Intensive Training at SITCA's Thai Cooking School
You may be considering a career in the Thai food industry or currently work in or own a Thai restaurant. Or perhaps you are simply a keen amateur cook with a desire to delve deeply into Thai cuisine. There is no better way to achieve your goals than to learn from Thai culinary masters in the country of the cuisine's origin, at Southern Thailand's internationally acclaimed Thai cooking school.
Please be sure to watch the short video introduction to SITCA at the bottom of our home page HERE.
One and Two Week Programs
Six Day Thai Cuisine Immersion - 52,500 baht (accommodation not included)
Sixty dishes are learned hands-on in 6 intensive days. Just as in our longer Training for Professionals program, the curriculum has been painstakingly designed to expose students to all areas of the cuisine including salads, curries, soups, stir-fries, steamed dishes, and desserts. Learn many tips about the preparation of authentic Thai cuisine to which non Thais are rarely exposed. Every student prepares every dish. Sessions take place beginning the third Monday of every month. Instruction is Monday through Saturday for one week and begins each day at 10:00 am.
Twelve Day Training for Professionals - 105,000 baht (accommodation not included)
Those who participate in this program learn over 100 recipes hands-on, delving into areas usually reserved for the domain of native born cooks. We reveal dozens of details about the preparation of authentic Thai cuisine to which non Thais are almost never exposed.
A full day introduction to the art of Thai style fruit and vegetable carving is also included. Those who wish to receive additional instruction in this area can make special arrangments to do so.
Sessions take place beginning the first Monday of every month. Instruction is Monday through Saturday for two weeks and begins each day at 10:00 am.
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Click here to open or download the PDF file with full details.
What former students say about SITCA's intensive programs
The wonderful Roongfa and her friendly staff made my 6 days at SITCA such a brilliant experience. Although I have been cooking Thai recipes for many years, through my time at SITCA I have been able to immerse myself in the food, and learn first hand from a truly passionate and talented Thai chef. I have worked professionally in commercial kitchens, but this would not be required to do this course. Basic knife skills and a passion for food and learning would be all you would require. I can highly recommend SITCA to anyone looking to learn about real Thai cooking.
Paul Haggett
Melbourne, Australia
What an experience! The 12 day course for professionals at SITCA truly is an amazing experience. Chef Roongfa is a very dedicated professional. She understands Thai flavors very well and she transforms them into absolutely delicious dishes. The SITCA school is very well organized.
Friendly staff make sure all the equipment and ingredients are always ready for you. Their smily faces are prepared to help anythime.
I’m really looking forward to a new challenge – to create wonderful flavorful meals. The new ideas and knowledge I've picked up during these 12 days will definitely be an asset to my career. I wish SITCA many happy students and all the best for the future.
Thanks for everything.
Luzana Ibonkova
Slovakia
The 6 day program was a great training experience. The vast variety of dishes I prepared with Roongfa has really given me a solid foundation for Thai cooking. I wish I had time for the 12 days. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay for another week. I feel like I”ve been to the best Thai restaurant in the world, and I learned to cook the food. I would recommend this program to any chef because the flavors and techniques can be used in many different kitchens. The staff were very hospitable and the course was , well organized. Thanks so much. I hope to return. Thank you, Roongfa.
Mikko Heino
Finland
21/01/12
Para mi foi brilliante! Ha muita palavra que eu possa escrever mas acho que brilliante se encaixa melhor pois nos faz lembrar do sol algo radiante e maravilhoso una experienca unica!
Todos sao muito generosos e sempre soiridentes. Otima equipe!
Roongf e maravilhosa e super atenciosa. Una verdadeira chef brilliante!
So tento que agradecer pela maravilhosa experienca que me proporcionou.
Debora Yamacake
Brazil
The class was excellent. Chef Roong gives step by step instructions to many Thai dishes. I am sure I can now prepare an authentic Thai menu of at least 100 menus! I recommend to anyone who is interested in cooking Thai for professional or social reasons - participate in the course for a lifetime of pleasure.
Geo Betancourt
Fatman in Paradise and Geo’s Family Fitness
USA, Thailand, Indonesia
SITCA in a few words, is a great place to learn Thai cuisine. I was lucky that I was the only one in my session, so I had one-on-one training from the owner, and she was great. She teaches all the dishes and explains where they are coming from. After that one of the instructors named Kim taught me how to carve fruit. She explained even the hardest flowers like it was nothing, and the results were great. I couldn’t believe I made it on my own. As for the rest, it's a great place, clean, and with friendly people. I enjoyed every day and would recommend it to everybody. It will change your cooking in the future.
Bryan Webber
This course is brilliant. The 12 day professional course exposed Thai cooking on many levels. Every day presented us with exciting new techniques and ingredients. I now have a greater understanding and appreciation for authentic Thai flavors and also some fantastic methods of presenting and cooking this rich and diverse cuisine.
Chef Biddy Rook
I've been running a successful restaurant for 20 years, and decided to learn Thai cuisine during a break. I especially wanted to know the herbs and spices better. I spend a lot of time looking on the internet and kept going back to SITCA's website and their 12 day program. I booked the course and I'm glad I did.
Learning fruit and vegetable carving was one of the highlights, and it was also interesting to watch their professional team of instructors teach tourists from around the world. A big thank you to boss Roongfa and all the employees who made me a part of their team for one brief moment. I would have gladly stayed longer if could have, but I will always have pleasureable memories.I recommend SITCA to everyone.
Thomas Mittag
Germany
In the past 17 years of traveling to Thailand and having undertaken other professional cooking courses, your establishment is the most professional by far. The training provided by yourself, your staff, the facilities are the best. I would not hesitate to recommend this professional training to any other chef would love to gain a high level of Thai cuisine and fruit and vegetable carving knowledge. Once again, thank you.
Chef Max Peter Popovic
Perth, Western Australia
Overall this is by far the most professional class I have ever attended. Worth every penny. The detail, staff and program, first rate! This has been a very rewarding experience that has made me a better chef and person. Thanks to all at SITCA.
Matthew Coyle
Executive Chef Alpine Grove Inc.
Hollis, New Hampshire USA
Since participating in the Training for Professionals in January 2005, I have been able to confidently introduce Thai cuisine into my outdoor catering repertoire. Clients find it interesting and a great change from the traditional Turkish catering offerings.
Duncan Scudamore
Principal - Duncan's Delectables
Istanbul, Turkey
The SITCA Training for Professionals program was fantastic. The staff were all extremely professional - making it a great learning environment. While it is possible to attempt Thai recipes from a cookbook, there is no replacement for hands-on learning from an experienced chef who demonstrates the detailed techniques that make the difference between good food and great food. We were also able to understand how each dish is supposed to taste using authentic ingredients, rather than the watered down approach so commonly used in Western Thai cooking. And who knew I would love fruit carving! Thanks again for a wonderfulexperience!
Miranda Stamps
Newton, Massachussets, USA
The total immersionexperience at SITCA was marvelous. Chef Roongfa and her staff taught me so many different Thai recipes, and even more important they passed on to me their feelings about Thai food. Thanks to this I now organize Thai cooking workshops in Belgium, where I able to transmit what I learned. I had a wonderful time at SITCA.
Marie Desmaele
Caterer Cooking Instructor - Cook-in
Wespelaar, Belgium
I haven't become a professional chef. However I am doing Thai cooking at home from time to time to entertain friends and family. They just love it. The training course taught me how to appreciate Thai food. Now I am giving my friends an impression of a Thai cuisine expert. I am able to share with them my experience at SITCA, giving them advice on Thai dishes, from recipes, use of ingredients to what dishes to order in a Thai restaurant.
Edmund Poon
Hong Kong
I expected to get a basic understanding of Thai Cuisine and left with much more. Before coming to the school I cooked Thai food like an American. Now I can cook like a local.
Tomm Johnson
Chef Instructor, Professional Culinary Institute
Campbell, California
Probably the most signifcant results of the training in fruit and vegetable carving you provided during my two week course at SITCA is that by practising the techniques you taught, I was able to take first prize at the California AGROart culinary art contest last fall. Secondly I produced a two hour DVD for American Culinary artist Ray Duey. It was filmed in my kitchen during a single one-day session.
Ken Bacon
Novato, California, USA
I have taught several friends various curries and stir-fries, not to mention the great peanut sauce Roongfa taught Tom and myself. I would have to say the professional program at SITCA taught me the fundamental primary ingredients in Thai cooking. I learned how to best prepare over forty recipes, mastering the timing, cooking methods, and quantity of ingredients. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to expandtheir knowledge, on a personal basis, of the Thai culture, customs, and cuisine.
Lisa Filpi
San Francisco, California, USA
Summer 2004 at SITCA
I found my experience at SITCA invaluable. I learned to cook and present the most beautiful Thai food ever and have incorporated what I learned at SITCA into my culinary exploits here in Australia where I have received so many positive comments from customers and staff. I greatly enjoyed the whole experience learning the correct technique and use of ingredients; I found this invaluable in my quest to produce excellent and delicious Thai food. I wish to thank everyone at SITCA for the excellent training I received during your course. It has made me a more competent and contented chef.Kindest regards.
Chef James Dobson
Australia
Everything clicked after the course. I had known about all the ingredients and been making Thai curries, but it was like the training wheels had come off. I am really big on curries, and with the techniques I had learnedI could finally make them with confidence. I never, not anywhere in Thailand or in the States, tasted dishes (especially curry dishes) like the ones we made at SITCA.
