Chili Paste Tour

Chili Paste Tour is a small Bangkok company that has been running food and culture tours since 2012. Its name points to one of the foundations of Thai cooking, the chilli pastes pounded in mortars in kitchens across the country, and Chin, one of the team behind it, has spoken publicly about the company's work and about how Bangkok's tourism businesses coped during the pandemic. The tours set out to show visitors how Thai people actually eat, from markets and old shophouse kitchens to street vendors, and to explain the ingredients and techniques behind the dishes.

The core of the programme is guided food walks in Bangkok's older neighbourhoods, where guides lead small groups between family-run shops and stalls, tasting a range of dishes and snacks and talking about the history of each area. Beyond the city, the company runs trips to floating markets in the surrounding provinces and countryside cooking classes, where guests cook Thai dishes using local produce. Longer, multi-day trips are also offered for those who want to explore Thai food more deeply.

The company is licensed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Book through the official website or contact the team by phone or email; let them know about allergies, spice tolerance and dietary restrictions in advance, as many Thai dishes rely on shrimp paste, fish sauce and other seafood-based seasonings. Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing for walking, and come with an appetite.

Chili Paste Tour suits food lovers, first-time visitors who want to understand Thai cooking, and travellers who like a personal, guided introduction to the city's food. The cooking classes are a good choice for families and for anyone who wants to take recipes home.

Meeting points depend on the tour and are confirmed when you book. The Bangkok food walks focus on the older parts of the city, where many of the best-known family-run shops and markets are found, and they combine easily with a visit to the temples of Rattanakosin or an evening on Yaowarat. For the trips outside the city, check at booking what transport is included and where pick-ups take place.