We had a fantastic time on A Chef’s Tour evening outing in Chiang Mai and can’t say enough great things about our guide Moui!
Moui started us off at the market to give us a basic background on Thai ingredients and flavors so that we could later appreciate what we were eating. From there we went on a whirlwind tour de cuisine and tried a wide range of street food, fruits, complex salads, and desserts. A chance marathon closing down a market for the evening forced us to alter our itinerary but Moui’s years of experience easily allowed her to adjust our itinerary so that we had just as many flavors to try as we would have otherwise. If you’re interested in learning more about Thai cuisine and getting an inside look at Chiang Mai’s food culture from a local, definitely check out A Chef’s Tour for a fun night out. There’s a ton of food to eat so be sure to pace yourself!
Hi Lazebu,
Thanks for your kind words. We've passed on your comments to Moui who is always keen to hear feedback from her guests. We're also pleased to hear that even though there was a marathon blocking much of the city centre, she still created a memorable experience.
We very much look forward to seeing you on another foodie tour soon.
All the best,
Luke @ A Chef's Tour
We absolutely loved our tour of Old Town Phuket with Pema our guide. It was one of the best food tours we have ever done. Not only were we gently guided to try new dishes but we also experienced local Thai life in the underbelly of the local food market. Pema was so knowledgeable with a balance of information about the food, culture, history and personal tales of her life growing up in the area. The tour was a highlight of our trip to Thailand! Thank you!
Hi Bgold16,
Thanks for leaving your wonderful review and we're super pleased to hear that you had a good time with your guide Pema. As you found it, she knows all the best little spots to eat, places that only locals who grew up in the area are aware of.
We very much hope you enjoyed the rest of your Thai adventure and look forward to seeing you on another one soon.
All the best,
Luke @ A Chef's Tour
This was our first time in Chiang Mai, and as we wanted to experience real local food we decided on this tour. I have to say the experience was well organised and fun from start to finish. We tried some amazing, delicious, local dishes, some of which are more adventurous than others, and our local guide was great at taking into account how adventurous each person in our group was. Moui was a generous host, allowing plenty of time for us to really enjoy each location and thoughtfully explaining the food as we went along. Me and my girlfriend were blown away by the whole tour, and we came away absolutely stuffed after trying so many dishes. Strongly suggest you don't have breakfast before you join the tour!
If you are heading to Chiang Mai and you are interested in food, this tour with A Chef's Tour is THE tour you are looking for. Don't miss it!!
Hi,
A big thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We super pleased to hear that you had a good time on the experience with Moui. She's a wonderful guide and really knows her stuff when it comes to Northern Thai cuisine.
We very much look forward to seeing you on another one of our foodie tours soon.
All the best,
Luke @ A Chef's Tour
I feel like we were on a different tour than everyone else who left reviews here. The Chiang Mai Chefs Tour was the only thing I regretted booking on our trip to Thailand. The night began with a trip to the famous Cowgirl lady and her pork leg. This was ok, definitely not the best street food we've had, nor was it something we couldn't have tried on our own. But it was all downhill from there. At the local market we were given spices to chew on which make your mouth burn or go numb (tip... just say no!). The 'delicacies' from there included a black century egg, fried bugs, soup made with congealed blood, other dishes which were so spicy no one could eat them, and a very average pork curry which came complete with a couple of strands of human hair. The evening concluded with a giant fruit smoothie... which seemed like a weird addition at the end of the night. But at least it was reasonably tasty! Throughout the tour we found our guide Moui to be quite impatient with us and not particularly friendly. The only reason I gave this tour two stars was because the company of the other couple we met was great. So the experience was not a complete waste of time! We've done food tours all over Asia and have always had the best time. Normally it's the best way to try 'delicious' local food in those secret little locations you wouldn't have found on your own. Sadly The Chefs Tour did not live up to our expectations at all.
Hi badlittlekiwi,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review and we're sorry to hear that the tour didn't live up to your expectations. The Cowgirl lady is considered to have the best khao kha moo (slowed cooked pork knuckle in five spice) plates in the city and though you could have gone yourself as you have said (unlike the rest of the stops on the tour which are really only known to locals), you would have never have understood the interesting history behind the dish, vendor and owner.
The soup you mention is a Northern Thai classic, nam ngiaw, a truly delicious dish made from a slow-cooked broth of pork ribs, ground pork, tomatoes,Thai spices, herbs and a few very small cubes of Thai blood jelly topping rice noodles and served with huge bunches of Thai herbs and pork crackling. You also didn't mention the other delicacies you will have tried like smoky grilled sai oua sausage with lemongrass and spices from a vendor who sells more than 5000 a day to locals, the different types of nam prik dips that you can watch being pounded in large pestle and mortars, the miang kham made from betal leaves filled with an explosion of flavour coming from ginger, dried shrimps, garlic, peanuts and slightly sweet sauce, the different types of tea and tamarind leaf salads which tells the story of Burmese influence centuries ago and the many other dishes and snacks on the tour.
As you will know, tastes are very subjective. As you can see, 99% of our guests enjoyed the experience and have left 5 stars, but by the sounds of your comment on delicacies, Northern Thai cuisine just wasn't for you. We're very surprised to hear your comments on your guide Moui. Again, every other review writes about her patience and knowledge of Northern Thai cuisine.
We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Thailand.
All the best,
Luke @ A Chef's Tour
We did A Chef’s Tour the day after we arrived in Chiang Mai which happened to be Christmas Day. Varied and comprehensive, we were so inspired that we went back to the local market, new exactly what ingredients to buy and cooked up our own Thai dishes that we were introduced to! Great way to really experience northern Thai food.
Hi,
We're thrilled to hear that the tour inspired you to cook up your own Thai cuisine. When you arrive home, you should buy the cookbook Pok Pok which has some really authentic recipes including some from Northern Thailand!
We hope to see you on another one of our food tours again soon!
All the very best,
Luke
