Shanghai Cooking Classes: the 5 Worth Booking

1.Cooking Dumpling & Meal in Local Family-w/Vegan

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 36 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $82Our pick

Spend 3.5 hours in Jing’an making dumplings with Bonnie and her mother in a small group of up to six. You’ll prepare dough, wrappers, and fillings, then sit down to a meal of homemade dumplings and Shanghai specialties. English instruction, vegan and allergy needs accommodated with advance notice, plus personal tips for Shanghai and nearby cities.

“Great experience! It was a lot of fun and very tasty. I would do it again and recommended it to my friends.”

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3.Private Home Cooking Class with Shanghai Mama

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $199

Meet your guide at 10:00 am or 4:00 pm for a private market visit and home cooking class. Guides such as FeiFei, her mother, and Penny introduce Shanghai snacks, produce, seafood, and daily life before helping you prepare and eat a Chinese meal. Central hotel pickup, private transport, snacks, lunch or dinner, and bottled water are included.

“We had a perfect experience and a nice evening of cooking the most delicious food. Our guide FeiFei, her mother and Penny were very hospitable and we learned a lot about chinese culture. The visit to the market was also very interesting and we tried many delicious snacks. If you like cooking and want to enjoy chinese culture, you must book this tour!”

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4.2.5hrs Chinese Kitchen Cooking Class: Xiaolongbao Soup Dumplings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $98

At a small studio near Shanghai’s Guangyuan Road, an English-speaking chef guides you through dough, filling, soup wrapping, sauces, and two cooking methods for xiaolongbao. Cici and Yin are praised for patience and humor. The 2.5-hour class includes tea, a shared meal, and the recipe, with vegetarian and vegan options available by request.

“This was a phenomenal experience, Cici works at your pace and skill level - I wasn’t very good and that was fine. The dumplings were delicious at the end”

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5.Authentic Chinese Cooking Class with Master Chef

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3.5 hours

Meet Chef Li at West Nanjing Road Metro Station, then visit a local wet market before heading into a private English-language cooking class. You’ll make two kinds of dumplings, prepare two classic Chinese dishes, practice wok cooking, and enjoy tea, juice, or beer. Recipes and keepsakes are included.

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