To summarise in one sentence, you should attend a cooking lesson whenever you travel as cooking is a vital part of any culture.
If you are looking to understand a culture, its people or the country, food has always been a fundamental point to start from. For most of us, this would typically mean digging into all of glorious food or local cuisines that the place can offer. Yet, it is possible to take one step deeper, by attending cooking classes held in the country.
Cooking Teaches You About The People From The Region
Unknowingly, both people and society have always been shaped by their food. If you are keen to learn about the people residing in an area, then why not start by studying their food.
For example, Koreans can be differentiated based on their kimchi preferences. When you attend a cooking class in Korea, you would learn that kimchi is made with varying amounts of spices from region to region. Typically, Koreans who live in southern states prefer spicier kimchi as their kimchi have more spice to preserve it in their hotter climate. This contrasts with the colder northern states that have less spicier kimchi.
It is unlikely that you would have learnt of this preference if not for having local friends or attending a cooking class while on holiday.
Taking Home A Practical & Sentimental Gift
Once you have learnt to cook the local cuisine. You are free to bring the knowledge back home with you and to apply them. Impress your friends and family with your new found cooking technique while also introducing them to a foreign culture.
A great example of this is a traveller who has been to Italy and attended authentic cooking classes. Upon returning home they surprise their guests with a home cooked Italian meal that differs vastly from commercial versions available. In fact, many guests are left wondering if what they had previously in local diners were indeed authentic or a modified version of the cuisine.
Shopping At a Local Market
Many cooking classes for tourists include a trip to a local market to shop for ingredients. This can be a deeply engaging experience as you get to interact in a highly localised environment and purchase ingredients like a local.
There is nothing quite like being able to touch and feel fresh fruits or vegetables, to smell the various spices and inspect the different ingredients. While you are at it, enjoy a little banter with the store owners and you will come away feeling a warmth in your heart like no other.
Cooking Lessons in Singapore
Singapore has long being famed for its wide range of cuisines given its international city status. Yet, Singapore also has local delicacies that are a must have on your visit. These include the likes of the chicken rice, laksa, fish head curry and chili crab.
Taking cooking lessons Singapore is the perfect way to experience these delicacies while learning to prepare them in your own home should you ever miss them.
