Although Ko Mak is famous for its peaceful and natural beauty, there are many activities from which visitors may choose. For food lovers and aspiring chefs, Smile Ko Mak Thai Cooking School is highly recommended and is known for having a friendly atmosphere. After the class, students will have the opportunity to share their creations with each other. Students will walk away full of confidence in their new skills, and a full belly.
The kind owner of the school is Ms. Warisara Ariyawongpreecha, or Khun Leng for short. She is the daughter of a Thao ChioŽ, which means chef in Chinese language. Cooking was central to her family, which had a catering business in Yaowarat (Bangkokžs Chinatown). With a chef in the home, she absorbed his techniques and grew up to be a cooking lover. After graduating from college, she held many different vocations; such as, a volunteer teacher, an environmental activist and a restaurateur in Bangkok. However, she always dreamt of living in the province and went on to open a cooking school in Ko Chang, before finally deciding to settle in Ko Mak.
The School is a compact, single storey house by the sea located near the famous Ko Mak Seafood restaurant. Students showing up at the school only need to be prepared to have fun since the school is fully equipped with all the kitchenware, ingredients and raw materials; such as, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. The class usually starts with a discussion about favourite foods, tolerance to spicy foods, allergies, and so on; so the menu can be adjusted to cater to the tastes of each student. Khun Leng believes that cooking means more than just filling your hunger, it is a sharing of experiences and cultures.
There are two rounds of classes each day, starting in the morning between the hours of 10.00 a.m.- 2.00 p.m. and again in the afternoon between 3.00-7.00 p.m. The students are limited to 4 people per class, either coming as a group or joining the group. Each person will cook 4 dishes with a detailed consultation for each step. The first dish is a delicious comfort food; such as, Phat Thai. The second dish is something fried, which could be chicken with cashew nuts, fried vegetables or turmeric fried fish. The third round is a soup; such as, coconut soup, massaman, Phanaeng or green curry. Students will learn about the different spices and various ingredients that are used in Thai soups and curries, including chili, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, pepper and many more. They will also be instructed on how to use a mortar to make their own pastes. The final dish will be a dessert selection like bananas in coconut milk, mangoes with sticky rice, or egg custard in pumpkin.
The inviting aroma of Thai food and soup would cause anyone to get hungry. After the preparation is finished, the dishes will be served on a common table to be shared and enjoyed as a group, set to the sound of the soothing waves.
To join the Smile Koh Mak Thai Cooking School, contact Khun Leng at Tel.: +66(0)8 1901 9972 or visit the school’s website at www.smilekohmak.com.
