Penang Cooking Class:Dive into Malaysian Cuisine with PenangChiak
Recommended by 100% of travelers
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Penang, Malaysia
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the flavors of Penang and learn how to recreate them yourself at home when you participate in this cooking class. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and year-round festivities of this historical island, known as Malaysia's culinary paradise. Join the morning market tour and experience the lively atmosphere as merchants interact with customers. Learn the secrets behind the ingredients and cooking techniques, allowing you to dive deeper into the art of spice handling and gain exclusive culinary knowledge.
- Experience Penang's flavorful lifestyle via an immersive cooking class
- Prepare Kueh Pie Tee, Char Kway Teow, Choon Piah, Masala Chicken, and more
- Tour the market, from stall to stall, shopping for authentic ingredients
- Discover the secret techniques for handling spices when cooking
Sample Menu
Starter
Nyonya Kuih Pai Tee
Join our class and master Kueh Pie Tee, a popular Peranakan dish. A crispy tart filled with veggies and prawns, perfect for tea parties!
Main
Char Koay Teow
Experience the joy of cooking Char Kway Teow, a stir-fried rice noodle dish, in our class. Dive into the flavors of Hokkien and Teochew cuisine.
Main
Choon Piah
Master the art of making Choon Pheah, a Hainanese crab meat spring roll, in our cooking class. Embark on a culinary journey into Asian cuisine.
Main
Roti Canai
Discover the art of making Roti Canai, a beloved Southeast Asian flatbread, in our cooking class. Embark on a culinary exploration of Asian cuisine.
Main
Banana Leaves Indian Set
Learn to prepare Indian curries and vegetarian condiments on banana leaves in our class. Experience the fusion of India and Malaysia in your palate!
Main
Masala Chicken
Master the art of Chicken Masala, an Indian dish combining chicken, spices, herbs, onions, and tomatoes. Experience the flavors of India in Malaysia!
Main
Dosai set
Experience the art of making Dosa, a thin South Indian pancake made from fermented black lentils and rice batter, in our engaging cooking class.
Main
Penang Hokkien Mee
Dive into the art of making Penang Hokkien Mee, a popular prawn noodle soup from Penang, Malaysia. A taste of Malaysia awaits you!
Main
Fish Head Curry
Discover the art of preparing a red snapper fish head stewed in curry with assorted vegetables like okra and eggplants in our cooking class.
Main
Chicken Rice
Uncover the secrets of making Hainanese Chicken Rice, a dish of poached chicken and seasoned rice, served with chili sauce and cucumber garnishes.
What's Included
- Morning Market Tour: for morning classes at 8:00AM only
- BreakfastMorning Food Tour For Morning Classes ONLY
- All ingredients and kitchen utensils are provided for you. You simply need to bring a spirit of learning and an open heart.
- Souvenir (Subject to Availability)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
What To Expect
1
Chowrasta Market
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
MatthewB_L
I would leave them 10 stars if I could! They were so sweet and informative. Offered to pick us up from the cruise port and even gave us great ideas for after the class including dropping us off at the first location. The food was amazing and little did we know that we were getting a rare Nyonya cooking class. Mok and Amy were amazing hosts. I highly recommend you do this class.
Reviews
5.0
based on 163 reviews
Florence_Y, Apr 2026
This tour is operated by a lovely family- Amy is the wife and the chef and the husband, Mr. Mok & son, Simon, were the tour guides. Mr. Mok also was out unofficial photographer and videographer and sent all the pictures and videos immediately after the trip. The morning market was so informative and they included a quick typical Malaysian street food breakfast in the market before the class. The cooking class was fun and we had a great meal at the end from homemade tea to appetizer to main courses to dessert. If I had anything negative to say, it was that the cooking class was a bit hotter than we are used to back in the States but they had multiple fans & cooling systems going and tried their best to keep us cool. The whole family was so kind and accommodating, making every effort to make sure we were having a good time & comfortable. I would highly recommend! With the morning market, it was a long tour. I think we ended closer to 3pm after starting at 8:10am but we really enjoyed it. It’s also very close to Georgetown so you can go explore afterward.
Dawn_G, Mar 2026
Absolutely fantastic experience, started with a market tour and tried a few local dishes (they will tell you to come hungry - take the advice!), then learned to cook a lot of local dishes. Learned loads about the history and culture throughout, absolutely wonderful hosts! Really recommend this class ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
MatthewB_L, Feb 2026
I would leave them 10 stars if I could! They were so sweet and informative. Offered to pick us up from the cruise port and even gave us great ideas for after the class including dropping us off at the first location. The food was amazing and little did we know that we were getting a rare Nyonya cooking class. Mok and Amy were amazing hosts. I highly recommend you do this class.
Crystal_R, Feb 2026
We had the most wonderful experience taking this class. Our hosts really spent the time to teach us about Malaysian culture and cuisine. The class was fun, informative and taught us new techniques for cooking. The food was incredible. Absolutely a must do.
Jean_S, Jan 2026
Touring the market was very interesting. Instructors were very knowledgeable about the dishes and were open to answering questions about other aspects of Malay culture. Very educational and good food as well.
Sarah_K, Jan 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
I was blown away by this cooking class. It didn’t just teach the food—it taught the culture behind it. The market tour covered so many aspects of Malaysian life, and the entire experience was packed with information in a way that felt natural, not overwhelming. The class layout was impressive, everything was organized beautifully, and the recipes were detailed and easy to follow. I left with real knowledge, real skills, and a much deeper appreciation for Malaysia’s diverse cultures. I highly recommend this class to anyone visiting.
CW_K, Jan 2026
Simon met us at the cruise port. His dad drove us to the market where we saw the ingredients we would be using. Amy was outstanding in showing and explaining what we would be doing. The food we made was excellent. The facility was clean. We would recommend this cooking class to everyone.
John_H, Jan 2026
Exceeded expectations on several levels. The market tour was instructive and the cooking a dream not to say delicious
Pam_V, Jan 2026
If you’re looking to learn more about Malaysian cooking and the history of Penang’s cuisine, this course is wonderful. It’s full of excellent cooking tips and advice, resulting in truly delicious dishes. If you choose an earlier start, the market tour is especially interesting.
The experience was also great fun. We were made to feel very welcome and well looked after throughout. Highly recommended. Thank you Mok and Amy.
Helen_B, Jan 2026
Amy, Mok, Simonienz and the team were very knowledgeable, engaging and were clearly very well connected into Penang’s food scene. Good experience at the market and when cooking and eating the food we made!
namikongo04, Dec 2025
Overall very good experience with passionate crew, trying to keep the culture alive. But it felt more like lecture than having fun with cooking. Recipe display would be helpful and less hands-on can be offered depending on people’s preferences. Better photos should be provided if attendees are told to focus on the class too!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you! The feedback you share in class are considered, we will look into more improvements with lesser time.
Deana_L, Dec 2025
This was hands down one of the best cooking classes I’ve ever done and a true highlight of my trip to Malaysia. We chose the morning class in Penang, which included a market tour, and it was exciting, informative, and incredibly immersive from the very start.
Mok and Simon were exceptionally generous with their time and knowledge, explaining ingredients, techniques, and local food culture in a way that made everything easy to understand and fascinating. The cooking class itself was perfectly paced—hands-on, well organised, and packed with useful tips. I was genuinely impressed by what we were able to create under their guidance.
The experience was topped off by an unforgettable feast, hosted by the lovely Nonya Amy and Mok. The food we made—including a curry, Char Kway Teow, kaya dessert, and several other dishes—was outstanding and honestly one of the best meals I had in Malaysia.
An exceptional experience from start to finish. I couldn’t recommend this class more highly.
jontymaltz, Dec 2025
This a great experience not to be missed. The tour starts in the market where Mok explained many of the products & had us taste some. We then had a light breakfast & went up to the kitchen for our cooking lesson. Mok’s kindness & enthusiasm didn’t flag .It was wonderful!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for the great feedback!
Timothy_L, Nov 2025
The experience was great, it felt like I was entering a local Penang family's home and learning their secret recipes. I took the Nonya class and I was the only student in that morning session class.
The morning market tour with Mok was fun and interesting. He brought me around, showing me certain things which I knew and gave me more information or things that were new to me. The breakfast after was a very local experience which I enjoyed.
The cooking class with Amy was great, I was able to ask as many questions as I wanted. We cooked kaya, pulut tai tai, curry chicken, jia hu char, char kway tiao, and chrysanthemum tea. Recipes were given at the end and I will definitely be trying all of them at home for my family.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Awesome Timothy, we hope your family will enjoy the experiences of Penang. BEcause you brought Penang back to them!
Warmest wishes from Amy and Mok
Clare_D, Jul 2025
Wonderful experience with Amy and her husband. First the market tour and then the cooking of 4 dishes. Lots of fun and only 5 of us in our group. Mr Mok was very informative about Nyonya culture and gave us a car tour of George Town before dropping us off at Chew jetty. He also took loads of photos and videos of the experience. Totally recommend and worth the money.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you!
Sarah_B, Jul 2025
Wonderful Cooking Class.
We made spring rool, rending chicken, Roti. The tour of the market was great. Learning about all the ingredients in Malaysian Cooking.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We’re glad you enjoyed the cooking class organized for you! It’s wonderful that you were able to observe and appreciate the culinary differences between Nyonya and Malay cuisine.
Although they may share some similarities in names and presentation, the ingredients and flavors used in Nyonya and Malay dishes often differ subtly. A great example is Inchi Kabin, a well-known and refined Penang Nyonya dish. It was developed as an innovative take on the traditional Malay spiced fried chicken, Ayam Rempah.
Another key distinction lies in the use of non-halal ingredients in Nyonya cuisine. For instance, pork lard is commonly used to enhance the flavor and aroma of certain dishes. In contrast, Malay cuisine, being strictly halal, excludes pork and its derivatives entirely.
Take Char Koay Teow, for example. The version often found at local Chinese hawker stalls typically includes pork lard, which contributes to its rich, aromatic taste. However, due to religious dietary restrictions, Malay-style Char Koay Teow does not contain pork, resulting in a slightly different flavor profile.
We hope this experience has added to your appreciation and understanding of our rich local culinary heritage!
John_B, Jul 2025
I had a great time with Jenny and Santi today, an interesting market tour with Jenny who was very knowledgeable, a breakfast at a hawkers centre. The cooking class with Santi was hands on and the food was delicious, I even left with food for my wife who wasn't able to participate. It was well worth the early start and if I find myself back in Penang I would do Jenny's indian cooking class with hesitation.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
THANK You, John! Glad the experience with cooking class gave you a great insights into our Malaysian diverse culture.
Irene_T, Jun 2025
Amy and her husband Mok are very passionate about Penang food. And they are very hospitable. My family and I had a good time talking to the couple and cooking Penang food.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank You, Irene! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed, yourself in The cooking class.
Evelyn_W, May 2025
Santi was so friendly, informative and knowledgeable. She was very thoughtful about what we needed to know. Loved the market experience. The cooking class was exceptional.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you, your feedback is much appreciated!
KathyFrances_D, May 2025
The cooking class was fantastic. We enjoyed meeting both ladies and the cooking instructor was so knowledgeable. She was able to tailor the recipes to suit our individual tastes ( eg I cannot eat too much chilli). Dishes were incredibly tasty spicy and will be easy to replicate and cook at home for my family and friends. We will be provided with the recipes as part of the class. I highly recommend this class.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you Kath!
Brandon_K, Apr 2025
Jenny was a great teacher and showed the full process to make a nice Indian meal. In addition to showing how to make the meal, she gave general tips that can be used in any recipe like the best way to slice cabbage.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank for writing about Jenny!
Cyndy_M, Mar 2025
The Nonya Chinese cuisine cooking class was excellent. We started with a tour of the market sampling foods, smelling herbs and learning about what some of the venders sell. Our chef Aimy taught us so much about the ingredients to use in the dishes we learned to cook. A highlight of my visit to Georgetown!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you
Irwin_J, Mar 2025
They mean it when they say do not have breakfast before! I can’t start my day without coffee, and the Penang signature white coffee, crispy peanut crepes, and stir-fried rice noodles from the morning street market did not disappoint.
I did this private tour and cooking class with my mom and sister, and we are Chinese American. We already know a lot about cooking and Chinese food, but there was still plenty to learn from our hosts about the unique flavours, ingredients, and cooking methods of Penang cuisine.
The day started with Mr Mok giving us a wonderful, personal tour of the Jalan Chowrasta morning market, right in the middle of the morning shopping spree when locals were picking up their ingredients for the day. He showed us which fruits were in season, where they came from, and explained about the fresh produce we would try that afternoon like mangosteen, longan, mango, jicama, and freshly shaved coconut milk. We also saw where the spring roll wrappers were made fresh by hand, the fish market, and the spice stalls. I would have gone back to the market every day of our trip to try all the different breakfast options, if our hotel had been nearer!
The cooking class room is inside of a shopping centre and could be a bit hard to find if we had not had Mr Mok to kindly greet us outside and show us the way. There are toilets available, filtered drinking water, soap for hand washing, and lots of space to leave your bags.
Mr Mok’s lovely wife Chef Amy was our teacher for the day, who learned to make both Chinese and Nyonya Malaysian style dishes from her family. She showed us step-by-step how to make some of the most popular street food staples of Penang, with us three taking turns practicing the steps. We fried Lor Bak pork sausages and veggie spring rolls, brewed fresh sweetened chrysanthemum tea from flowers, stir-fried Char Koay Teow with shrimp, sausage, and egg, and steamed a pandan green rice cake for dessert.
Amy kindly let our husbands and boyfriends join us at the end to sample some of the delicious foods we had made, so no one missed out! This was a highlight of our time not only in Penang but Malaysia in general.
Response from Host, May 2025
THank you, Amy wants to send her appreciation for attending her class.
JOHN_S, Feb 2025
Great experience. The whole course was illuminating , from the market tour in the morning, through breakfast to the actual cooking.
Mok, Amy & Simon were engaging and enthusiastic about their food and this transferred to the actual class. The course was hands on and the food cooked was delicious. Be definitely trying these again at home. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you! We hope you are able to cook Penang food, back at home.
Paola_K, Feb 2025
This was an amazing cooking experience hosted by Jenny and her daughter Rachel. We started the morning off walking the market, learning about the medicinal powers of nutmeg and other local fruits, talked to the Spice Man who mixes up your spice paste just the way you like it and enjoyed a traditional local breakfast with white coffee. Jenny is very knowledgeable on the Indian kitchen and loved to share tips and tricks. We made a delicious meal with a special Valentine's dessert and chai, which we enjoyed while having an inspiring conversation with Jenny. It was an explosion of flavors and I'm looking forward to try out the recipes at home to recreate a small piece of George Town in a very cold Holland. A great shout out to Simon and his dad Mok for all the great tips they shared on must-visit locals places in George Town. Thank you again Jenny, Rachel and Mok for sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge!
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you for the details explainations, Jenny is once of the best instructors for Indian. I am glad you enjoyed her class and food.
Shannah_g, Jan 2025
Fabulous cooking class. Learnt fully how to make everything. Really clear instructions, explanations and tips. It was a great experience and really appreciated Amy sharing her family recipes and story
Response from Host, Feb 2025
You are certainly glad you enjoyed the learning experience..
monique_l, Jan 2025
The experience was exceptional. Very clean. The food we prepared was the best Indian food I ever had
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you!
Leonardo_C, Dec 2024
I joined the morning class as solotraveller. We first had very interesting tour of the market with instructor Santi who shared the story behind the market and its products. We then prepared a delicious meal together. I really appreciated the exchanges with the locals and the tips during the class. I do recommend this activity.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you and thank you for the nice comments, Much appreciated.
Maria_M, Dec 2024
Simon, Mok and Amy were the best hosts. We enjoyed the market tour, learning about the specific nyonya ingredients. The cooking lessons were very informative with Amy explaining the origin of ingredients. The class was very interactive and the food was delicious. Helpful contact before our class and even organised a pick up for us from our accomodation and also a drop off after we spent a little time walking around the market after the class. Looking forward to the restaurant recommendations for around where we are staying and we will definitely give the recipes a go when we get home. We made four specific dishes including one dessert which were all tasty.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you Maria! Its our pleasure to Host you!
Kristin_P, Nov 2024
Lovely experience with Chef Jenny and the Indian cooking class. I was the only one in the class so it was a lot of time hands on explaining the dishes and prepping myself. She was very friendly and patient (I'm not the best cook and rarely cook so I'm slow and my knife skills are questionable). The team was very friendly and gave me little freebies like dessert and some coffee, and they gave me takeaway after we stuffed ourselves with the delicious meal we prepared.
They have big fans going but it is warm with the burners going so wear loose, light clothes. I did do the afternoon class and they messaged me recommending the AM class cuz you get the market tour and breakfast, which I do think would have been nice to have, but my schedule wouldn't accommodate so they kept the afternoon class for me, which I appreciate because I think I was the only one who signed up.
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