Sri Lanka · COOKING CLASSES

Sri Lankan Cooking Classes: The 15 Best Kitchens to Book

27 tours  ·  from $17 a head

Coconut sambol pounded on a grinding stone, five curries at once and a hopper pan you will want to take home. The 15 classes below are priced and honest about how much you cook versus watch, and which ones start at the market.

Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class - What the two-hour Ella class is really like
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Tour Reviews, Tours in Ella

Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class

1.Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 788 reviews · 2 hours · from $19Our pick

At Chamathka Cooking Class in Ella, Ranjani guides a small group through traditional Sri Lankan cooking in an open-air kitchen. You may prepare curry, dhal, sambol, hoppers, string hoppers, or honey roti, while learning about spices, health benefits, and old-style techniques. The two-hour class ends with a shared meal served on banana leaves, with recipes sent through WhatsApp.

“It was a truly amazing experience. You cook in a very traditional way - which is not only super interesting to experience - but also extremely tasty! It was honestly the best meal I had during my trip in both India and Sri Lanka. Alone for the food it was worth it - but the whole class was really fun and good to socialize.”

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Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family) - Cooking several curries over wood fires
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Tour Reviews, Tours in Sigiriya

Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family)

2.Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 650 reviews · from $28Top rated

Kumara, his wife Thanuja, and family host a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class at their home in Sigiriya. You’ll tour their organic garden, learn about herbs and spices, prepare several curries, sambal, string hoppers, and dessert, then eat together at a traditionally arranged table. The session lasts about 2.5 hours and costs $28.

“Great fully organic cooking class! Really tasty vegan recipes. Everything is grown by Kumara and is family. Great to see and learn how to cook authentic Sri Lanka food and then enjoy the meal afterwards. I would really recommend this class if in the area! It was first cooking class in Sigiriya.”

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Kandy Village Cooking Class - Learning Sri Lankan curry from Shyama
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Kandy Village Cooking Class

3.Kandy Village Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 536 reviews · from $25

Start at Kandy Municipal Central Market, where Shyama guides you in choosing five vegetables, chicken or fish, spices, and other ingredients. Then travel to a village kitchen for a hands-on lesson, preparing several Sri Lankan dishes before sharing the meal. Pickup is offered, and groups can number up to 15.

“This was a fantastic experience, a beautiful setting, learning traditional methods to be guided in making a wide range of curries, the most delicious meal with lovely hosts. I would recommend to anyone”

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Sea waves sri lankan cooking class - From Unawatuna to the market
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Galle, Tour Reviews, Tours in Galle

Sea waves sri lankan cooking class

4.Sea waves sri lankan cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 467 reviews · from $59

Meet at Sea Waves Restaurant in Unawatuna for a roughly three-hour lesson led by a chef with more than 30 years of experience. You may visit fish and vegetable markets first, choose fish or chicken plus five vegetables, then cook in an open kitchen with jungle views. The class ends with a shared meal.

“We had a wonderful time at this class with Susanthi. We started at the fish market on the beach near the Fort and then travelled by tuk tuk to the vegetable market before heading to the restaurant. The class was entertaining and interesting and the food delicious. We cooRead more”

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Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay - What you cook during the two to three hours
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Tour Reviews, Tours in Ella

Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

5.Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $19

Join Neranji in her home kitchen in Ella for a 2 to 3 hour, hands-on lesson in Sri Lankan cooking. Prepare seasonal curries, dhal, sambols, salads, papadom, or coconut roti, learn old and modern methods, eat what you make, and take home recipes and spices. Groups are limited to 10.

“A fantastic evening. The cookery demonstration was excellent and the food was superb. Neranji explained everything well and involved the group to produce a beautiful feast.”

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Cook with Wasantha - Five curries, rice, and the essentials of coconut milk
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Cook with Wasantha

6.Cook with Wasantha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 248 reviews · from $30

Meet Wasantha in Unawatuna for a four-hour Sri Lankan cooking experience. With Wasantha, Sam, or Sasa, you visit vegetable and fish markets, choose ingredients, make coconut milk, cook five curries and rice, then eat together buffet style. The class is limited to 10 people.

“Such an amazing day, I can't recommend this highly enough! We met at the restaurant then were taken to the market to select the vegetables for our dishes then onto the fish market to pick up some tuna. We returned to Wasantha where she made the magic happen! We learned so many great techniques and tips throughout the day. Every dish we made was so delicious! I couldn't eat dinner that night after such a big lunch. Definitely select this course, not one of the copy cat courses around! You won't be disappointed!”

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Ella : Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour - Meeting the family team in Ella
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Ella : Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

7.Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · 4 hours · from $32

Spend four hours with the family team at Ella Nine Arch Spice Garden. Guide Sam or Senaka may lead you through 2.5 acres of spices, fruit, and medicinal plants before a hands-on class with Nalini or another local chef. Make coconut milk, curries, sambol, banana chips, rice, and papadam, then take home the recipes.

“If you have the opportunity to take this class, take this class! Between the tour of the Spice Garden, the cooking with an incredible chef, the small class size, and more food than you will ever be able to eat, hands-down, the best way to spend four hours.”

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Sajee’s Place Cooking Class - Learning Sri Lankan spices by smell and taste
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Sajee’s Place Cooking Class

8.Sajee’s Place Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 237 reviews · from $35

At Sajee’s Place in Sigiriya, Sajeeva and his wife Suzy guide you through a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class. You’ll learn about local spices, make coconut milk, prepare seasonal vegetable curries, coconut sambol, and chicken or fish curry, then eat the meal you cooked.

“The cooking class was really cool, the spices were explained to us and we could taste/smell directly. There were all kinds of curries with potato, carrot, lentils, chicken, a kind of “zucchini”/beans and pumpkin. We were shown how to make fresRead moreAuto-translated”

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Colombo Cooking Class - The 10am lunch class and 4pm dinner class
Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours in Colombo

Colombo Cooking Class

9.Colombo Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $60

Meet a local home cook at No. 275/1, B231, Angoda, Colombo, for a three-hour hands-on class. With Piumi or another host, you prepare at least 10 Sri Lankan dishes, including egg hoppers, curries, and dessert, then eat together. Choose a 10am lunch or 4pm dinner session, with ingredients included.

“Very interesting insight into Sri Lankan life and the important role food and cooking plays in daily life. Piumi is an excellent cook and teacher. I’m vegetarian and she showed me how to prepare and cook ten different vegetarian curries and the resulting lunch was delicious. Can very highly recommend this tour.”

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Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class - Seafood, rice, vegetables, meat, and sweets
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Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class

10.Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 142 reviews · from $30

Join Madhu, also referred to as Madha, for a 3.5-hour Sri Lankan cooking class near Galle and Unawatuna. You will prepare traditional rice, vegetable, fish, meat, sweets, and up to six curries, including a seafood dish, then sit down to eat what you made. Pickup is offered, and groups are limited to 10.

“Authentic Sri Lankan cooking and dining experience 💛 from the preparation to cooking to eating. It was all very traditional and I learnt so much about Sri Lankan cooking and food. Big bonus the food was delicious and there was sooo much! We ended up making 13 dishes! A must do!”

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Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo - Choosing your five-course menu
Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Colombo

Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo

11.Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 140 reviews · from $80

Join Chef Nim for a market visit and hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class near Colombo. Choose lunch or dinner, select a menu, learn family cooking tips, prepare five courses in a clay pot, and eat together at Villa Ivy Crest. Recipes and a certificate are included.

“I had a great experience with going to the local market and cooking local dishes. Nim is a wonderful person. I learned so much about vegetables, fruits and all the spices and even about real and fake cinnamon :) and we talked about so much Read more”

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Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya - Key points to know before you book
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Tour Reviews, Tours in Sigiriya

Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya

12.Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 3 hours · from $36

Sajee and his wife Suzy lead a three-hour, English-language cooking class near Sigiriya. You prepare rice, dhal, chicken or fish curry, three vegetable curries, a stir-fried or tempered dish, coconut sambol, and papadams. The small group format keeps the class practical, and recipes are sent afterward for cooking at home.

“Had such a wonderful experience with Sajee and his wife, we cooked so many dishes and I learned so much! Highly recommend this activity - a great way to spend some time in Sigirya!”

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Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family) - Starting in the garden around Sigiriya
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Tour Reviews, Tours in Sigiriya

Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family)

13.Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · from $28

Join Kumara and his family at their home in Sigiriya for a roughly two-hour Sri Lankan cooking class. You’ll gather organic vegetables from the garden, learn about homemade spices and natural remedies, help prepare several curry dishes over a wood stove, then eat the meal together. Groups are limited to 10 people.

“It was a really nice cooking class with such a nice and warming teachers that knew everything about herbs and taste. You will have a great time with them if you book this cooking class and learn some nice recipies as well.”

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Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers - Choosing a curry and cooking the meal
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Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers

14.Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · from $120

Join Chitra and her family in Kandy for a three-hour Sri Lankan cooking class. After hotel pickup and tea or coffee, learn about spices, choose a curry, chop vegetables, cook dishes such as lentils or jackfruit curry, then sit down to eat together. Vegan and gluten-free options are available.

“This is a family business. Cooking is authentic, informative, fun. The results were delicious and the talk around the table was really interesting.”

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Ella Sri Lanka : Mom's Kitchen Cooking class - Meeting Kamala and Irosha
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Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

15.Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · 2 hours · from $20

At Mom’s Kitchen near Ella, Kamala and her daughter Irosha guide you through five or more Sri Lankan dishes in a small outdoor cooking space. You will grind spices, cook over fire and gas, prepare curries and sambol, then sit down to eat what you made. Recipes are shared for cooking at home.

“I booked this cooking course spontaneously on the same day I arrived in Ella, and it turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of my trip. I’ve done several great cooking classes in other countries, but this one was truly special – pure Sri Lankan family-style cooking at its best. The mother and daughter hosting the class were incredibly warm and welcoming, along with their little nephew/grandchild who added even more charm to the experience. They took their time to explain every step, gave us helpful tips, and created such a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere. We laughed a lot and felt completely at home. And the food… just amazing!…”

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New in Cooking Classes

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★ 5.0Galle Fort cooking classFrom $3060 reviews
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