Balinese Cooking Class in Ubud: A Morning at Ponapi Bali
Three hours in a traditional family compound in Kenderan, learning the spices, techniques, and stories behind Balinese cooking, followed by a lunch featuring the dishes you have prepared.
Most travelers experience Balinese food from the other side of the table. The dish arrives, it is delicious, and the question that follows is usually the same. What gives it that flavor?
The Ponapi Bali Cooking Class answers that question. The experience takes place in a traditional Balinese family compound in Banjar Pinjul, the same neighborhood as the resort, where local chefs guide you through the ingredients, techniques, and customs that shape the island’s cooking. You begin with a welcome coconut and finish with lunch you have prepared yourself.
Inside a Traditional Balinese Family Compound
A Balinese home is not a single building. It is a walled compound of separate pavilions, each with its own purpose and arranged according to a philosophy that has guided Balinese architecture for centuries.
Your morning begins with a tour of the compound. You will see how the spaces are organized, where the family shrine is located and why, and how daily life and spiritual life share the same ground. There is also a traditional weapon-making forge on the property, a less common feature to encounter during a cooking experience.
Upon arrival, you will be invited to change into traditional Balinese attire, including a sarong and sash, both provided as part of the experience.
How the Morning Unfolds
9.30 AM – Welcome. Enjoy a young coconut and a Balinese snack while meeting your chef and learning about the morning ahead.
9.35 AM – House Tour. Explore the architecture, family life, cultural practices, and philosophy behind each part of the compound.
9.55 AM – Herbs and Spices. Discover the fresh ingredients at the heart of Balinese cooking, their individual roles, and how they are used.
10.00 AM – Cooking. The heart of the morning. Grind spices using a traditional stone mortar and pestle, work with traditional equipment, and prepare each dish step by step alongside the chef.
11.30 AM – Lunch. Sit down in the village to enjoy the dishes you have prepared, at your own pace.
12.30 PM – Farewell. Take home a recipe booklet so you can recreate the dishes in your own kitchen.
The Dishes You’ll Discover
Six dishes, prepared from start to finish.
The morning begins with Tempe Manis, fried tempeh in sweet soy sauce, followed by Sayur Urab, a vegetable salad with sambal mbe and grated coconut. The soup is Balung Ayam, chicken braised on the bone with turmeric paste, lemongrass, lime leaves, and coconut cream.
For the main course, you will prepare two dishes. Pepes Ikan, fish fillet marinated in yellow spice paste with lemon basil and bay leaves, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed; and Sate Lilit Ayam, minced chicken mixed with yellow spice paste, palm sugar, and grated coconut, then pressed by hand onto lemongrass skewers.
Dessert is Kolak Biu, bananas cooked with palm sugar, pandan, and coconut cream.
If you have any dietary requirements, we are happy to adjust the menu to accommodate them. Please let us know when you book.
If you would like to learn more about the spice paste used in many Balinese dishes before your visit, our guide to Base Genep, the Traditional Balinese Spice Paste explains its ingredients and role in Balinese cuisine.
What Is Included
- A young coconut as a welcome drink, accompanied by a traditional Balinese snack
- Traditional Balinese attire to wear during the experience
- A guided tour of a traditional Balinese family compound
- A hands-on cooking class using fresh, local ingredients
- Guidance from an English-speaking local chef
- Lunch featuring the dishes you have prepared
- A recipe booklet to take home
- A certificate of participation, available upon request
More Than Cooking
Alongside the cooking class, the morning includes two Balinese customs rooted in everyday village life.
Canang Sari: Learn about the small woven offerings made from palm leaves and flowers, often accompanied by incense, that you see on pathways and at shrines throughout Bali.
Menampi Beras (Traditional Rice Winnowing): Discover the traditional practice of winnowing rice by hand using a woven tray, a method used in Balinese households long before modern machinery.
Our chef and the team leading these activities wear traditional Balinese attire, just as they would in their daily lives.
- approximately three hours, from 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM
- Banjar Pinjul, Desa Kenderan, Tegallalang, in the Ubud area
- Suitable beginners, couples, families, and anyone who enjoys food
- IDR 968,000 net per person, for the six-dish menu
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any cooking experience? Not at all. The class is suitable for complete beginners, and your chef will guide you through every step.
How long does the class take? Approximately three hours, beginning at 9.30 AM and finishing after lunch at around 12.30 PM.
Is lunch included? Yes. You will enjoy the six dishes you have prepared, along with a welcome coconut and a Balinese snack at the beginning of the experience.
Is the class suitable for families? Yes. The experience welcomes beginners, couples, and families.
Can the menu be adjusted for dietary requirements? Yes. Please let us know your dietary requirements when you book, and our chef will adjust the menu accordingly.
What should I wear? Comfortable clothing is fine. You will be invited to change into traditional Balinese attire upon arrival, and an apron will be provided for the cooking session.
How do we book? You can book online through our booking page, email us at rsv@thesunofgranaryubud.com, or speak with our team during your stay. We recommend booking in advance.
Bring a Little of Bali Home With You
A recipe is one way to bring a little of Bali home with you. Months after your visit, the aroma of lemongrass and turmeric in your own kitchen may remind you of the morning you spent cooking in the village of Kenderan.
We look forward to welcoming you to the class during your stay at The Sun of Granary Resort & Villas.