For many Singaporeans, cooking at home is a luxury that not everyone can afford. A recent survey of how Singaporeans use their time revealed that up to 60% of a Singaporean’s day is spent on work-related activities, and only 27% is spent on leisure. Another survey showed that only 22% of Singaporean households cook at home, a low percentage compared to people living in other major cities, like Shanghai and London.

Amid these, there is a strong resurgence of people signing up for a cooking course in Singapore. The push could partly have come from the Singapore Tourism Board’s 2021 campaign, ‘Singapore Reimagined.” In preparation for revenge travelers from Southeast Asian countries, STB anchored its campaign on Zi Char, a lesser-known Singaporean cooking technique that is “influenced by home-cooked food.”

Zi Char is a cooking style inspired by cooking for the family. The servings are bigger and the price is made easier for the pocket. Zi Char cooking has given birth to many Singaporean favourites including Bee Hoon, Cereal Prawns, Pork Ribs, Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Curry Fish Head.

Another reason culinary courses in Singapore are getting more attention is that Singaporeans are starting to choose healthier ways to eat. As early as 2015, a Statista report showed that about 25% of Singaporeans cook at home for health-related reasons.  During the pandemic, when many people were forced to dabao due to community lockdowns, many Singaporeans started firing up their stoves to cook to give themselves a break from take-away food.

Still many others who quit or lost their brick-and-mortar jobs turned to cooking or baking during the pandemic, signing up for culinary courses offered in Singapore to widen their culinary and baking skills. Many have transformed their hobby into a home-based business.

There are a plethora of cooking courses in Singapore that offer ways for people to improve their culinary skills. Here are some of them:

Types of cooking courses in Singapore

There are plenty of cooking courses available in Singapore for all levels of experience and expertise. Let’s take a look at some popular types of cooking courses offered in Singapore.

Cooking courses in Singapore offered by professional culinary schools

If you are serious about making a career out of cooking, then professional culinary courses are the way to go. These courses will teach you the fundamental techniques and skills required to become a professional chef, including knife skills, basic plating techniques, food safety guidelines, sanitation procedures, and more. Professional culinary courses usually last between six months and two years, depending on the specialisation that you choose.

Baking courses

 For those who are passionate about baking cakes, breads, pastries, pies, cookies and other baked goods, there are plenty of baking classes in Singapore that offer step-by-step guidance on creating delicious treats from scratch. You can learn how to make everything from traditional French macarons to classic American cupcakes in these classes. Many baking classes also offer advanced topics such as cake decoration or chocolate tempering for experienced bakers who want to refine their skills even further.

Cooking courses in Singapore for the home gourmands

These days it’s becoming increasingly popular for people to stay home and cook rather than go out for dinner every night. If you want to learn how to create restaurant-quality meals at home without breaking the bank then home gourmet courses might be just what you need! Home gourmet courses focus on teaching students how to make simple yet impressive dishes using everyday ingredients from the pantry or supermarket. For example, one lesson might teach you how to prepare a five-star steak dinner using just three ingredients.

Benefits of Taking a Cooking Course in Singapore

Singapore’s food culture offers a melting pot of flavours and aromas that attract many people from all over the world. Singapore is renowned for its diverse array of culinary delights. From hawker centers to Michelin-star restaurants, the city-state has something for every palate. A great way to experience the full range of flavours the Little Red Dot offers is by taking a cooking course in this East Asian metropolis that assembles the best of Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, and French cuisines. Here are a few benefits of taking a cooking course in Singapore.

Improve Your Culinary Technique

Cooking courses provide students with an opportunity to hone their skills in the kitchen. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, there’s always something new to learn and perfect. A cooking class can help you master the basics of knife handling and food preparation as well as introduce you to more complex techniques like sous vide or molecular gastronomy. Many courses also include hands-on demonstrations that allow you to practice your technique under the guidance of a professional chef.

Experiment With New Cuisines