🔄 Updated 22 Jun 2026
The picks
Thai Farm Cooking School
One of Chiang Mai's original organic-farm cooking schools, running since 2001. You start at a city market, then drive about 17 km out to their own farm to walk the herb and vegetable beds before cooking in an open-air kitchen in the fields. Half- and full-day courses, with dishes you choose yourself. Rated 4.9 on Tripadvisor from over 5,200 reviews.
Smile Organic Farm Cooking School
A calm organic farm and the most-reviewed school on this list — nearly 27,000 reviews at a perfect 5.0. You tour the garden, taste herbs off the beds, then pick your own ingredients to cook. There's a range of class times, from morning to evening to full-day sessions, and prices start low. Kind, thorough instructors and a relaxed mood make it an easy first choice.
Thai Akha Cooking School
An open-air bamboo kitchen run by an Akha family, going since 2015. The draw is volume — you cook around 11 dishes in one class, clearly more than most. It starts with a market walk to taste local ingredients, classes stay small for personal attention, and they handle five spice levels plus vegetarian and gluten-free. Rated 5.0 from over 7,200 reviews and ranked #1 cooking class in Chiang Mai.
Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School
Running since 2007, with two locations to choose from — a herb garden in the old city if you'd rather not travel far, or a countryside farm for the field setting. Every class starts in the garden and a fresh market, and you cook around 5–6 dishes. Rated 4.9 from over 4,200 reviews. The most flexible pick when location matters to you.
Zabb E Lee Thai Cooking School Chiangmai by Anne
A big bamboo-roofed kitchen set on farmland with rice fields, a stream and hammocks — a shady, easygoing spot. You begin at a local market to get to know the herbs and spices, then cook five dishes spanning a starter, soup, stir-fry, curry and dessert. Hotel pickup included. Rated 5.0 from over 3,700 reviews.
Mama Noi Thai Cookery School
A warm, family-style class with its own organic garden on site. You start at a local market, walk the garden, then cook — three dishes plus dessert, or split six between two of you if you come as a pair. Around ฿1,000, which is good value for how much you eat. Rated 4.8 from over 870 reviews. A good fit if you want something small and unhurried.
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