Karenko Cooking Class

La clase de cocina fue muy interesante; aprendimos mucho sobre el origen de diferentes tribus y su gastronomía. Como somos vegetarianos, probamos muchas verduras diferentes que nunca habíamos probado ni conocíamos. ¡Y todo estaba delicioso!

Sofia was so nice and cool! She taught me so much about the different indigenous groups around Taiwan and explained all of the ingredients so well. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is looking to learn more about the plants used in indigenous cooking. And to enjoy a delicious meal!

Among the many delights of Taiwan was this amazing Indigenous cooking class by the wonderful chef and teacher, Sofia, who taught me about the ingredients, nutrition and history of Taiwanese highland indigenous communities. The convergences with the ways of life, cooking techniques and ingredients with Northeast India, especially Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India. Sofia's wealth of knowledge is incredible. She adapted the class as per my interests. She went out of her way to help me procure some ingredients later on as well! The menu we prepared together: Red millets (from the Bunun community) wrapped in turmeric leaves; moss salad; pumpkin soup with dried pea beans and a bit of cane shoot; three types of fern and arrowroot; chicken in the precious Mackauw/Magao peppercorn (from the Amis community) with bitter aubergines and young corn. Washed down with rice beer that Sofia kindly brought!

More

We had a great time with Sofia. She told us a lot about indigenous culture in Taiwan and all the products we cooked with. The food was delicious and an absolute feast - we couldn’t even finish it all! It was a lot of fun to cook with several plants we hadn’t seen or cooked with before. Definitely recommend.

We were a group of five touring Taiwan. We have found one of the best ways to understand another culture is through their food. Sofia and Monica run this classes from s small shop front in Hualien. There are also two small (and very cute) dogs and a friendly cat that participate, which was great for some of us whom were missing our own pets. We were taken thought the ingredients which included some used by the local indigenous people, the Amis, including venison and several local vegetables. We all participated in preparing and cooking a couple of dishes which we then consumed together, all the while under the direction, and watch full eyes, of our hosts. The size of the group worked well - they can accommodate up to eight but over six would have been less involvement for each participant. The experience was fun as well as educative. Would recommend this course

We had an amazing cooking experience…all the food was delicious! Such a great time.

We had a wonderful cooking experience with Sofia in Hualien. It was just the two of us and Sofia took her time to explain us all the ingredients and cooking procedure. We especially liked that we could have one vegetarian meal for me and one "normal" for my boyfriend. Thank you for accommodating :) we also had a nice chat with Sofia about the aborigines and Taiwan in general. We highly recommend this cooking class!

We were lucky to have a 1-on-2 session with our host during off-season. She introduced the local vegetables used by the indigenous community, especially the Amis, before instructing us how to cook several light and healthy dishes (we opted for a vegetarian meal). Thanks for the delicious experience!

We had a spectacular time cooking with Sofia at Karenko Cooking Class! We cooked delicious Amis and Bunun cuisines. They were incredibly fun to cook and delicious to eat. Sofia was patient, supportive, and an excellent instructor. We had a lot of fun and I highly recommend this class to anyone in Hualien. Thank you Sofia, we hope to come back soon!

Sofia’s Karenko cooking class in Hualien was excellent. She’s a wonderful teacher and host , with fluent English and Mandarin. We learned about indigenous cuisine and culinary culture while cooking with fresh local ingredients, finished with a delicious meal!

We had a great time and learned a lot about indigenous plants and foods. We’re vegetarian and our host brought a delightful and interesting mix of native vegetables to try and prepare. We really enjoyed our time and the company!!

I’ve done a few cooking classes around the world and this was easily the best. The host, Sophia, was so brilliant and speaks excellent English. More than just cooking a meal, she shared stories of her culture and family history, creating a connection between us, the food, and the land. I learned a new way of cooking ginger, my husband explored new food (snails!), and we had such a good time. The techniques were easy for all skill levels. Highly, highly recommend to anyone visiting Hualien.

Loved this indigenous cooking class! Sophia was a fantastic host. I was lucky enough to have a 1 on 1 session, during which I learnt so much about Taiwan and its indigenous cultures. Sophia is incredibly knowledgable and a great conversationist, with tons of stories and recommendations to give. Definitely would be keen to try one of her kitchen's other experiences later. Highly recommended!

The host, Sophia, was incredibly knowledgeable about indigenous culture and cooking and cares deeply about her craft. We had an amazing time learning from her and chatting with her. We had a vegan dietary restriction and she was very accommodating.

Great array of local produce a great teacher not just on food but local culture. I was lucky enough to have a 1 on 1 class. I cooked 5 lovely dishes including a local moss salad! Definitely 11/10!

The kitchen is clean and well organized. Sofia, who speaks good English, had laid out the ingredients. She explained everything very well. We prepared the food together and cooked it. It was very interesting and easy. Sofia explained the indigenous foods in detail. She understands a lot about culture! My wife and I enjoyed the experience. We would recommend it to anyone who enjoys cooking and is interested in Taiwanese food.

We learnt five different dishes with very fresh and selected ingredients from Taiwan‘s Eastern Region. We really enjoyed this experience and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you so much for the time and effort you put in to make our cooking experience one we will always remember. We learnt so much about making meals not only tasty but also a visual explosion. Such a fun experience and one I highly recommend.

I have a great time doing the vegetarian dishes. Learning more than just how to make food, getting to know ingredients, some new to me. And also, getting to learn about indigenous cultures in Taiwan. The food was tasty and diverse. I would totally recommend this experience if you were into food and culture.

The aboriginal cooking class with Sophia was just amazing! We loved hearing about the history and culture these of people and their food. Sophia brought it to life - everything was so beautifully presented, and the class moved in a very organized fashion. Seeing the result of her gathering and shopping at the local markets was so beautiful, and informative. We spent 2.5 weeks in Taiwan, and this experience was a highlight. And the finished lunch was fantastic - very different from other things we know Taiwan to be famous for. I'd recommend this class to anyone visiting the great town of Hualien!

We enjoyed learning about the aboriginal vegetables and spices as we cooked delicious food. I prepared the vegetarian dish and my husband prepared chicken. Sophia and Monica were very kind, social, hospitable, and knowledgeable about the food. We definitely recommend this class.

Very unique experience......with hands-on guidance from the host, ...warm cozy environment and great bonding time as a family for us!

We really enjoyed our cooking class with Sofia! She designed a wonderful menu with tasty local ingredients which she explained as we cooked. She did some of the more monotonous prep work ahead of time so we could just focus on the fun, active parts of cooking like seasoning our pork belly with the local peppercorn (maqaw) and searing it to crispy perfection! Even more fun than the cooking was the eating part. The conversation around the dinner table was as stimulating as the stir fried snail and homemade plum wine made from fruit from her grandmother’s garden. We highly recommend booking this cooking class if you like to try new food while learning about the local culture!

We had a wonderful time learning about aboriginal cooking techniques with Sophia. The class was just the two of us, and Sophia ensured that we still made a sumptuous meal. She bought the ingredients from the market that morning or got them in the wild herself. Each dish was a portal into aboriginal cultures, and we learned so much from Sophia. We would highly recommend for anyone looking for a cultural experience in Hualien!

Sofia showed us how to cook several delicious aboriginal dishes and made us feel like friends at a house gathering. She is a very helpful and articulate person, and we would love to repeat this class with her next time we are in Hualien. Highly recommended!!

We had a brilliant time learning and chatting with our cooking instructors. They were kind and funny, and we learned a lot about the indigenous foods of the Hualien area. Would recommend it to anyone no matter their confidence in the kitchen!

We discussed and used various ingredients and seasonings, most of which were new to me and the other guests. The chef-instructors were engaging and informative and everyone participated in the preparation and cooking — and of course, eating! There were no written materials but most of the ingredients were very local and in some cases from the wild, so recipes would not be useful. The class is a window into indigenous and Taiwanese eating, which I highly recommend. (PS The food was delicious!).

SO fun! As a tourist, best experience so far in Taiwan because you get to chat with a local Sophia (who is absolutely lovely) while learning to make indigenous cuisines of Taiwan! Also, nugget (the dog) and the two cats are adorable, and would come again just to see them>>

The cooking class was intimate and very fun. Monica and Sofia were very welcoming and also taught you the history of the dishes which makes it more interesting to make! Definitely recommend taking this class.

Monica was an amazing instructor. So knowledgeable about indigenous people in Taiwan and the different plants we were cooking with. The cooking and educational experience was very fun, but I think the most fun was eating a variety of native plants I had never encountered before! Forest vine, prickly ash leaves, interesting peppers. So fun and 100% recommend this experience.

A brilliant class with Sofia and Monica. They are so friendly and very patient! The small group format works very well, and means that you don’t spend too long waiting for other people, and can go at your own pace. The food was different from anything we’d tried in Taiwan before, and absolutely delicious. All in all a great afternoon, and we recommend to anyone in Hualien- a real hidden gem!

Our teacher, or should we say host, Sophie was amazing. The class was at her place, perfect for small groups. She prepared a full vegetarian course, taylored to our taste. We tried some vegetables we never even heared about, all extremely fresh, local and seasonal. She taught us cool new ways to prepare some dishes. Definitely an experience we will never forget. And her two cats and a dog are also super cute :)

My daughter and I love to cook and had a fabulous time learning how to make traditional dishes using extremely fresh local ingredients. We had plum juice from our host’s grandfather’s plum tree and fish her brother caught from the river. Everything was delicious! We prepared a 7 course meal very quickly. You should know that there are adorable furry friends there as well. Two cats and a dog who were very friendly and entertaining.

The class was absolutely amazing! I went with my girlfriend, and it was a great experience. We both have a fair bit of experience cooking but still learned a ton. Our teacher's English was absolutely amazing, and we had a good time switching back and forth between English and Chines (we're students studying Chinese). The space was also great for cooking -- tons of space and great equipment. I was surprised by how much food we ended up making because it was definitely a feast fit for at least 5-6. I can't recommend this enough. This was definitely the highlight of our trip to hualien.

The aboriginal cooking experience was great! Delicious fresh food, very fun, warm, and welcoming hosts, and a beautiful kitchen space. The hosts were lovely and patient teachers. It was a great rainy day activity and a great opportunity to learn more about Taiwan's aboriginal communities and food.

We had a great time, and even though the course is not directed at children (we were two adults and two children aged 5 and 7) the host was very helpful in making it possible for them to attend. Friendly host who showed us and taught us about the local food. Kids liked the experience as well. All the food was very tasty.

We really appreciated learning more about Hualien, aboriginal cooking in Taiwan, and eating delicious food. Thank you!

Sofia did a great job! We took the afternoon/evening class and had a really good time. The class took place at a cool new place in Hualien. She explained all the ingredients and gave a lot of background information about the different tribes of Taiwan. Very interesting and entertaining too! We would definitely recommend this class to anyone who wants to have a unique experience during their time in Taiwan. Sofia even helped us organize an astonishing tour through the Taroko Gorge for the day after. Thanks so much again for everything! :)

Such a fun and warm experience, would definitely recommend!

This was one of the highlights of our time in Taiwan! Sofia and Monica were so friendly, and talked us through all of the ingredients and methods. The food was delicious, and the company was also fantastic. We also learnt so much about Taiwanese Aboriginal culture!

This cooking experience was definitely a highlight of my trip to Taiwan! Sofia is incredibly knowledgeable on all things food and introduced me not just to new ingredients, but to some cool knife skills as well. She is well-travelled and intersperses the cooking class with more candid anecdotes of her travels. I can't recommend this experience more and am sure that the recipes you learn in the class will become go-to staples in your own home kitchen. Come hungry!

Had such a great time cooking local and indigenous dishes. Sofia is such a great chef, with with a lot of personality! Really was a genuine Taiwanese experience that i wont forget Even with basic cooking experience, I was able to make some awesome dishes! An awesome way to learn about the local culture and traditions

Using local ingredients, Sofia tailors her classes based on what she can find from the aboriginal market and her mother's garden on morning of the class. Sofia gave us an amazing insight into Amis and Bunun ingredients and techniques including using Prickly Ash, Macaw pepper, Lover's tears and the center of a routen stalk. To make the most of the experience, I would encourage you to give yourself enough time to unwind, have a chat after lunch, and meet local friends or fellow travellers in this kitchen/ co-working space.

Taking this class was one of the things I was most excited about before traveling to Taiwan, and I wasn't disappointed! Sofia is extremely kind, knowledgeable, and patient even when I had trouble getting to the location and when I was clueless about cooking skills. I know very little about cooking or Taiwan in general, but Sofia is great at explaining (in English)! I'm really glad I had this opportunity to learn more about Taiwanese indigenous culture through both food and talking with a new friend. This is a one of a kind experience, and I highly recommend it, even if you're new to cooking or Taiwanese culture!

We had an amazing cooking experience with Sophia! Our primary reason to visit Taiwan was to eat delicious food, and this class did not disappoint. Sophia was a gracious hostess and a knowledgeable instructor. We had unusual reservation circumstances, and she really went out of her way to make sure we could experience everything that this class has to offer. We consider ourselves advanced home cooks, and we learned a lot from her (although the class seems very accessible for all levels of cook). The ingredients provided were obviously very fresh (one of them, a special leaf used to steam rice in, had been cut with permission from her neighbour's tree shortly before the class began!). Our favourite aspect of this class, apart from the delicious food, was learning about how the Amis used the featured seasonal plants. Because the menu is based on local and seasonal agricultural products, the specific menu may change periodically, and for this reason we would be happy to take this class again when next we visit Hualien! One thing to note: this ends up being a LOT of food. We ate until we were stuffed, and still had leftovers which we ate for lunch the next day!

We had a very nice experience with Sofia! She was very friendly and welcoming, with excellent English. She easily adapted the class with vegetarian dishes! The food was delicious and the class very educative! We will definitely try to repeat one or two dishes at home! This is great opportunity to learn more about some of Taiwan Aboriginal food and culture as well! Don't hesitate!

Informative, fun, tasty, well worth the time and money. Really enjoyed the morning with Sofia and all the food we created.

We had a fantastic time on this course. We made some beautiful food with native ingredients and learnt a lot. Sophia and Monica are great teachers and were really fun and nice. They told us a lot about Taiwan and aboriginal culture. Would highly recommend this course to anyone.

We had a fantastic time with Sofia and Monica, creating a feast of different aboriginal dishes. The class was really hands-on, and we learnt lots about the local culture of Hualien and the surrounding areas, as well as making lots of tasty food. Sofia and Monica were both so friendly, and had lots of recommendations for other things to do in Hualien.

We really enjoyed our time at the Karenko cooking class. Sofia offered us not only the chance to cook a very delicious and local meal, she also provided us with lots of information about the food/spices in a cozy atmosphere. Thanks a lot!

Firstly, Sofia was friendly and welcoming. Usually classes are only on the weekends, so I felt very fortunate that Sofia was very happy to hold a class just for me. I appreciated being asked about my food preferences. Sofia knows a lot about the local ingredients and I enjoyed tasting a range of new foods and learning some new food combinations. We cooked or prepared 4 main dishes as well as rice steamed in scented ginger leaves. All of them were delicious, and I will definitely be making 3 cup chicken at home. The conversation over lunch was enjoyable and at the end of the session Sofia very kindly dropped me at the Pine Gardens which was on my visit list. Thank you for the inspiration!

Sofia and Monica were great. They told us about the aboriginal culture while teaching us how to cook some delicious dishes. My daughter joined the experience with me and she said that she discovered a new flavour she hadn’t tasted before in each dish. We joined two other participants so had a small, interesting group. I would highly recommend it to get off the beaten track in Hualien!

We really enjoyed this cooking class and had a lot of fun during it. Sofia was very welcoming and didn't only teach us how to cook, but also explained a lot of background information about the food. Most importantly, all recipes she shared were absolutely delicious!

This was amazing for us to learn so many delicious dishes. It was so much food that we barely made a dent in it but it was all so tasty. The staff spoke perfect English & was super helpful. Highly recommend!

The cooking class was so enjoyable! We had a great time with our hosts as teached us about aboriginal Taiwanese food and culture. We cooked multiple delicious dishes. I highly recommend for anybody in Taiwan who loves food to make a stop in Hualien at Karenko cooking class!

Wonderfully authentic Taiwanese cooking class. Sofia was a charming hostess and chef.