Cooking school at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine lasts two weeks, including ten
exhilarating days of class, plus cultural field trips and festive group dinners. The full itinerary is detailed below.
Plan on booking at least
13 nights of accommodation in Chengdu, from Sunday-Saturday. If your schedule permits, try to arrive a few days early
to settle in and/or stay a few days after the program ends to take advantage of Chengdu's countless attractions and activities,
from museums to parks and cultural events.
Transportation and Location
Classes will be held at the Institute's new suburban campus in Longquanyi
- about 30 KM (17 miles) from city center. Daily transportation will be provided, departing from the Somerset Riverview (see
accommodations) at 8:00 a.m. so you'll arrive in time for the start of class at 9:00 a.m. At the conclusion of each day of
class, approx 4:00 p.m., you'll be transported back into the city.
Cooking Schedule
During the morning session, from 9:00 a.m.-noon, the master chef will
demonstrate three recipes, along with cooking skills. A one-hour lunch break follows.
During the afternoon session, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m.,
you'll recreate the morning's recipes. Uniforms, plus all ingredients and cooking materials are provided.
Daily Itinerary
Day One: Sunday
We suggest you arrive at least by midday in Chengdu, leaving time to relax before our Welcome to
Chengdu Celebratory Dinner in the evening. If you are coming from abroad, arriving a day in advance to settle in and enjoy
the city sites, is highly recommended.
Days Two to Six: Monday-Friday of week one
During the first five days of cooking instruction, you'll be introduced
to the essential skills of the Sichuanese kitchen, and begin preparing mouthwatering local delicacies. The versatile Chinese
cleaver is perhaps the most crucial tool you'll use, as you learn to cut fresh, raw ingredients into various shapes. You'll
also begin creating the stunningly complex Sichuan flavors, including numbing-and-hot flavor and fish-fragrant flavor, once
you've learned to control the heat of the wok. By the time you've completed the course, we hope you'll feel confident enough
to recreate fabulous Sichuanese dinners at home!
Among the classic Sichuanese dishes you'll learn to prepare are Gong Bao Chicken with Peanuts, Twice-Cooked
Pork, Pock-Marked Old Woman's Bean Curd (mapo doufu) and Fish braised in Chili Bean Sauce. Traditional Sichuanese snacks are
also covered during the course-including the irresistibly spicy Zhong dumplings and Dan Dan Noodles.
See our gallery of photos:
