Private Tour

Private Filipino cooking class in a local Manila Home

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Explore Isi's vegetable garden and pick a few calamansis, before heading into her kitchen for your private class, where she will teach you to prepare Filipino family recipes that have been passed down through generations. After cooking, you will sit down and share the meal you helped prepare at Isi's dining table in her home. Your meal will include dishes such as ensaladang pako (local fern salad in a calamansi and raw honey dressing), grilled shrimp in a cilantro chimichurri (an Isi creation), ginataang kalabasa at sitaw (squash and green beans in a coconut milk stew), mechado (soy marinated beef, cooked in an onion and tomato sauce) or inihaw na baboy (grilled pork chops) followed by homemade calamansi pie for dessert made by her best friend Earnest.

This experience is a true glimpse into the Filipino culture and cuisine with a warm and friendly local, in her home in Taguig, Metro Manila.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required

Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking

Please note this is not a professional cooking class, rather an insider glimpse into Filipino culture and cuisine with a local expert cook in her home

Dress code is smart casual

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Beer

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Lunch or Dinner

Gratuities

Private Filipino cooking class with your host Isi

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

Isi has been in the food business for over ten years - creating recipes for dairy companies and restaurants, doing food styling and photography and selling spices online. She has recently started "Chili Asylum", an institution dedicated to marketing fresh chilies and chilli products sourced directly from Filipino farmers. Isi says she learned everything she knows about cooking from her Nanay (grandmother) who she watched cook fresh lunches and dinners everyday growing up. Isi loves cooking and serving the local, regional food she grew up eating. Isi enjoys collaborating with other chefs and food lovers in the food business to create new and delicious food. Isi will take you through her small vegetable garden where she grows lemongrass and calamansi, a distinctive Filipino citrus fruit that she uses to flavor her food. Isi's food is redolent of flavors such as calamansi, garlic, chilies, coconut milk and fish sauce. In her kitchen she will teach you to prepare Filipino family recipes that have been passed down through the generations. You can choose between a hands-on lesson and a cooking demonstration during which you will watch her prepare the meal. Just let her know your preference! Your menu might include dishes such as ensaladang pako (local fern salad in a calamansi and raw honey dressing), grilled shrimp in a cilantro chimichurri (an Isi creation), ginataang kalabasa at sitaw (squash and green beans in a coconut milk stew), mechado (soy marinated beef, cooked in an onion and tomato sauce), inihaw na baboy (grilled pork chops) followed by homemade calamansi pie for dessert made by her best friend Earnest. Leave with new recipes, a new friend, and lifelong memories. Please note, this is not a professional cooking class, rather this experience is a visit into an authentic, local home to meet a local person and share the culture and cuisine together.

Options

Cooking + lunch

Reviews

4.93

28 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Filipino cooking class with a chef at a local’s home
Marion N,
Aug 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We were warmly welcome by Isi in her home in the central part of BGC. She told us all we needed to know about Filipino staple ingredients to have in our cupboards, the typical ingredients used in everyday dishes. We were up for a treat as we cooked different types of local fish and prawns. All dishes were easy to make and accessible to all. We shared the meal all together and Isi surprised us with a special dessert. Isi then spent time to answer all our questions regarding potential trips to different areas of the Philippines included islands, northern cities, restaurant recommendations and more. This is an ideal activity if you start visiting the Philippines from Manila as you will be able to link the recipes, ingredients and stories to your travel here. Do not hesitate! Book it!
More than just a cooking class!
kellychristineharris,
Aug 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What a fabulous experience this was. Isi was super friendly and had us cook three different Filipino dishes which were all incredibly flavoursome. It wasn’t just a cooking class, but an experience from love of the culture. Isi also provided us with lots of tips to continue enjoying the Philippines; you could genuinely feel her passion. We asked lots of questions, none of which were too much trouble. Isi went above and beyond to provide us with an incredible cultural memory.
Mouthwatering Nostalgia
jaitolim,
Oct 23, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Chef Isi was awesome & generous! Had a great time and even made an surprising “small-world” bonus connection with her. Food tours are really best with more guests, I think. Unfortunately, it was just my husband (who was still a little sick that time) and I for that weekend morning. The experience wasn’t also what I expected of a home-cooking class experience--- we were moved to a different venue due to pandemic restrictions so no calamansi-picking gardens with a side commentary of personal stories and proper cooking techniques, haha awe :( Still, the food we helped prepare were still indigenous to Philippine cuisine and delectably flavorful. Chef was also gracious and let us try some of her personal favorites of local crafted beers. We’re not huge meat eaters, so our personal favorites were the Ginataang Pinakbet (vegetables stewed in coconut milk & local spices-- even the garbanzos added a new texture memory to my taste buds), and the Bistek Tanguige (spanish mackerel marinated in soy sauce & calamansi). 100% YUM! <3
Great Filipino cooking class in a local home
ahstedfast,
Aug 16, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Isi was very kind and knowledgeable about Filipino cuisine! The lesson was hands on and fun! She was also very welcoming and friendly. Would highly recommend.
AH-MAZING!!
tracileew,
Jul 4, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Isi is such a sweet woman! She was so hospitable and a great hostess. She emailed me in advance to find out what some of my favorite ingredients were - I said avocado and mushrooms :) Sure enough, when I got there, there were a ton of those items. Since I'm not a person who cooks, she explained all the ingredients that she used. I was a little nervous about some of the ingredients (tofu and vinegar) but the tastes came out perfect! All the ingredients that she used (minus the chicken and tofu) came from her garden so they were incredibly fresh. I highly recommend Isi's Cooking Class!!
Unique and wonderful experience!
674valentinv,
Apr 28, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Hello 🙂 My wife and I have traveled to various countries in Asia, but it is this experience that has brought us the closest to what we love most in this part of the world - people. From the first moment we felt a friendly relationship with Isi, and the moments spent together - the shopping done in the beautiful local market where you see the daily shopping done by the locals, the road from the market to its location and of course the "cooking lesson" crowned with a delicious meal and a cold San Miguel - all contributed to a unique, extraordinary experience that we will always remember with pleasure. Isi, you are the perfect ambassador for the warmth and kindness of the Filipino people. Thank you for everything ! 🤗🙏🏻🇵🇭🇷🇴
Great experience!
nwa888,
Mar 18, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We very much enjoyed our time with Isi and her boyfriend and their warm hospitality. We learned a few things about the cuisine of the Philippines, and were cooking some tasty local dishes like Adobo. Isi also shared a lot of insider tips for good food and places to visit in the Philippines. We recommend to start your trip in the Philippines with such an experience!
Fun and informative
melayg2021,
Nov 2, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Isi’s three ways of cooking adobo was very informative and a lot of fun! Even if the class was online, ISI’s warmth and energy made the class very engaging. We learned new things about adobo, and the recipes are delicious.
Adobo and More!
kevnieves,
Aug 4, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Being Pinoy, we already know this dish by heart. We booked Isi's class because we were looking for something different in doing this national dish. Let's just say, we got so much more than what we expected! We were taught the history of the dish, a "tour" of the different methods of the three major island groups, but most of all, we got to meet a cool Filipino in chef Isi. We will definitely book again and recommend to friends.
Amazing authentic Philippine cuisine!
298keii,
Mar 11, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was really amazing experience at her place to cook authentic Philippine dishes. She also taught me where I should go in Manila and what the local culture like which gave me another good idea for sightseeing. Desert was also great! I recommend this experience to anyone. I was alone for this class but it turned to be a great experience. Thank you!