If you fall in love with Indonesian food on your Gili Islands trip (and you probably will), a cooking class is the best way to take it home with you. Small-group classes taught by local chefs walk you through the preparation of 3-6 dishes from scratch, ending with everyone sitting down to eat what they have made. It is hands-on, fun, and a great way to understand the cuisine beyond just ordering it at restaurants.
Where to take a class
The most established cooking school on the Gilis is Gili Cooking Classes, based in central Trawangan. They have been running daily classes for years with a well-honed curriculum. Other smaller cooking classes pop up at various restaurants and warungs across the three islands. Ask at your accommodation for current options.
What to expect
Class schedule
Most classes run either in the morning (roughly 9:30am-12:30pm) or afternoon (3:30pm-6:30pm). The afternoon class is popular because it finishes with dinner. Morning classes end with lunch.
Group size
Classes are typically kept small: 6-12 students. This allows for personal attention and hands-on participation without chaos.
The typical class structure
- Welcome and drink. Fresh juice or tea on arrival.
- Market tour (sometimes). Some classes start with a visit to the local market to see ingredients.
- Introduction to Indonesian cuisine. The chef explains the basic flavour profile (sweet, salty, spicy, sour, savoury), key ingredients, and cooking techniques.
- Hands-on cooking. You prepare 4-6 dishes under the chef's guidance, often working in pairs. Expect to chop, pound spices in a mortar and pestle, stir-fry, and grill.
- Sitting down to eat. Everything you cooked gets served as a communal meal. You eat together and chat.
- Recipe cards. You take home printed recipe cards for every dish so you can recreate them at home.
Dishes you might learn
Menus vary but typically cover a mix of Indonesian classics and Sasak (Lombok) specialties:
- Nasi goreng — Indonesian fried rice
- Mie goreng — fried noodles
- Gado-gado — steamed vegetable salad with peanut sauce
- Satay (sate) — grilled skewers with peanut sauce
- Rendang — slow-cooked spicy beef
- Ayam taliwang — Lombok grilled chicken with chilli sambal
- Sambal — the spicy chilli paste that accompanies everything
- Plecing kangkung — water spinach with chilli-tomato sauce
- Perkedel — potato patties
- Indonesian desserts — sometimes included, like pisang goreng (fried banana) or klepon (coconut rice balls)
What you will learn beyond the recipes
- Core ingredients: how to identify and use lemongrass, galangal, candlenut, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and other Indonesian staples
- Spice blending: the art of pounding fresh spice pastes in a mortar and pestle
- Wok techniques: how to get that smoky "wok hei" flavour
- Balancing flavours: the Indonesian approach to sweet, salty, spicy, sour, savoury
- Presentation: traditional ways to plate and serve Indonesian food
Cost and booking
- Cost: Typically Rp 350,000-650,000 ($25-45) per person for a half-day class including meal and recipe cards.
- Booking: Book at least a day in advance. Popular classes fill up in peak season (July-August). You can book online, at your hotel, or by walking in to the cooking school's office.
- Dietary restrictions: Most classes can accommodate vegetarians, vegans, and allergies if you give advance notice.
Who it is for
Cooking classes are great for:
- Food enthusiasts who want to understand Indonesian cuisine beyond restaurant eating
- Couples looking for a shared activity that isn't water-based
- Families with older kids (usually suitable for 10+)
- Solo travellers wanting to meet other foodies
- Travellers on a rainy day looking for an indoor activity
- Anyone who wants to take home a real, tangible skill from their trip
Tips
- Come hungry — you will be eating a full meal at the end
- Wear comfortable clothes you don't mind getting a bit messy
- Be willing to get hands-on — the best part is actually cooking
- Ask questions about ingredient substitutes for when you cook at home
- Take photos of each step if you want to remember techniques
- Note which dishes you can realistically recreate at home
Bringing it home
Some ingredients are easy to find at Asian supermarkets abroad: kecap manis, sambal oelek, candlenut, shrimp paste, galangal paste, lemongrass, palm sugar. Others (fresh salam leaves, fresh kaffir lime leaves, fresh turmeric root) can be harder. Your chef will often suggest substitutes.
Consider buying spice packs from the class or from island shops to take home. Indonesian spice blends travel well and bring back the flavours of the Gilis months after you leave.