Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Chengdu, China

4 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Learn how to make Sichuan-style mapo tofu, a popular Chinese dish, during a cooking class in Chengdu. You’ll start with a visit to a spice market to see all the different ingredients that can be used in Chinese cuisine, and then head to the cooking location for tea and your lesson with a professional chef. Finally, sit down to enjoy your mapo tofu along with beer or other beverage. Booking in advance ensures you won’t risk a sold-out activity.

A cooking class is a great way to gain insight into local culture
Take a break from another restaurant meal by making your own Chinese dish
Limited to 10 for a small-group experience
Hassle-free round-trip transport provided from select Chengdu locations

Sample Menu

Main

Mapo Tofu

What's Included

Market tour
Food ingredients
Beverages or beer/Local Tea
Light refreshments
Lunch or dinner based on your class schedule
Recipes
Souvenir

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

梁家巷
Jinniu District, Chengdu, China, 610051
Your guide will meet you at Liang Jia Xiang Metro Stop Exit D ,Line 6 （梁家巷地铁站D口，6号线），the morning class meeting time is 08:50, afternoon class meeting time is 13:50,evening class is 16:50

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Chilli Cool China

Chilli Cool's Kitchen

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Minimum age is 3 years
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Stroller accessible
Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Near public transportation
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Please wear comfortable walking shoes
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0

based on 19 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great local cooking experience!

Amy_T, Jul 2025

It was a very cool experience! Jerry, the tour guide, was very helpful throughout the experience, even before the activity had started. Before the experience had even begun, he reached out to clarify the different workshops that Chilli Uncool had. I eventually changed to the workshop he suggested, "Half-day Chengdu Handmade Tofu Making and Mapo Tofu Cooking Class." We started off the tour with cultural insight of people’s day to day lives than we arrived at the market. Jerry was able to go through the items are specific to the region. We went to the Chilli Uncool office. It had a very homey feel. The ah yi (aunt) already prepped all the things we need to make tofu and cook. While we were settling in, Jerry showed me step by step on how to make their region’s wonton. I was able to make some too! Afterwards, we started to ground the beans by using a stone mortar. The ah yi and Jerry provided lots of details and modeling for the process. We taste tested everything along the process…like soy milk and tofu soup with ah yi handmade sauce. At the end, we made tofu! While the tofu was being solidfied, we cooked mapo tofu with everything prepped already! It was awesome. The ah yi made a few other dishes and explained differences between each region. At the end, we had a great meal of the mapo tofu I made and the other dishes ah yi made too. Jerry was a great conversationalist and very knowledgeable.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Friend, Thank you for diving deep into Sichuan’s food culture with us today! The local market wasn’t just shopping – it was a journey into the heart of Sichuan’s flavors, and you embraced it beautifully. Then turning those fresh ingredients into delicious dishes? Pure magic! We’ve attached the recipe booklet and a list of the market vendors we visited. Revisit the tastes and share your stories with us! Gratefully, Lance Chilli Cool Sichuan Cultural Eats

Best Mapo Tofu

Rachel_M, Jun 2024

100% Recommend this class. We were met at the station by Jerry and taken to a local food market. The food Market was an experience in its self and we ended up picking up some spices to take back home with us. After the Market Jerry took us to where we would be learning to make Mapo Tofu. There we met Leon who was our chef teacher for the morning. both Jerry and Leon were very knowledgeable and were able to answer all our questions. Leon was a very good teach and made it very easy to learn. Our Mapo tofu tasted amazing and I will definitly be making this at home.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you for joining our Interactive Mapo tofu Workshop! We hope you had a great time exploring the market and learning hands-on cooking skills. Tag @ChilliCoolChina in your food photos! It was a pleasure having you with us, and we'd love to see you again in future sessions. Warmly, Lance Chilli Cool Team