So much fun! Everything was neatly organized and easy to understand. The host and his wife were super friendly and talked us through all the dishes. The food also tasted really good, we were able to modify all spice levels.

We had a wonderful day at this house. Apple and her family were so friendly and attentive. We made several Thai recipes. It was fun and interesting. Thank you for an unforgettable experience. 🥰

Amazing class, delicious food! Pimmy was an amazing teacher. We had a fantastic trip to the market where Pimmy patiently explained to us all of the various ingredients we would be using, including how to pickout the freshest shrimp! Then we went back to her professionally outfitted cooking school, in an air-conditioned room where she had us cooking in no time. Our family agree that the meal we made and then enjoyed was one of the best meals we had ever had. Flavorful, beautifully presented, and so much fun. This class was just terrific.

This was truly extraordinary! We were picked up from our hotel and taken on a very informative tour of 2 different markets. After tasting and buying ingredients we got on the boat to Aoy’s restaurant. What a beautiful place! We had some snacks and relaxed before starting our amazing cooking class. Aoy is so knowledgeable about the food and the recipes. Everything was fresh, healthy and delicious. She is a fantastic teacher and chef! It’s not a surprise she won Iron Chef Thailand! I recommend this experience for anyone looking g to learn more about Thailand, cuisine and cooking!

Day 90, Bangkok: Ms. Aoy, winner of Iron Chef Thailand 2023 reality show, was our host and guide for our Thai market and cooking experience, a gift from our awesome TA Tami. We have now met Le Ly's Thai doppelganger - a strong-willed, non-stop, passionate asian woman - a cross between an energizer bunny and an Italian momma pushing food. We ate waaaay too much and sometimes struggled to keep up with her fast paced walking. After a short boat ride passing riverside homes and businesses, we arrived at Damoen Floating Market where Aoy's love of food was first revealed. "You have to try this" was the refrain - deep fried bananas, white rice with pork, a noodle soup, creamy coconut, coconut pancakes. We tried to eat all this delicious food and show respect to the vendors she clearly knew well, but there was so so much of it. And that was only the beginning. As we walked along pathways, she picked herbs and fruit for us to taste, items we would have walked right by. We proceeded to Rai Khing, the village just outside Bangkok where Aoy grew up. She left for 20 years to work in tourism, but was drawn back by her love of the cooking she learned from her mother. On the way, she had the driver pull over at a roadside stand to buy grapes and longans for us to bring back to the ship (she insisted) and purchased two grapevines to add to her garden at home, proudly sharing how cheap they were. The village market was a beehive of activity - clean, bright, and welcoming. Sample after sample of fruits, herbs, nuts, and other delicacies were offered, all as Aoy conversed with her friends and neighbors in Thai. She had mentioned that we would take her boat from the market to her restaurant...but we didn't expect HER to be driving it. A signboard with our names welcomed us at Aoywaan Riverside dock and cold cloths wrapped around fresh herbs were presented with instructions to snap the branches and squeeze to release the juices into the cloth. The pungent aromas made the cool cloths even more refreshing. I had mentioned seeing workers in a Cambodian restaurant making decorations from Lotus buds. At our table was a vase of lotus buds for an impromptu lesson in lotus bud folding - she had called ahead for her staff to gather some. After donning our hats and aprons, we proceeded with our cooking lessons, preparing green curry, mango salad, pad Thai, and sticky rice - all from scratch. An ingredient review had us smelling and tasting samples of each item in their raw forms, all laid out with labels for our learning. No modern blenders - everything ground and blended using mortar and pestle. It takes a surprising amount of physical strength to do it. When I got tired and Aoy took over, she pounded so hard and fast that pieces were flying out the sides! Soon it was time to taste our masterpieces - so delicious and fresh. A surprise birthday dessert and a rousing rendition of happy birthday by her whole staff ended an amazing afternoon. After fond farewells, and with a bag of fruits and goodies that we could hardly carry, we departed for the four hour ride to meet our ship. No Azamazing Evening for us, despite best laid plans. The thought of getting on a bus for a 45 min ride - no way! We stayed on board, happy to be home after a week away.