Rice Field Cooking Class in Ubud — Outdoor Balinese Experience
A rice field cooking class you won't forget.
Most cooking classes happen indoors — in a kitchen, in a hotel room, in a studio. Ours starts in the green, surrounded by the rice paddies that Ubud is famous for. Outdoors, open-air, under the shade of a warung (traditional Balinese kitchen) with the paddies stretching out in every direction.
1. The morning market — before it gets crowded
The morning class starts at 8:00 AM with hotel pickup. We drive to a real market on the edge of Ubud — the one locals use, not the souvenir stalls near the centre. Vendors are setting up, early customers are bargaining, and the air is full of fresh turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, chilies and things you've never seen.
Your guide points out the ingredients that will become your lunch — turmeric for colour and anti-inflammatory properties, galangal that tastes nothing like regular ginger, kencur (lesser galangal) that's a Bali specialty, pandan for aroma. You carry some of it in your hands as we walk. This is the part that most classes don't include, and it's the one you'll talk about afterwards.
If you've searched for Bali cooking class with market tour or traditional Balinese cooking class, this is the experience that sits at the heart of it all. No market tour, no spice identification, no real context for the dishes you'll cook.
2. A walk through the rice terraces
From the market, we take a short walk through the rice paddies to the cooking area. You'll pass fields at different stages — newly flooded, bright green shoots, then taller stalks turning gold ready for harvest. Balinese farmers work on a subak system, the ancient water-sharing cooperative that UNESCO recognises as a cultural landscape.
It's a gentle walk — 10–15 minutes, flat path. Wear shoes you don't mind getting a little dusty. If you're joining the rice paddy walk with cooking class, this is the moment. You'll see how Balinese farmers grow the jasmine rice that'll feature in your meal later.
3. The outdoor cooking area
This is where most cooking classes in Ubud wouldn't take you. Our kitchen is open-air but sheltered — a warung with charcoal grills, stone mortars, and a long table where everyone sits together. The walls are open, so you get the breeze and the views. It's cool even in the morning heat.
You'll cook by hand: base genep spice paste ground in a stone mortar (the real way, not a food processor), sate lilit pressed onto lemongrass stalks, curry simmered in a clay pot, and the sambal matah that needs no cooking at all. Ten to twelve dishes by the time you're done, all built on the spice paste you made yourself.
This is what people mean when they search for outdoor cooking class Ubud or Balinese kitchen cooking class — the genuine article, not a staged setup for tourists.
4. Eating together, over the paddies
The food goes onto banana leaves on a low table in the shade. Everyone sits cross-legged or on a cushion — no chairs, no plates, just the communal way. You pass dishes around, you eat with your hands or a spoon and fork, you talk about what you just made.
This is the feast: base genep, sate lilit, chicken or tofu curry in coconut sauce, urab (coconut vegetable salad), sambal matah, sambal goreng, pepes (steamed in banana leaf), and bubur injin (black rice pudding) for dessert. The full menu changes with the season.
After lunch there's no rush. Stay as long as you like. The rice fields don't go anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long is the rice field cooking class?
About 5 hours total: pickup at 8 AM, market tour, rice field walk, two hours of hands-on cooking, and the shared feast. It ends around 1 PM.
Q: Is the rice paddy walk difficult?
No — it's a gentle, flat walk through established pathways between the terraces. About 10–15 minutes. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat.
Q: What if I don't like being outdoors?
The cooking area is fully sheltered — it has a roof and open sides, so it's cool and dry. You're in the fresh air with the views but you're not exposed to sun or rain.
Q: Can I do this class if I'm vegetarian?
Absolutely. Every dish has a vegetarian and vegan version. The menu changes slightly — we swap meat for tempeh and extra vegetables — but it's just as full and flavourful. See our vegetarian & vegan page.
Q: How much does the rice field cooking class cost?
The morning class with market tour is IDR 450k (~$29) per person. Afternoon (no market) is IDR 400k (~$26). Both include a full meal, recipe book, and free Ubud pickup. See our pricing page for full details.
Cook where the rice grows.
Morning market tour, rice field walk, hands-on class and a feast overlooking the paddies. Book your spot — groups are small.