The Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok is one of the city's best situated hotels, right on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and near to the Sky Train stop. Trips on the river are simplicity itself to arrange, the Express Boat stopping just a few yards away, long boats being available to hire at any time, and a free boat crossing the river to the other side during the day. Downriver is Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn), the Grand Palace, Wat Po and Chinatown. Across the river is a whole new world, another Bangkok, where some of the areas other grand hotels can be found.
At night dine on the open-air terrace of the hotel overlooking the Chao Phraya and watch the rice barges and heavily laden freighters go up and down the river. See the families aboard the barges cook and eat on their moving transport, dogs and children playing on the cramped deck. Or choose one of the superb restaurants in the hotel, the Angelini perhaps for authentic Italian dishes, the Shang Palace for Chinese cuisine, be temped by the international buffet aboard the Horizon, Shangri-La's private river cruise boat, or have the quintessential Thai dining experience at the Salathip.
Thai Cooking Classes at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok
The delicious food served at the Salathip inspires many to try the recipes out for themselves and the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, offers cookery classes in a traditional Thai atmosphere. Before the classes begin, clients make an early morning trip to the fish and vegetable markets with the chef to buy the freshest of produce for that day's cookery lesson - mirroring the chef's working day when he buys for the hotel.
Bangkok Markets for Fish, Meat and Vegetables
Usually the market chosen is the Or-Tor-Kor Market which is reached via the Sky Train and then a short ride in a tuk-tuk. Visitors who have not been to a wholesale Thai market will be amazed at the wide variety of rice on sale, the dried pulses, fruits and exotic vegetables like kha root, and pomelo, and the herbs and roots that give Thai cuisine it's special appeal, like lemongrass, kaffir leaves and holy basil.
Back at the hotel, the hands-on cooking lessons are held in the riverside Salathip teak pavilion where traditional recipes are provided for favourite Thai dishes. It's a fun and easy way of coming to grips with the intricacies of marinating using unusual herbs and sauces.
Tasting the Results of the Thai Cooking Class
And when it is all over and everyone sits down to enjoy their labours, the delicious Thai luncheon is served in the lovely setting of the Salathip on the banks of the river.
But the best part is the last, when the chef awards the diplomas from the Shangr-iLa Hotel, a set of recipes and a souvenir apron, while reminding the clients that their best reward will be the admiration of their friends and family when they return home and dazzle everyone with their new-found expertise in Thai cookery.
Mari Nicholson - Award Winning travel writer and historian, member of British Guild of Travel Writers.Travelwriters.co.uk, and Society of Women Writers and ...
