Private Chengdu Dining Experience in Chilli Cool House

This was a great experience with our guide Lance who took us to a local market before heading to the restaurant. The Chef was friendly and allowed us to help prepare the food which was delicious.

If you’re in the gastronomy capital of Sichuan and don’t stain your hands with flour and chili, you’re missing half the experience. I recently attended a cooking class in Chengdu and, honestly, it was the high point of my trip around China. Here is my review so you can take the plunge: 🌶️ From Market to Wok: A Total Immersion in Chengdu If you’re looking for more than just following a recipe, this is the ultimate experience. It's not just a cooking class; it's a masterclass in the philosophy of "Taste of Sichuan." Best of the experience: • The Local Market Tour: Before lighting the fire, we walked through a neighborhood market. Forget the tourist supermarkets; here we learned to differentiate the different types of Sichuan pepper (the one that makes your tongue sleep) and choose the Doubanjiang (bean and chili paste) fermented for years. • Real Wok Technique: The chef not only told us what to throw, but how to do it. We learned the art of "wok hei breath" and precise fire control so that the garlic browns without bitterness. • The Star Menu: We prepare the three pillars of the region ⁠ The environment: The class was relaxed, with fluent English from the instructor and plenty of patience. We were a small group, which allowed the chef to correct our cutting technique ("silk style") personally. At the end, we all sat down to eat our creations accompanied by a local tea, sharing stories with travelers from around the world. Verdict: If you want to understand why Chengdu is a Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, stop eating out for an afternoon and learn to create magic yourself. I walked out of there with the stained apron, full belly and exact recipes to try (courageously) to replicate it at home. Expert tip: Don't eat much breakfast. You will taste ingredients throughout the market tour and the final meal is plentiful. Get ready for the spiciness! 🥢🔥

+13

Lance was a wonderful teacher! We enjoyed an informative visit to the market and learning to cook Sichuan cuisine at the kitchen. The team was friendly and we really enjoyed spending the morning with them. We highly recommend the private experience- it allowed for more casual conversation and learning. We would highly recommend!

Fun, and super entertaining experience, We were attended by Lance, a pleasant walk through the market, seeing the ingredients we were going to use, a traditional tea with very good conversation and we cooked 3 typical Sichuan dishes, finally we enjoyed the food we just prepared. A highly recommended visit. Thank you Lance for the amazing treatment ☺️

Chili cool China is a Nice experience to live. We had before the cooking lesson the pleasure to visit a local market and Lance took time to explain all the different exotic products we saw. The cooking lesson was great. We learnt with a chef how to prépare and cook different vegetables and meat in a Sichuan way. Then we had the enjoyment to eat what we have done. The 10 disches we had were very generous. We recommend the guide Lance and, of course, this activity.

+2

This was a truly amazing experience! The market visit, the tea and fruits, the facilities, the ingredients and the kindness were super high quality. If you are looking for a really kind and insightful interaction with Chinese food then this is it. Thanks Lance and the chef for everything ❤️

The class was a highly memorable experience for me and my 16 year old daughter. Jerry, our teacher, led us through the local food market telling us about various foods and cultural anecdotes. Our cooking class at the school was comprehensive and fun. We learned a lot. Jerry has a kind way of making the group feel like you are friends at a meal together. It really is a talent. He has sent me the recipes and responds quickly to questions. I would do it again.

I had a great time with Jerry, we cooked five dishes and I got to learn new techniques or new ingredients, even after being familiar with Chinese cuisine. Jerry was also super nice and informative and open to questions.

The cooking class is amazing. Know some secrets and find out why our homemade mapo tofu or chilli oil doesn't come out to be the one that we buy. They share secrets and talk a lot about the tactics. Jerry is a star. He makes it feel like a homely experience. Plus the night market is full of story. This is my second time with my home and I feel I will come again and again. This is must must do

+7

Such a wonderfull experience in Chengdu with a explanation of the local ingredients and culture in the food market. Then we went to the cooking place for some tea. Then the chef and the guide help us to cook showing us techniques and local dishes. It was so good and a lot to eat! Highly recommended. Easy to find and small group to ensure the quality