Scenic boat ride and authentic Thai cooking class with Aoy

Aoy is a sincere and passionate guide. The markets that she brought us to were such an eye opening and insightful experience. The boat ride was enjoyable and her restaurant is beautiful and filled with so much love. She looked after us so well yet kept a comfortable pace throughout the tour. She covered so much in a relaxed manner. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to experience much more than a cooking class. See the country side with her and get to know a different side of Bangkok.

Aoy was nothing less than amazing. Her passion and love for food resonated during our entire time together, and she provided a magical experience! By far one of the best days of our time in Thailand!

We were incredibly lucky to find this opportunity (not just a tour, but a lifetime experience) through Trip Advisor. After easily booking on short notice it, was easy to communicate with Tasting Spoon Inc. and Aoy to ensure we met at the right place/time and could adjust the menu as desired. Aoy was/is so much more than an amazing chef, but a guide (informed by travel and experience around the world), foodie sommelier, and quickly became a friend. Her beautifully cared for home/restaurant and deeply caring staff were immediate reflections of how she pours her heart into her loves (food and people). Our travel with her through various markets to pick ingredients for our meal and learn more about Thai food culture was fascinating and also showed how much she is respected in the community. We will highly recommend her and her business to anyone we know visiting Bangkok. The pictures below of the amazing meal we made (before and after) together with Aoy and her staff and one of the walls outside her home show a glimpse of what was *the best* day! Thank you Aoy and your wonderful staff - you are inspirations!

My sister and I took Aoy’s class together, and it was our favorite day of our whole trip to Thailand! Aoy is so friendly and passionate, and is full of knowledge. It was an action packed day - we went to flower, meat and vegetable markets with new foods at every stop, enjoyed a boat ride to her gorgeous restaurant on the water and then learned to cook 4 recipes. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone looking to have a unique immersion experience off the beaten path. Thank you Aoy!!

We joined Aoy on the cooking class during our most recent trip to Bangkok and we were thoroughly impressed. You get to see a different part of the city during the market and temple visit - what a joy to have a local show one around like this! The cooking class itself is well presented, very interactive and a lot of fun. The food itself was delicious and the atmosphere incredible.

We had a wonderful day spending time with Aoy! She is a very personable and knowledgeable guide and hostess. We had fun shopping with her at the market, riding down the river in her boat, and were so delighted to arrive at her idyllic restaurant. At the restaurant we relaxed, then got busy cooking and enjoying the meal that we prepared with Aoy.

Through and thoughtful experience outside Bangkok. If you want to see parts of Thailand you won't otherwise see, this the one. Aoywann, the guide and chef, is amazing. She really wants to share he country with you and went above and beyond with us. We went on a multiple tours and then headed to her restaurant and cooking school via her boat. We felt transported! Don't be in a hurry--enjoy your time with her. We made sniped herbs from her garden, multiple dishes at her cooking school, and then ate in her wonderful AC atrium. She was the best and made sure we saw everything we could. She really made it personalized!! Can't recommend her enough if you want to get out of Bangkok and explore.

Aoy met us at the train station, then carried it by car to various fine and fresh markets, such as flower, meats, seafood and vegetables, etc. Aoy knows a lot in the markets so there were many good tastings, so come hungry. Aoy is also very flexible and adapter to cooking for us and my allergy.The last market was with the locals, which Aoy takes great care of where we made the last purchases. After that it was a wonderful boat trip on the river with Aoy as captain. The trip went to her fantastic restaurant where we were welcomed very personally and with the and snacks. After the break, we went into her garden and picked flowers and spices. After that we put on our aprons and started to hack and mortar. Lovely sweet scents spread in her fine glazed outdoor kitchen. The food was decorated with flowers and leaves from her garden. In the end, we sat down and enjoyed the tasty dishes. Very fun and educational day, can be highly recommended. She gave as so much more than just a cooking class, lots of history, culture and much more.

Fantastic experience. Aoy was a fantastic host and gave me and my husband a really good experience with Thai cuisine and culture. The instruction and explanation about the daily plan and meeting point was easy to follow. Aoy met us up and took us to 3 different markets, flower market, meat and vegetable market. There we got to taste a ton of different ingredients to learn how they tasted bad separately and worked perfectly together. The markets were authentic Thai because it was all Thai people and we were the only ones with blond hair. Not only we learnt a lot about Thai cuisine, but the history of Thailand, the kings and the dishes. We were kind of surprised that Pad Thai originally did not come from Thailand but China. We bought the ingredients ourselves with the help of Aoy choosing what we prefered and she drove us on her little boat back to her restaurant and learnt cooking. One of us was vegetarian. It was not a problem for Aoy to mix up different recipes for both of us. Aoy was very friendly and personal. She welcomed us with her heart at the restaurant. This is a perfect trip for couples to have fun and learn cooking a couple of Thai dishes. I kind of don't recommend this for bigger group cause the cooking process, that Aoy makes all curry pastes and flavours from raw indigrence, which makes it hard in a bigger group. Aoy did a lot of work that she didn't explain. Because the whole Thai cuisine cannot be taught within 6 hours. Aoy sent the recipe on email after the cooking course and drove us back to where we met up in the morning. Again, we recommend this experience to others! Have fun!

We spent most of the day with Aoy, owner of Aoywaan Riverside Restaurant. Aoy was very engaging and very interested in showing off the local markets where she shops for her restaurant. She knows many of the vendors well and was incredibly generous with making sure we got to see, smell and taste many of the more unusual local ingredients and products. By the end of the market tour, we were already so stuffed with samples and goodies, we couldn't believe we were about to start a cooking extravaganza. After shopping the market we took a relaxing riverboat ride from the market to her restaurant and spent a few hours preparing an early dinner after a little break. Her recipes were delicious, and made use of some less familiar ingredients (i.e. white and yellow turmeric, fingerroots and a few ingredients we still don't know the names of) which was very nice. Even though we have some experience with cooking Thai food and many of the flavors we were familiar, there were some subtle twists as a result of her recipes that were very nice. Overall a great experience, although be aware that even though the class says 6 hours that starts pretty early, it is a very full day, particularly with the travel time on the BTS. We had tentative plans to go walk Chatuchak after the class, but by the time we got back to the city, it was late afternoon and we ended up just heading back to the hotel to pass out. Finally, another nice thing is that Aoy has been pretty communicative with us after the class and is very good about sending us photos and answering follow-up questions about our experience.

Fantastic way to start off a visit to Thailand.

This experience far exceeded my expectations! Aoy is vivacious and full of energy. With her warm, engaging personality, I felt like I already knew her. She picked us up at our hotel and took us first to a beautiful flower market. The next stop was a huge food market that included a food court where we sampled some of her favorite foods. We reached her lovely riverside restaurant (Aoywann Riverside Thai Cuisine) and cooking school by way of her charming wooden boat. The setting of her restaurant is a tropical oasis on the river. Oh yeah...and the food was amazing. Aoy pours her heart into all she does - you will love her!!

If you want a customized, unique cooking experience, book with Aoy Marunrueng. She runs Aoywaaan Restaurant in Nakhon Pathom province outside of Bangkok with David Cleland, managing director and chef. They picked us up at a subway station in Bangkok and from there they took us to TWO market tours: one for wholesale and one for locals. They explained the different ingredients and had us sample some fruit and snacks. Everything was delicious! It was really nice having someone talk us through everything. Afterwards, we took a scenic boat ride down the river to Aoy's restaurant where we had our cooking class. We told them that we didn't want to cook typical dishes like pad thai so they customized the class for us and had us make pomelo salad since pomelo was in season. We also made green curry from scratch then used that leftover curry paste to make fried rice and marinated chicken skewers. Delicious and so full of flavor! We highly highly recommend this experience.

A perfect day with fantastic people. Get our of busy Bangkok and visit a nice market soly with locals and a nice, tough lady with a beautiful small cafe. She speaks english and german fluent and works hard to compose a unique experience for you.

Prompt pickup from an easy to get to MRT and BTS station. We shopped in two markets for their restaurant and our meal. We had a good breakfast at one of the vendors in probably the cleanest market I’ve seen. The tour through the market was very informative. The second market was the original floating market. We saw the young monks parading through for alms. My husband wanted to try chicken legs. Aoy bought a few extra to prepare as a surprise side dish for lunch (very nice touch). The boat ride up the river was just us. Beautiful scenery! The restaurant caters to mostly affluent locals and is fantastic! Views of the river and floating dock would keep you there all day. The class is serious business. This is truly a hands on meal creation. You will learn a great deal! I would even recommend this to professional chefs. Aoy is a great chef and teacher. You’ll even get to walk around the premises to collect herbs and fruits.

My daughter were picked up by Nunchie and given a tour of a food and flower market prior to boarding a boat and travelled to the cooking class which is also an operating world class restaurant. It was most enjoyable. Next time I am in Thailand I will be contacting the restaurant to book a table as the food and ambience are second to none.

This tour was by far the best experience we had in Bangkok. Before you read on please know this, my husband and I spent hours, just like you, trying to find the perfect cooking/food experiences in Thailand. Look no further, book this now! Aoy will be your guide and wow, she is an amazing lady. She taught us the ways of Thai cuisine and cooking, and not like the other cooking classes where it is all just laid out and you follow the recipe. You will actually taste test items, pick from her garden, choose unique items to cook with, and she will lead you along in the process as you taste test, add, or change as you cook. You will start with Aoy and her assistant, David (who is from the US!) going to 3 local markets to pick out fresh food and flowers for your meal. It was so much fun at the markets because we were able to try her and David’s favorite items. Luckily, Aoy knows all of the vendors so we tried much of it for free! We then took a short ride on a boat out to her restaurant, Aoywaan Riverside!We were welcomed by all of her amazing staff with snacks and tea. They are all so friendly!After this you will cook your meal with Aoy by your side. She even has her staff taking pictures while you cook! Needless to say, this experience was one we will never forget. It was by far the best meal I have ever eaten, and it was an authentic experience learning about Thai culture and cuisine. Thank you Aoy, David, and your whole staff at Aoywaan Riverside for such an amazing experience. We loved every minute!

Het was echt in 1 woord geweldig! Wij werden op het treinstation opgehaald door Aoy (de gastvrouw) en bezochten vervolgens verschillende markten, waar wij verse ingrediënten kochten om later te gaan gebruiken tijdens de kookles. Het was geweldig om kennis te maken met de lokale bevolking.Vervolgens vaarden we met haar boot naar haar restaurant aan het water, waar wij hartelijk werden ontvangen met een hapje en een drankje! Het koken vond plaats in de buitenkeuken, dit was ook geweldig. Wij hebben heerlijk gekookt onder begeleiding van Aoy. Mooi om te zien hoeveel passie zij heeft voor koken en vooral de ingrediënten. Na het koken hebben wij heerlijk gedineerd en genoten van het heerlijke eten en de drankjes.Ook een groot compliment naar het personeel; zij zijn super vriendelijk en bieden een top service!Deze kookles is zeker aan te raden als je het drukke Bangkok even achter je wilt laten, kennis wilt maken met het lokale leven en de producten!

We were very pleasantly surprised with this promised half day experience which ended up taking most of the day with extra-curricular activities such as visiting a major and unique temple and then a wonderful open air concert area and a renowned monument called the "Standing Buddha". The market experience was amazing in that it was a huge local market covering fruit, vegetables, meats, seafood and various supplies, it must be the cleanest market we have ever visited. Aoywaan gave us a lesson on local herbs and vegetables, particularly ones that we were going to use in our cooking and which she purchased fresh right there and then.We were then taken on a 15 minute ride boat to her riverfront restaurant where we then had a relaxing tea-break (with specialties of the house) before our cooking classes started.The classes themseves were sooo good and we highly recommend the personal and thoughtful attention we were shown. We couldn't wait to enjoy the fabulous dishes we had just prepared, paired with some of her own specialty mocktails!

My husband and I met Aoy and her business partner Tien for a most fantastic day in the outskirts of Bangkok.We met our hosts at the end of the BTS skytrain. A short drive through the Bangkok traffic and we arrived at the Bangkok wholesale markets. We had a fantastic walk through the market where we talked fruit, vegetables, herbs and other produce. There were many delicious samples although we were not such great fans of Durian!Another short ride and we arrived at another market (floating) and Buddhist temple. After further touring and sampling we met the boat for a wonderful trip boat trip along the river passing local homes and farms until we arrived at Aoywaan Riverside Thai restaurant.The next few hours passed in a whirlwind. We cooked several courses. Soup, salad, grilled meats and green curry. I particularly enjoyed mixing the curry paste and learning how to adjust the mix to create the salty, seat, spicy flavours of Thai cooking.We then sat on the divine balcony of Aoy's restaurant and ate our cooking. The weather was divine and the cocktail delicious. It capped a fantastic few days in Bangkok.I particularly enjoyed the hospitality and kindness of Aoy and Tien. We had a thoroughly enjoyable day and learned so much of Bangkok, Thailand, the culture and the people of this lovely and hospitable country.

My aunt and I had an amazing time with Aoy and her business partner, Tien. They both provided excellent service, from picking us up from the BTS station and driving us to the market and then taking us on a boat ride down the river surrounded by cute Thai homes and lush greenery to Aoy's restaurant where we completed the cooking class. Their passion for food was infectious and made me want to cook more! The food we made was delicious too and included papaya salad, green curry with chicken, and tom yum soup! It was also great walking around the market since we got to try various snacks and pick up some things to bring back. If you are considering this experience, it is totally worth the money and a great way to get out of Bangkok and explore the surrounding area which is quite beautiful.

Aoy and her wonderful smile, met me at my hotel in Bangkok, took me on a tour of her local market, then ferried me by boat to her charming river-side restaurant 45 minutes outside of the city. It was wonderful to get away of the chaos of the city, and to get a glimpse of small-town, riverside life. I was the only student, and Aoy and I cooked 3 courses together, based on the items we'd picked up at the market, and then she surprised me with a fourth when we sat down to eat a a table in her charming, local restaurant (it was actually dinner btw, not lunch). I loved the entire experience.

Aoy met us as agreed at Bang Wa BTS on a very sunny Monday morning. Our first stop was the Flower market where we saw many fresh flowers and beautiful arrangements used for the many Thai festivals. From there, we then went to 2 local fresh food markets - and saw all the wonderful fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood. There was the opportunity to pick up the ingredients for our lunch too - which were fresh flower crabs and veggies. After the second market and with our shopping, Aoy took us by boat to her home/ restaurant. Her staff had prepared a Welcome sign for our Group. We learnt how to prepare 4 dishes - a grilled chicken dish, a coconut chicken soup with bananas, a spicy Thai papaya salad (Somtam) and fried pepper crab with the flower crabs we bought from the market. Aoy showed us how to prepare the dishes as well as explained to us about the many spices that went into the dishes. She was particular about how each ingredient had to be cut - size, thickness and length - to ensure maximum flavour. She advised us that for the crabs - it would be better to steam them first before frying with the spices. Our cooking lesson took over an hour. After which, we sat down to a very delicious late lunch. Being a Monday - the restaurant was not very busy and hence allowed Aoy to spend more time with us. We enjoyed our day with Aoy. She was patient and took the time to explain the different cooking methods and ingredients used for the dishes. We would recommend a session with her as her location is away from Bangkok City. We got to see another part of Bangkok which we wouldn’t have been able to but for the class.

This experience was the most memorable part of our trip. We got more out of the day than what was expected and enjoyed every minute. We got to visit three different markets, take a boat out to the cooking class and enjoy the beautiful views at Aoy’s restaurant. Aoy was extremely educational, my partner and I learnt not only about Thai cooking but also culture, history, Thai markets and the best spots to go. Aoy was so welcoming, friendly and helpful. It is safe to say we will be making this part of every future trip to Thailand. It was our favourite thing to do here and we can’t thank the fabulous Aoy enough for such a perfect and traditional experience.

Aoy and her staff were extremely friendly and professional! Our hotel recommended this tour and I understand why! Aoy met us at the Bang Wa BTS Station right on time. She took us to a few of her favorite markets to pick fresh produce and meats for cooking. Aoy knew so many of the local vendors and allowed us to try local fruits. She took pictures and videos to capture the memories while we enjoyed the sights and tastes of the Don Wai Market. She shared stories of her childhood in Rai Khing District and her many travels around the world. After market Aoy was also our boat captain and took us down the river to her restaurant. We were greeted by her exceptional staff, served tea and pastries and relaxed along the river. Aoy had many small touches to welcome us to her restaurant, more importantly welcome us as family. After we took a break we met her and her team in the kitchen to start prepping the meals. Aoy isn’t going to hand you a recipe to follow. She’s going to taste food with you, add spice with you, she’s going to create a meal with you and teach you to cook in your own kitchen. If you need step by step instructions to read and follow you will be disappointed. If you want to have a conversation about why herbs are chosen and why they are freshly ground a certain way to release flavors this is the class for you. Aoy wants you to explore food Thai food and Thai culture with her. What we thought would be a 4 hour day turned into a full day adventure including a few popular sights in her town. Aoy’s team had everything ready for us to focus on cooking and made sure we could enjoy our time there. Aoy loves style and presentation, everything has to smell good, look good and taste good. Spend some with Aoy and you will know she’s all about the details. We finished preparing our meals and enjoyed lunch on the river. Aoy and her staff ensured a splendid experience. She focuses on bringing the local culture to life through her cooking and stories. Her spirit, laughter and smile are contagious. She wants everyone to feel like her family and cooking with her in another country we were visiting felt just like home.

Aoy and Tien really go above and beyond to add the personal touch and make you feel super at-home via their experience. They are passionate about food, cooking, the Thai culture and speak excellent English. Perfect if you have a free morning/afternoon and want to explore a different side of Bangkok. You won't be disappointed, and they are certain to look after you. Come armed with stories and the readiness to have fun and to relax

We got lucky and it was just my wife and I. Aoy meets you at the exit of the Sky Train. We started with a hour tour of the Buddhist Foundation which has 1 million visitors a year. Spectacular grounds and truly off the beaten path. Then a good hour in the market by the river. Aoy knows many of the vendors and we sampled lots of items. Followed by a 20 minute boat ride and two hour cooking class. We prepared 5 dishes in a beautiful outdoor kitchen and enjoyed it at a table at Aoy’s restaurant with a view of the river. Come hungry and sit back and enjoy.

Aoy is the best possible host! She took us to this incredible market outside of Bangkok where she knew everyone and had us taste everything. We then had a scenic lovely boat tour to her restaurant/kitchen. The set up for the class was beautiful. Each team had an assistant and we made four different delicious dishes. We highly recommend her to anyone. It was really the best day for our whole group!

Aoy was absolutely incredible. She wowed us with a wonderful market visit where she seemed to know everyone. Then, we took us on a majestic boat ride to her restaurant which included awesome live music. When we reached the restaurant, there was more live music, a sign welcoming our group, a welcome drink and snack that was delicious, and then we got to work. The sous chefs were very capable and helpful and I felt that we really learned how to make the dishes (and we got hard copies of the recipes when we left). Overall, the best experience we had in Thailand! Thanks, Aoy!! Oh and we loved the lemongrass towels to end our night.

I just returned from Aoy’s cooking class and tour . It was a highlight of my trip . Aoy is not only a wonderful chef but great host and guide . She goes out of her way to make sure you have the best experience possible . In addition she is an amazing chef , in a city that has fantastic food , her restaurant was the best in terms of taste, quality, presentation and welcoming environment I would highly recommend this tour (Aoy) for anyone who wants an authentic Thai experience .

Aoy picked us up from the BTS and showed us a couple of markets before she drove us by boat to her place along the river. We really enjoyed Aoy and the energy she brought to the entire day. We learned how to make some interesting dishes, and more importantly got to eat them! All in all we had an amazing day and will recommend Aoy to anyone looking for a cooking or eating experience in Thailand!!

This was the best thing i did while in Bangkok! Aoy was great! She was friendly and knowledgeable and taught me how to make a delicious meal! I also enjoyed being in the restaurant which is by the river and relaxing. This is a MUST DO if you are visiting Bangkok! Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy this tour and workshop.

Aoy was an incredible host, she was warm, welcoming and charming. She picked me up from Bang Wa BTS and we drove through some beautiful parks and boulevards before arriving at the markets. The produce was fresh and Aoy seemed to know everyone there. She was eager to share her knowledge about the local produce and I was lucky enough to sample a few delicious things. After the markets we then got into a boat and traveled along the river before we arrived at her restaurant. I was greeted with tea and dessert. After relaxing for a bit, we then began the cooking lesson. Aoy accommodated my vegetarian diet perfectly - I learnt how to make a banana Tom Yum, tofu pad Thai and a papaya salad. Aoy was an excellent teacher, she explained all the steps carefully and guided me through the whole process. I would definitely book Aoy as a host again and recommend her to anyone. I truly felt like I was invited in to participate in her world and I was very grateful for the experience. She is a wonderful person who not only made me feel comfortable but also made me laugh and helped me to gain a deeper insight into the food, people and culture of Thailand.

We literally spent part of our first day with Aoy. We landed, took a short nap and were the whisked into a truly local experience. Aoy took us to the Do Wai floating market where we picked up her boat and puttered up stream to her home and riverside restaurant.The food was delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. Local beer came wrapped in banana leaves with a orchid tucked in. Orchards were in fact liberally added to the table. There were a number of courses including a duck stew cooked in a small green pumpkin. Since Aoy was our first introduction to Bangkok she asked our interests and then offered the perfect suggestions of places to go. I'm so glad to have learned about Traveling Spoon just days before our departure.

Cooking in Bangkok with Ayo. Awesome! Everything was exactly as scheduled only better. Our hostess was fabulous." Will look to use Traveling Spoon again in the future.

We literally spent part of our first day with Aoy. We landed, took a short nap and were the whisked into a truly local experience. Aoy took us to the Do Wai floating market where we picked up her boat and puttered up stream to her home and riverside restaurant.The food was delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. Local beer came wrapped in banana leaves with a orchid tucked in. Orchards were in fact liberally added to the table. There were a number of courses including a duck stew cooked in a small green pumpkin. Since Aoy was our first introduction to Bangkok she asked our interests and then offered the perfect suggestions of places to go. I'm so glad to have learned about Traveling Spoon just days before our departure.

Awesome! Everything was exactly as scheduled only better. Our hostess was fabulous.