Taipei Cooking Class & Market Adventure In Historic Dadaocheng

Really nice host, we learned a lot of the culture - especially about the food! The host, Alex was speaking english fluently and gave his best to make our experience unforgettable!

Not only did we get to make delicious Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup, we also got to learn a little history about Dadaocheng area and more. A great way to start our trip. An experience you don’t want to miss.

Alex was an amazing teacher, but he also went into the history of the area, took us to the market, and gave us a feel for the historical significance of the dishes. Our whole family loved it!

A wonderful experience that goes far beyond simply walking around Dadaocheng. The historical explanations were excellent—we learned about Taipei Bridge, the local market culture, and even visited a Tudigong Temple before exploring the morning market, which gave us a meaningful introduction to Taiwanese local beliefs. We also tasted chicken rolls at the market, and Alex was incredibly warm and enthusiastic, always helping us take photos. In the cooking class, we made three-cup king oyster mushrooms and braised pork rice, which were both delicious. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to learn Taiwanese cooking while gaining a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s culture. The whole tour is conducted in English, and it was such a fun and memorable experience!

Alex was a great tour guide, I enjoyed the history of the neighborhood as much as a I did the food. If you have never been to Taipei before a cooking class is great way to be introduced to all the must try foods. We made the Beef Noodle Soup, I learned some new techniques for making noodles, and Alex shared his Osmanthus Oolong Tea with us as well!

Great food, and great teacher! Also got to meet some lovely people in my class as well. Highly recommend

My daughter and I took the beef noodle soup class and had a fantastic time. Alex is a wonderful storyteller and teacher, and we love how he made the recipe so approachable! Definitely a highlight of our trip and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Be My Guest Taipei Cooking Class was a great experience, and Alex was an excellent host! I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone visiting Taipei who enjoys food, cooking food, and learning some cultural context along the way. We lucked out by essentially having a private cooking class based on the day and time of our booking. Alex began the class by giving us a short tour of the Dadaocheng neighborhood of Taipei, including a neighborhood market. His cooking studio is very modern, aesthetically tasteful, and fully stocked. He provided fool-proof instructions on how to cook Taiwanese beef noodle soup, and it was such an interesting experience that the time just flew by. You make everything in the soup from scratch (including both the noodles and the broth), and the final product was absolutely delicious - perhaps even more so knowing that you make it yourself! This is certainly one of the highlights of our multi-week Taipei trip. After the class, you can simply walk down Dihua Street and check out the varied storefronts and the nearby Yongle Fabric Market. All worthwhile destinations in their own right.

Alex was awesome! Tour if the market was neat (very authentic). Classes were straightforward and fun! Alex spoke very good English and was attentive to whatever we needed and went out of his way to be extra helpful! We’re looking forward to our next trip and will definitely book again. Highly recommended!!!!!

This cooking class was part tour of old Taipei and part grandma's recipes. Alex was personable, informative and proud to share his favorite recipes with us. The braised pork rice was fun to prepare and delicious. The bitter gourd was a taste of Taiwanese food I had never experienced before. Highly recommended!

My 14 year old and I had a great time cooking and exploring the market with Alex!

Wonderful experience, Alex was welcoming and very knowledgeable. The braised beef soup with noodles was so tasty and the instruction was awesome and clear. The tour of the market and area was also great.

Very good experience sharing this class in private with my son. Making the noodles from scratch was a highlight of the day

It was fun and the food was good. The teacher was nice.

Alex was awesome!! Me and my parents had so much fun. It started off with the tour. Alex was very knowledgeable and gave interesting facts and details about the history and the market. The kitchen atmosphere was super clean, air conditioned and well-prepared! He was very helpful in assisting with the preparation and cooking process. Our food turned out delicious ! Would highly recommend (:

This was more than a cooking class. Alex gave a history of the Dadaocheng neighborhood which very interesting. He took us to the Taipei Bridge then we toured the local market. He explained how different fruits and vegetables are used. We had a few snacks too. The cooking class was very well-organized and the food was great. We made braised pork and rice and bitter melon with bean paste. I would love to take another cooking class with Alex!

So great to learn of the history, visit the market and the cooking class was great. Very well organized and clear instructions. The food was great and recipes were given so we could make later on our own.

My wife and I loved our cooking class with Alex! First we met up with him on Dihua Old Street where he gave us a tour around the area. We learned the importance on thebarea and how it came to be suchba destination in Teipei. Alex took us around the morning market and tought us about the famous foods and produce of Taiwan. My wife and I bought a bell fruit (wax apple) and Dragon Fruit (the biggest and juciest I've ever seen), and both were delicious! Alex took us to one of the nearby temples and gave us a rundown on how the locals worship their ancestors (and sometimes ask them for advice). That was incredibly interesting! Last we went to Alex's fully loaded kitchen and learned how to make braised beef noodle soup from scratch! That was so much fun! I had actually never made noodles from scratch before. Alex went through every step with us and explained everything. The end result was a delicious well-earned lunch that we will take the know-how home with us. Alex was a great host and we will definitely book him on our next trip to Taiwan to learn a new recipe! We recommend Alex's tour and cooking class, you'll learn something and have an abaolute blast at the same time!

Alex's cooking class was amazing! Would HIGHLY recommend! It's not just cooking, Alex gives you a bit of Taipei and Dadaocheng history, and his family's history in the area. Visiting the market with him was very special and gives you a whole different view and feel. The food was tasty, great instructions and I can't wait to cook lu rou fan again for my friends.

What a great class! I normally hate walking tours, but this was amazing! The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and his English was great! I couldn’t recommend this more. The cooking class was great after working my appetite up on the walking tour and I learned how make great Lu rou fan. I’ll definitely make this at home!

The cooking part of this tour was great. Didn't see the initial walking tour and 'photo shoots' as particularly necessary and the taking of group photos for social media marketing was a bit too intense for my taste.

Small group, great energy. Alex was incredibly knowledgeable about the food and its history, and the cooking was both fun and genuinely hands-on. I left feeling confident I could reproduce everything on my own. The market visit was engaging and insightful too. Overall, one of my most positive and memorable experiences from my trip to Taipei.

It's not only a cooking class, it's also a history-trip to see how wonderful in Dalai henge before.

The cooking class was fantastic!!! My sons, born and raised in the U.S., have liked the dishes ever since they were little when we visited Taiwan. The dishes are popular and available everywhere, but it's not easy to find the true, authentic versions. We finally found the secrets of cooking the dishes from Alex. The walking tour of the market was also great! I learned something that I didn't know since I grew up in Taiwan. I highly recommend this course!

Not only an original and well taught cooking class but also a fascinating immersion in the history and culture of this ancient neighbourhood in Taipei by means of a guided walking tour.

We had the best time cooking with Alex and Be My Guest Taipei! We were a group of two Taiwanese Americans and an American. We made Lou Ro Fan which is a traditional Taiwanese dish. He took us around the neighborhood which is famous for its history, so we were able to learn a lot about the cultural aspects before cooking. We visited a local market to try some small eats, then he took us to his beautiful kitchen. We made a small dish (recipe from his grandmother) and then made the main dish. It was super well instructed and it never felt like we were sitting around and waiting. He instructed in English and Chinese, which made it feel particularly authentic. We ended up eating all of our dish it was so good!!! Highly highly recommend if you want to learn the history of an important part of Taipei and eat some super delicious, authentic Taiwanese food!

What a lovely cooking class. Alex was very well organised and we made a lovely beef noodle soup under his excellent guidance.

It wonderful way to see this neighborhood and a fabulous lesson in cooking. All made easy to follow and understand. I highly recommend!!

Alex was amazing, so knowledgeable and kind! We had lots of fun walking the market, and the cooking space was fantastic. The dish we prepared was so comforting, I would make it again at home!

I learned how to cook a beef noodle soup and it was a great experience ! The soup was very tasty and the class was very well explained. Thank you very much for this moment !

This was an awesome cooking class. I would just say anyone interested in taking a cooking class should definitely check this one out. It also included some tour Historical topic's. This is how my disk turned!!!

Delightful experience! The market and old town history tour along with Alex's personal family stories created a local connection to the food even before we began cooking. Alex's calm, patient teaching style made it very easy to ask questions and feel right at home in the kitchen for cooks of all ranges of experience. The popcorn chicken recipe included lots of fresh vegetables, a variety of tofu and fish cakes, along with layers of flavor with garlic, peppers, scallions and other spices. I highly recommend this class to anyone with a love of food and cooking, or even to those who just love eating the finished product.

It was wonderful. We did a short tour of the area to include some local history, religious culture, and a local street market. It was so much fun. The food was incredible, we will definitely come back for more classes to learn traditional taiwanese dishes. Thank you so much Alex! 真的谢谢。

Wonderful experience! Alex is super genourus and friendly.

Fantastic experience learning about food and market. Very patient and lovely pace. Food was excellent we had popcorn chicken. Come hungry

I highly recommend the *Be My Guest* cooking class in Taipei to anyone who loves cooking combined with a dash of history, culture, and local shopping. Our host, master chef and guide Alex, kicked things off with infectious enthusiasm by leading me and my classmate Bjorn (a fellow German) on a mini-tour of the surrounding Dadaocheng district—home to his classroom. We started at Taipei Bridge, where he shared the area’s storied past as the city’s original commercial hub; moved on to a tiny temple alive with Taiwanese folk religion and its pantheon of deities; and ended at a bustling traditional market that captured the daily rhythm of local vendors, shoppers, and street-food eaters. Fully warmed up, we climbed to the second-floor studio in the historic Dihua Street Ten Buildings. The space is spotless, brightly lit, and inviting. Alex walked us through two dishes with crystal-clear instructions: Taiwanese oil sticky rice (which he playfully dubs “Taiwan Risotto”) and daikon radish pork-ball soup. He first explained the cultural weight of the risotto, then demonstrated how to nail the technique while still leaving room for personal flair. We followed along, plated our creations, and savored the fruits of our labor over easy conversation. For me, it was a lovely Taipei morning. I’ll be back the moment I return to the city.

We had a fantastic morning with Alex exploring the market and neighboured, then back to the kitchen to cook delicious scallion pancakes. Everyone in our group totally enjoyed the experience.

The tour is brief but informative about the Dadaocheng neighborhood origins and history. We also had a quick explanation of Taoism at a local shrine followed by an street market. The cooking part was in a nice studio where ingredients and equipment were prepared ahead. The recipe and instructions were easy to follow. The best part was getting to know Alex and my classmates.

I had a great time with Alex! Super friendly guy and very communicative about the recipes and Taipei

Alex was such a great tour guide! I thought it was such a great combo to tour the traditional market and then take a cooking class. Loved the small group setting and learned so much!

Alex was a fantastic guide, a great teacher, and the lu rou fan he taught us to make was really tasty. Would absolutely come back again to learn more dishes!

A blend of history, sights, market tour and hands on cooking class! We had a fantastic time making beef noodles- from scratch! We made our noodles and Alex was a patient chef/ teacher who was great explaining and supported us to learn. A great experience when in Taipei with teenagers!

After meeting Chef Alex we went on a short walk to learn about the history of Taipei and the local area, he shared historical stories and pictures and answered questions. From there we took a short walk to the market where he showed us the many many they have available for sale. We were able to try a couple small things which were delicious! The vendors were very friendly. After the market visit we went back to the cooking studio where we made Beef Noodle Soup from scratch. Starting with the hand made noodles and then the broth. We made the dish from start to finish. His instructions were detailed and he took time to answer questions and make sure everyone had a good time. The final product was delicious!! Thank you much for the spectacular little class!

The owner of the cooking school (Alex) is a very friendly guy. He told us very interesting stories about old part of Taipei and life of his family in the past. He showed us the most interesting food from the market, told very interesting facts about religion practiced in Taiwan and answered many questions we asked. He was a very good cooking teacher for me and my husband. All products we used to cook were very good and fresh. The kitchen was very good equipped. Alex welcomed us with tea, coffee and cold drinks. His English is very fluent and very well understood. He sent me short film on WhatsApp that he recorded during our lesson in half an hour we left his school. I think we liked each other very much. I can recommend him in 100%.

This was an amazing cooking and historic day. Alex shared Taipei recipes his grandmother cooked for him. So authentic and delicious. He shared a great street food tour and history of the area. I had a great time. Thank you Alex!

Amazing host, instruction during noodle making could be more clear (maybe give some more tips since it’s the hardest). Food is great but some of us think it’s a not seasoned well enough, but I think it’s fine if you enjoy having a clearer taste of the ingredients (you can still season your own bowl).

What a wonderful experience! It wasn’t just about learning to cook. it started with a warm introduction and a short walk through the local area, where we got to hear stories and learn a bit about the culture and history. It gave the whole experience more depth and meaning. After that, we moved into the cooking class, and it was such a joy to try local ingredients, follow traditional methods, and enjoy the hands on learning. A great way to connect with the culture through food!

We loved this class. Alex was so warm, friendly and informative! The tour around the area and the market was really interesting! Then the cooking had very clear instructions, was very relaxing and delicious. Definitely a favourite part of our trip to Taiwan - I highly recommend it. I can't wait to make these at home!

The experience was amazing! Not only did we get an amazing cooking class and delicious lunch from it (and lots of great photos), but Alex was a lovely and informative guide around the area and at the market, introducing us to local customs and cuisines. A must do on your next trip to Taipei! Thank you Alex!