Short cooking classes in Sichuan

[koreth]

My wife and I want to visit Sichuan later this year, and while looking at things we might want to do there, I came across this:

http://cookingschoolinchina.com/program_dates.html

Seems like it might be fun, and I'm encouraged by the fact that they're apparently using an interpreter to translate the regular instructors (the school is a real cooking school aimed at local students) rather than bringing in English-speaking wannabe chefs for the tourists. Has anyone taken this kind of short course, either at this school or another one? What did you think?

[imron]

I attended a Chinese cooking school aimed at local students several years back (weekend classes for a couple of months). It was good fun and I learnt a bunch of things, including just exactly how unhealthy certain dishes are. If you wonder why dishes like 宫保鸡丁 and 鱼香<whatever> taste good, you need look no further than the handfuls (literally) of sugar that get thrown in. It was to say the least, an eye opener

For a short writeup, see several of my comments in this post, for reference the school I went to was in Beijing and was called 北京唐人美食职业技术学校.

The prices quoted on the link you provided seem a little on the high side to me, especially as it doesn't include accomodation, but then the school I attended didn't have English translations and didn't provide lessons catered towards western students, and sometimes it's worth paying someone to make sure all the little details are taken care of for you, without you having to worry about them. At the end of the day it comes down not to how much a place costs, but whether you believe you've received value for money.

[imron]

Hmm, for comparison, see also here.