At Vanilla Zulu, we believe the best Thai food is the kind you create yourself. In this guide to mastering the art of Thai cuisine in Brisbane, you will learn:

• How to balance the five fundamental flavours of authentic Thai cuisine.
• The secrets behind Chef Tong's "from scratch" Tom Yum and Pad Thai recipes.
• Why a hands-on Thai Cooking Class beats following a cookbook at home.

There is a moment when you eat great Thai food. That instant hit of chilli, lime and crushed galangal that wakes up every sense. 

It is vibrant, complex and notoriously difficult to replicate with a supermarket kit.

Capturing that perfect harmony of hot, sour, sweet and salty in your own kitchen requires understanding the ingredients and the technique behind the sizzle.  

Keep reading to learn why Vanilla Zulu's Thai cooking class is your hands-on gateway to authentic flavour. Step into a fully licensed, social kitchen where you can sip a gin cocktail while mastering the perfect balance of flavours, while we handle the washing up.

How to Master Authentic Thai Dishes 

To learn the real secrets of Thai cuisine, you need a teacher who lives and breathes the culture. At Vanilla Zulu, we are proud to host Chef Tong. Hailing from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our Teneriffe kitchen.

He's a professional fruit carver and a master of presentation and all his classes are high-energy, informative and deeply rooted in tradition. 

What You Will Cook in a Vanilla Zulu Thai Class

It’s no secret that Aussies love Thai food, as it ranks as our third most popular cuisine with over 3,000 outlets nationwide. Our Thai cooking class focuses on three pillars of the cuisine made entirely from scratch.

• Tom Yum Soup with Prawns tests your ability to balance hot and sour by building the broth from the ground up using fresh lemongrass and chillies to create that iconic aromatic punch.
• Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken teaches you the traditional technique to achieve that perfect savoury-sweet balance and the satisfying texture of rice noodles that aren't gluggy.
• Authentic Thai Beef Salad reveals the secret of the perfect dipping sauce, a skill Chef Tong teaches you to construct for salads, meats and seafood – the type of recipe you’ll use for the rest of your life.

Essential Thai Ingredients You Need in Your Pantry

Once you finish the class, you want to recreate these dishes at home. Where do you start?

• Fish Sauce (Nam Pla) is non-negotiable, as it adds the deep umami saltiness that defines Thai flavour.
• Tamarind & Lime provide the necessary acid profile, with lime offering fresh brightness while tamarind paste offers a richer, fruitier sourness that is mandatory for Pad Thai.
• Palm Sugar offers a caramel-like butterscotch flavour that rounds out the heat of chillies perfectly, serving as the standard before white sugar took over.

With Vanilla Zulu, you'll learn to wield the wok with confidence and create feasts that transport you straight to Chiang Mai (no airfare required).  

Join Chef Tong in Teneriffe for a 3-hour Thai Cooking Class and discover why our graduates consider it the best in Australia. 

Click here to book a class and walk away with a full belly, a recipe book and the confidence to cook authentic Thai food for your friends and family.

FAQS

Do I need previous cooking experience to attend the Thai class?

You don’t need experience. Our classes are designed for all skill levels, from complete novices to enthusiastic home cooks, with step-by-step guidance from Chef Tong.

Can you cater to dietary requirements like gluten-free or vegan?

Yes, we can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan preferences. Please note your requirements in the Guest Details section when booking.

Do I need to bring anything to the class? 

Just bring yourself and some enthusiasm! We provide all the ingredients, equipment and aprons. We even handle the cleanup afterwards!