimidating. We didn't know if we were in the right spot. But once inside the home we were treated to a most wonderful evening of cooking great Thai food. We both know our way around a kitchen and know the difference between chiffonade and julienne. But some of the others in the class didn't know how to slice. It didn't matter. Jirayu was amazing, easy to follow, good with all cooking experience levels and it was evident she loves her native Thia culture. Her sous chef was fabulous. She had everything ready before we needed it. I would recommend this to ANYONE! We are talking about making the 200 mile journey over a weekend to join the cooking club again! read more