I specialize in teaching you how to use your senses to guide your cooking, how to make use of techniques, and to understand the kitchen science behind a dish.
Perhaps you have never stepped foot in a kitchen, perhaps you wish to freshen up your experienced cooking routine. No matter your expertise level, we will explore the act of cooking from a perspective of curiosity, generosity, and a serious love of deliciousness.
I welcome teens, young adults, and adult learners, small groups, and families with older children.
I offer foundational culinary skills classes and classes to master Thai flavors. Pastry classes and other Thai speciality dish classes will be added in the future.
Are you new to cooking? Do you want to get better at cooking for yourself or for your family? This class is perfect for a young person flying the nest. We'll cover basic cooking techniques, knife skills, kitchen hygiene, and four dishes to nourish as well as delight. Make it a family date!
Learn how to cook Thai dishes with a Thai native. We will prepare four main dishes to go with jasmine rice. You will learn not only how to cook these dishes, but also how to balance textures and tastes in the same way Thai cooks innately do.
All classes take place at my home. Prepare to spend about three hours with me and your fellow cooking students.
Come to my home kitchen. Bring your own knife or apron if you wish, or feel free to use the ones I provide. I supply all cooking ingredients and tools needed to prepare the dishes.
We'll spend around 2 hours and 40 minutes cooking. We'll focus on cooking techniques from a Western kitchen science viewpoint as well as through a sensory, intuitive lens--aka how your Thai auntie knows something is cooked well and tastes right.
We save the last 15 minutes to sit down together to eat our creations, reflect on the flavors, and pack up any leftovers.
Classes take place at set times and dates.
Additionally, private classes at your home for groups of 5-8 learners are available. Reach out to me for more information.
Class CalendarBrowse upcoming classes by month and reserve your spot. Schedules are displayed for the next 4 months.
Pastry classes and other Thai speciality dish classes will be added in the future.
Fall in Love with your Cooking!
My daughter and I took Mama Toi's cooking class together and it was so much fun! She's passionate, knowledgeable, and a great teacher. I loved learning alongside my teen. Even though we're at different levels of experience, Toi kept it interesting for both of us. We enjoyed a delicious meal at the end, and left with a bunch of fresh new recipes. 10/10!
I really enjoyed Mama Toi's Thai cooking class! I learned a lot, not just how to cook Thai food, but kitchen safety such as handling hot things and holding knives. I also learned new facts about Thai food, especially sauces, which I thought chef Toi explained really well! I can't wait to come back to another cooking class from her, thank you so much, chef Toi!
I was raised in Thailand and Austria, and now live in Seattle. The foods and food cultures of my youth helped me make sense of my worlds and its people. I am an enthusiastic follower of culinary traditions across time and space. Food is my love language and I can't wait to share it with you.
My professional cooking experience spans a combined 10 years of cooking at professional banquet establishments, a fine dining restaurant, doing private chef and catering jobs, and running after-school cooking clubs for K-12 students. Nowadays, I proudly consider myself a home cook. I've been cooking and baking for most of my life, during which I paid careful and joyful attention to the tastes, smells, sounds, sights, and feel of food ingredients, cooking techniques, and processes of my cooking elders and of my own cooking.
When I am not teaching cooking classes, I work for our Public Health system in the area of Community Health. I hold a Master's degree in Public Health Nutrition and a Registered Dietitian credential. Before that, I gained a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts Sculpture and created many interactive installations while also feeding people. My goal is to share more of this type of art in due time.
The greatest joy in my life is watching my kids grow into young adults. While doing so, I like eating spicy Asian noodle soups, swimming in cold lakes, and being surrounded by the sight, feel, and smell of PNW forest trees.
Whether you're a beginner or have cooked for a long time, I look forward to helping you discover new skills and new ways of cooking.
Central District, Seattle
Classes run on set dates. Private events and group bookings scheduled individually.
A peek into our hands-on kitchen experiences, dishes, and students in action.
