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Local chef teaching a participant to cook vegan Manggarai dishes at a shared worktable in Labuan Bajo
Small group cooking around pans and bowls, learning vegan Manggarai dishes from a local chef during a class in Labuan Bajo
Hands arranging vegan Manggarai food on a black skillet plate during a hands-on cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Garden courtyard seating with draped curtains at The Kitchen Garden Bajo for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking, Labuan Bajo
Chef Michael instructing guests during a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class, speaking in Labuan Bajo
Ingredients for a Manggarai vegan cooking class—bowls of vegetables, herbs and grains—on a table in Labuan Bajo
Outdoor tables under hanging lanterns with white curtains at The Kitchen Garden Bajo for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking, Labuan Bajo
Local chef teaching a participant to cook vegan Manggarai dishes at a shared worktable in Labuan Bajo
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Local chef teaching a participant to cook vegan Manggarai dishes at a shared worktable in Labuan Bajo
Small group cooking around pans and bowls, learning vegan Manggarai dishes from a local chef during a class in Labuan Bajo
Hands arranging vegan Manggarai food on a black skillet plate during a hands-on cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Garden courtyard seating with draped curtains at The Kitchen Garden Bajo for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking, Labuan Bajo
Local chef teaching a participant to cook vegan Manggarai dishes at a shared worktable in Labuan Bajo
Small group cooking around pans and bowls, learning vegan Manggarai dishes from a local chef during a class in Labuan Bajo
Hands arranging vegan Manggarai food on a black skillet plate during a hands-on cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Garden courtyard seating with draped curtains at The Kitchen Garden Bajo for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking, Labuan Bajo
Chef Michael instructing guests during a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class, speaking in Labuan Bajo
Ingredients for a Manggarai vegan cooking class—bowls of vegetables, herbs and grains—on a table in Labuan Bajo
Outdoor tables under hanging lanterns with white curtains at The Kitchen Garden Bajo for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking, Labuan Bajo
Woven pendant lanterns glowing in a rustic courtyard where a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class is hosted, Labuan Bajo
Chef Michael cooks at the counter, with pans and bowls of vegan ingredients ready for a Manggarai cooking lesson in Labuan Bajo
Bowls of fresh vegetables, spices and garlic laid out for Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking at The Kitchen Garden Bajo, Labuan Bajo
Green and golden shredded vegan topping on a dark plate, prepared in a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Chef demonstrates a vegan Manggarai cooking step to a participant at a table of ingredients during a class in Labuan Bajo
Chef Michael stirs on a skillet beside red bowls and plates during a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Chopped vegan vegetables and tomato salad on ceramic plates during a Traditional Manggarai cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Chef-led vegan cooking prep, adding chopped greens and spices to a black frying pan on a wooden table in Labuan Bajo

Cook Yummy Manggarai Food with a Local Chef

Cook the yummy tribal foods of Flores + get an insight into indigenous cultures
5.0
|16 Reviews
Group size
Up to 8 guests
DURATION
3 hours
Booking type
Join-in trip
MEET UP
At location
Group size
Up to 8 guests
  • Experience highlights
  • Itinerary
  • Inclusions
  • Availability
  • More Info
  • Host
  • Reviews
Cook Flores’ delicious tribal food with chefs keeping it alive
Some of the best food we’ve had in Labuan Bajo isn't in the restaurants but it's the traditional food of the Manggarai people - super fresh, simple and yummy! In this 3-hour cooking class, you’ll learn to make it yourself, hear the stories behind a cuisine shaped by what grows and can be foraged here, and cook with chefs who are working to preserve Manggarai recipes. Manggarai cuisine is the traditional food of western Flores, where Labuan Bajo is located, and it’s surprisingly different from what you might think of as Indonesian food. What makes Manggarai food so interesting is how closely it reflects the land. Unlike much of Indonesian cuisine, it traditionally uses very few spices, simply because many spices didn’t grow locally. Instead, generations of Manggarai people cooked with what was around them - fresh vegetables, coconut, sesame and a few simple aromatics. The ingredients do the work, and the result is surprisingly yummy!And what makes this experience really special is the chef. Chef Michael and Flori have spent years learning from Manggarai communities and documenting traditional recipes that are slowly being forgotten. They also volunteer their time teaching younger generations about foraging, local ingredients and Manggarai food traditions, helping keep this knowledge alive.In this intimate 3-hour cooking experience, Chef Michael or Flori will introduce you to five traditional Manggarai dishes and the stories behind them. Along the way, you’ll learn why Manggarai food tastes the way it does, where its ingredients come from, and get to peer inside traditional indigenous wisdom through the lens of Manggarai food. Then sit down together to enjoy everything you’ve cooked.You’ll make five beginner-friendly vegan dishes (they're super fresh & yummy!):Tempe Chips — crispy tempeh chipsTahu Balik Tomat — sautéed tofu with tomatoLodeh Labu Jipang — chayote in coconut milkLomak — seasonal vegetables with sesame and coconutDadar Gulung — coconut pancake rollsWhat to Expect3-hour join-in cooking class in Labuan BajoHands-on, beginner-friendly guidance throughoutCook 5 traditional vegan Manggarai dishesVegan dishes may include seasonal vegetables with sesame and coconut, chayote in coconut milk stew, crispy tempeh chips, sautéed tofu with tomato, Indonesian coconut pancake rollsLearn how Manggarai food uses simple seasonings and slow cooking instead of complex spice pastesHear the stories and cultural context behind the dishesAll cooking ingredients includedEnjoy the meal you cooked at the endReceive a digital recipe book and grocery guide, so you can recreate the dishes at home!Good to KnowNo cooking experience is neededThe standard class is veganThis is a small-group, join-in experience with a maximum of 8 participants, allowing for a more personal and hands-on experience(Add-on) Switch to non-vegan menus are available at extra cost:Non-vegan menu:Ayam asap - smoked chickenTempe Chips → Crispy tempeh chipsTahu Balik Tomat → sautéed tofu with tomatoLomak → seasonal vegetables with sesame and coconutDadar Gulung → Indonesian coconut pancake rollsIf you wish to switch to a non-vegan menu, please add it as an add-on.

Experience highlights

Chopped leafy greens with orange veg piled on a dark ceramic plate during a traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class in Labuan Bajo
Cook rare Manggarai dishes
Chef Michael instructing guests during a Traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class, speaking in Labuan Bajo
Led by chefs preserving folk traditions
Chef and participant sautéing plant-based vegetables at a Manggarai vegan cooking class with skillets on the stove in Labuan Bajo
Help preserve fading food traditions
Diced vegan vegetables with red tomato pieces on a blue-rimmed plate at a traditional Manggarai vegan cooking class, Labuan Bajo
Hear stories behind each dish
Ingredients for a Manggarai vegan cooking class—bowls of vegetables, herbs and grains—on a table in Labuan Bajo
No spice pastes, just simple flavours
Chef-guided vegan Manggarai cooking class with pots and bowls on a wooden table under white curtains in Labuan Bajo
Small class with just 6 guests

What You’ll be Doing

Manggarai Vegan Cookery Class and Traditional Meal
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What’s Included

Hands-on cooking guidance
All cooking ingredients
Shared meal
Digital recipe book
Grocery guide
Mineral water
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Who you’re supporting

community_based

Community Champion

low_carbon

Low Carbon Hero

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Next Available Dates

Prices shown in USD
Select Time for 17 Sep 2026
Additional Information

Where we'll meet

Start Point

Meet-up at The Kitchen Garden Bajo, Labuan Bajo, Indonesia(The Kitchen Garden Bajo, Jalan Raimundus Rambu, Indonesia)
  • 10:00am

End Point

  • End at Start Point(s)

Start & Ends

  • Every Tuesday
    10:00AM - 01:00PM
  • Every Wednesday
    10:00AM - 01:00PM
  • Every Thursday
    10:00AM - 01:00PM
See More

Suitability / Accessibility

  • Vegetarian food available
  • Halal food available
  • Child Friendly (No Minimum Age)

Cancellation & other policies

  • Cancellation

    Cancel 3 days before activity for a full refund

What to Pack

  • A camera or phone — To capture delicious food you cook and memorable moments.
  • A little space in your suitcase (or phone) — You'll leave with a digital recipe book and grocery guide to recreate the dishes back home.
  • A love for good food and good stories — That's really all you need.
  • A willingness to get hands-on — No experience needed, just be ready to chop, stir, taste, and have fun.
  • An appetite — You'll get to enjoy everything you cook at the end!
  • An openness to meet new friends — With a maximum of 6 guests, it's a great chance to connect with fellow travellers.
  • Curiosity about local culture — You'll learn much more than just recipes.
From
Rp621.000
/person
5.0(16)
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Meet your host

Chef Michael has been a chef for nearly 30 years and has called Labuan Bajo home since 2015. Passionate about preserving local culture through food, he has dedicated himself to learning and reviving traditional Manggarai cuisine, which he believes is slowly being forgotten. He hires all of his staff from Manggarai, works with local communities and NGOs to create sustainable livelihoods, and volunteers to teach foraging and local food knowledge to students. Committed to sustainability, he sources ingredients locally whenever possible and researches ways to grow food in Labuan Bajo's dry soil. For Chef Michael, preserving local food is just as important as protecting the region's natural heritage—it is a way to keep Manggarai culture, knowledge, and traditions alive for future generations.
Experience: 1 year
Speaks: Fluent English
Acceptance rate: 100%
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