KP Gems with Leo - Muai’s Thai Traditional Cooking Academy

Meet beautiful Muai, originally from Isaan, she has now lived on Koh Phangan for about 2 and a half years with her Mother and Sister.

Before moving to Phangan Muai had a restaurant for 10 years in Khao Lak where competition is high and the lifestyle not so relaxed like Koh Phangan.

“Like many other Thai people I just thought that Koh Phangan was a place for the Full Moon Party but when I visited, I was surprised. I came and went around the island to places like Haad Yao and thought - Wow!”

And so Muai made the move to live here, firstly working at resorts on the island before opening her very own cooking school a few months ago.

Muai comes from a big family of 7 brothers and sisters, she is the youngest. Her parents used to work preparing food for a push cart and she learnt to cook by watching her Mum.

Muai would chop vegetables, make coconut milk, all by hand with no machines just like her Mum was doing.

This is what makes Muai’s Cooking Academy different from others on the island.

“We do things the traditional way with no machines. Desserts using banana leaves or bamboo for example and showing people how it was done before…”

Muai wanted to make her Cooking Academy because she is really proud of Thai food like most other Thai people are too. “It is the way we show our culture, even when we greet each other we say ‘have you eaten already?’ and this is why we have lots of different dishes”.

You can take a cooking class with Muai from Sunday - Friday. You choose from a list of dishes however if you want to learn something special then you can request this.

Muai takes you to the local fresh food market to buy ingredients, this is also a great opportunity to learn about the Thai food you will cook.

The setting of the cooking academy is very beautiful with lots of greenery, plants and trees, it is a peaceful atmosphere to learn a wonderful Thai tradition of cooking this amazing cuisine.