In the inner-city Auckland suburb of Parnell, there is the Elemental Cooking School, offering something far more immersive than your average cooking class.
The school specialises in authentic Asian cooking—think Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Malaysian, Korean, and Chinese. It’s not just about following recipes; it’s about stepping into a culture, understanding the cuisine, and leaving with both new skills and a very full stomach.
I recently joined their Yum Cha Chinese cooking class, and from the moment I arrived, the tone was set: warm, welcoming, and quietly confident. The kitchen itself felt professional yet unintimidating—gleaming benches, neatly laid-out ingredients, and the comforting hum of anticipation as fellow participants gathered.
Everyone loves the magic of Yum Cha, going to a Chinese restaurant, looking at all the different dishes in bamboo steamers and picking your favourites or trying something new. ‘Yum Cha’ literally translates to ‘drink tea’, and the dishes are called ‘Dim Sum’, which translates to ‘touching the heart’ in Cantonese. Yum Cha is like a Chinese high tea; you get to drink tea and eat a number of small, tasty dishes.
In this Yum Cha class, we learnt how to make five kinds of Dim Sum.
Our instructor guided us through the foundations of Chinese cooking, weaving in stories and techniques that gave context to every step. Before long, we were slicing, stirring, and sizzling like a well-coordinated brigade.
The menu struck a perfect balance between achievable and impressive, and all five dishes I prepared were favs of mine, and I was keen to prepare them at home.
. Lo Mai Gai – Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf
• Siu Mai – Pork and Prawn Dumplings
• Har Gow – Prawn Dumplings
• Deep Fried Spring Rolls
• Kai Lan – Asian Vegetable with Oyster Sauce
We prepared the delicate dumplings from scratch, learning the surprisingly meditative art of folding them just so, before moving on to Spring Rolls and Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves.
While the whole menu was excellent, the Lo Mai Gai was my favourite. Chicken and Chinese sausage, glued together with sticky rice, with an exotic smell like green tea, from the lotus leaf.
The entire experience was hands-on. This wasn’t a demonstration where you politely watch from the sidelines. Everyone was involved, learning by doing, making mistakes and laughing.
And then, of course, came the best part: sitting down together to eat. The table quickly filled with the dishes we’d created, plates that looked (and tasted) far more professional than I might have expected at the start of the evening.
This kind of experience travels well beyond Auckland. It’s a reminder that food is one of the most immediate and joyful ways to explore another culture. You don’t need a plane ticket, just a willingness to try, taste, and get your hands dirty.
Whether you’re a confident home cook or someone who usually avoids the kitchen, Elemental’s Chinese cooking class (and their other classes) are both approachable and genuinely enriching. You leave not only with recipes, but with techniques, confidence, and a renewed appreciation for the craft behind some of the world’s most beloved dishes.
Note: This Chinese cooking class took 3.5 hours and cost $150. It was great value for money. As well as enjoying a delicious lunch, we took the leftovers home. The others worked in couples, and I cooked on my own.