Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: our experience in an Indonesian cooking class in Gili Air

One of the things that I enjoy the most while traveling is experiencing the local culture through food. That is why I always try to take a cooking class when I travel. We spent some time in Indonesia, so even though we had already followed a class at Paon Bali in Ubud, we decided to enjoy the Warung Sunny Cooking Class in Gili Air as well! Let’s dive into our experience with Warung Sunny Cooking Class:

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Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: how we got there

It’s a funny story, since we found the restaurant just walking around in the island. Most of the restaurants are by the beach, so we tried to “go local” by looking around inland. Then we found Warung Sunny, and everyone was so friendly that we decided to stay for dinner! We had some delicious food, better than we’d had in a while in Indonesia, so we congratulated the cook. Chef Hero, the owner, came to say thank you, and we started talking. He mentioned that they also do cooking classes, so we decided to go for one the next day!

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: practicalities

Location

Warung Sunny Cooking Class takes place in Gili Air, a small island located on the Northwest of Lombok. Gili Air is a tropical paradise where your gears naturally slow down, so following a cooking class there is a perfect activity after a day at the beach or a snorkeling session! Gili Air is my favourite of the Gili islands, and the one with the most authentic food, so it is a perfect spot for a cooking class.

There’s not really an address, so I’ll jost give you the location.

Schedule

There’s no such thing as a schedule at Warung Sunny, since they follow an islander lifestyle. Rather, they operate on a need-base, and perform the cooking classes if someone asks and around the time of meals (lunch/dinner). Just go and talk to the staff to book a session!

Price

We paid 300.000 IDR (18€). That includes the class, all ingredients, a full meal of what you cooked and water. This is a very cheap price for a cooking class, and the value was very good.

Group

I have no idea if they ever have big groups at Warung Sunny. In our case, it was only us! It was incredible to have a private cooking class for this price and it allowed us to spend more time and talk with Chef Hero. If you coincide with other people, they will just put you together, so make sure to ask when you book the class.

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: the “classroom”

There is no real classroom for the cooking class. Rather, you’ll be cooking on a table and kitchen right in front of the customers that are having lunch or dinner at the restaurant! In fact, we had many people come by to see what we were doing and asking about it. The place fits very well with the tropical island vibe, with wooden, straw and bamboo finishings and a lush wild garden.

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: the cooking

Now, what you’ve been waiting for in this Warung Sunny review: what we learned. During our cooking class we learned and prepared 3 basic spice pastes, 4 side sambal sauces and 8 dishes. In total, 15 recipes, which is an insane number for a cooking class! That being said, it was not overwhelming at all, since the basic spice pastes were used for the dishes and the recipes were not hard to follow. You can have a look at the recipes we learned by clicking on the links below:

Base Bumbu (Indonesian base paste recipe)

Sambal recipes (Indonesian spicy chili dip recipe)

Terong Balado recipe (Indonesian eggplant sambal stew)

Gado-Gado recipe (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce)

Bala-bala recipe (Indonesian vegetable fritters)

Nasi Rempah recipe (Indonesian spiced rice)

Sate Ayam recipe (Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

Pepesan ikan recipe (Indonesian steamed mackerel in banana leaf)

Gulai Nangka recipe (Indonesian jackfruit curry)

Overall, the recipes are really representative of Indonesian cuisine. They include Balinese and Indonesian staples, such as gado-gado or sate, but also some local delicacies, such as balado and gulai nangka. The chef originates in Sumatra, so it makes sense that he adds a few recipes from his native region!

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: the chef and the class

One of the highlights of Warung Sunny Cooking Class is Chef Hero, the owner and cook in charge of the class. He is such a charismatic, positive and funny guy! He really transmits his love for food and cooking to anyone that takes his class.

The tone of the cooking class is very informal. In fact, there aren’t even recipes in the traditional sense! What I mean is that most of the things we cooked he knew by hard and there was no strict measuring. Most of the recipes were done “by eye” and according to our taste as the guests. In fact, even the menu was tweaked last minute when we started talking to him and telling us about what we like and what we don’t!

Overall, it was a super easy to follow class, with a lot of information about the recipes, ingredients and Indonesian cuisine. We found it really enjoyable and we left feeling like we learned a lot of things, not only how to cook certain dishes, but about Indonesia as a country and its culture.

Warung Sunny Cooking Class review: the veredict

It comes without saying that I really recommend that you take the Warung Sunny Cooking Class by the hand of Chef Hero. Not only the food that you will cook tastes delicious, but you will learn a bunch of recipes that are very tasty, relatively straight forward and easy to replicate at home!

After our trip to the Gili island, we decided that the cooking class at Warung Sunny by the hand of Chef Hero is a must! Not only you will get insight on Indonesian food and culture and spend a nice afternoon with some locals and eating delicious food. You’ll also learn some incredible recipes to take home with you, which is the best souvenir if you ask me!

How to get to Gili Air

Getting to the enchanting Gili Islands is a breeze. However, they do not have an airport of their own, so you’ll first have to get to Bali or Lombok.

Getting to Gili Air from Bali

The most common way to reach these tropical gems is by taking a fast boat from Bali. Boats depart from various ports in Bali, such as Padang Bai, Serangan, or Sanur. This journey typically takes around 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the port and weather conditions. I must say that, in our case, when we returned from Gili T it took almost 4h to get to Padang Bai. We stopped at all the other Gilis as well as Lombok. You can book your speed boat ticket in advance in the link below, although I must say we booked it at the pier the day before. The boat arrives first in Gili T and then stops in the rest of the islands and circles back through Lombok.

Getting to Gili Air from Lombok

If you’re in Lombok, the ferry ride to the Gili islands is much shorter and cheaper. In our case, we were coming all the way from Komodo National Park in a boat expedition. We made our way to Bangsal harbor (north of Senggigi), were the ferries to the Gili islands depart from. If you’re staying in one of the main areas in Lombok, chances are your accommodation can book a shared transportation for you. In Bangsal we took the local boat, which is quite basic but really cheap at only 20k IDR (1.2€). You can get the deluxe version if you book the tourist boat in advance below. It should take you back around 150k IDR (9€).

Where to stay in Gili Air

Budget

If your budget is very limited, find a room in Sister Bungalow 2 or Melbao Homestay. Both offer basic but very decent rooms for less than 200k IDR (12€). For very little more, 200k IDR (12€), you’ll find Mirna Homestay, offering bungalow-style rooms with air conditioning, big beds and included breakfast.

We stayed at Sejuk Cottages, which costs around 350k IDR (22€) and offers very spacious beautiful bungalows with a nice big terrace facing the garden. The swimming pool is gorgeous! And the location of the hotel makes it very easy to get anywhere but private and calm. Breakfast is included. A couple of friends stayed at Follow The Rabbit Bungalow, a hotel with similar price and characteristics that they really liked. Other options include Saeri Matahari Bungalow or Captain Coconuts Gili Air.

Mid-Range

If your budget can afford a little more, check out the following. Hakuna Matata Resort Gili Air offers charming bungalows with private terraces, providing a cozy oasis amidst lush tropical greenery. The Koho Air Hotel, a tranquil and centrally located establishment, features lounge chairs, a pleasant pool, and a calm ambiance. Villa Coco Republic presents inviting bungalows with terraces and a shared pool, striking a perfect balance between privacy and socializing. Similarly, Chill Out Bungalows offer comfortable accommodations and a welcoming atmosphere, ideal for unwinding. Senang Villa, while affordable, provides a touch of luxury with tastefully decorated villas and exceptional service.

Luxury

If you’re ready to splurge, Akasia Villas offer privacy and tranquility with their private pool villas. On the other end, PinkCoco Gili Air (only for adults) stands out with its unique pink-themed concept, personalized service and more social vibe.

Dolcemare Resort provides spacious rooms in a serene resort-style setting, while Sunrise Resort offers a resort experience with tropical vibes and several pools reminiscent of a Caribbean resort. Kempas Villa sets the bar for super luxury with its two-bedroom private pool villas. Musa Villas and Bungalows showcase authentic Balinese-style loft bungalows, while Slow Gili Air offers a peaceful atmosphere and utmost privacy. These luxurious options offer a variety of indulgent experiences, catering to different preferences and ensuring an unforgettable stay in Gili Air.

Closing statement

We had a lot of fun in our Cooking Class at Warung Sunny in Gili Air. In fact, it was a perfect way to get to know some local people, immerse in local culture and have some delicious food! If you’re in the Gili islands, you’ll probably find these helpful:

Quick Gili islands guide: a starters kit for paradise seekers in Indonesia

The chill Gili: Gili Air

The party Gili: Gili Trawangan

The honeymoon Gili: Gili Meno

Also, if you’re in Indonesia, have a look at these:

Perfect 3 days itinerary in Ubud, Bali

Hiking Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen in Java, Indonesia

Perfect 3-day itinerary in Nusa Penida, Indonesia

What to do in North Sumatra, the secret Indonesia keeps from you

Perfect 10 days Flores itinerary in Indonesia

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