LAO

THE CLASS:

A bespoke cooking experience at LAO, the Vietnamese restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Classes are held on Tuesdays from 11am to 2pm and cost Dhs850 per person (minimum of three participants per class).

THE FOOD:

We began our culinary journey with a tour of the hotel’s organic garden, snipping fragrant herbs to be used in our appetiser – mouth-wateringly fresh prawn spring rolls. Our main course was pan-seared seabass coated in galangal, turmeric and dill, followed by a blissfully tropical dessert – grilled banana, tapioca and homemade coconut ice cream.

THE CHEF:

Head chef Mai Nguyen made us feel right at home in her kitchen, serving us cups of green tea and kitting us out in professional-looking aprons and caps before patiently taking us through the three-course menu. She showed us the (slightly icky) art of peeling and deveining raw prawns, and helped us assemble our spring rolls so they looked as beautiful as they tasted. Her top tips? Use the most fresh, colourful ingredients you can find, and be sure to taste as you go. THE VERDICT: It felt more like a private demonstration than a fullblown cooking class, as many of the ingredients had been pre-prepared to save time. But that was perfectly OK with us, eager as we were to sample the goods. Helpfully, you get the recipes to take away with you, so you can attempt to recreate the dishes at home.

Crescent Road, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Tue 11am to 2pm, Dhs850. Tel: (04) 8182222. Taxi: Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. waldorfastoria3.hilton.com