Manila Filipino Cooking Class: Meryenda Favorites

Come hungry, leave with recipes. This small cooking class in Makati turns Filipino meryenda, or snack time, into a practical two-hour food lesson. You prepare a filling noodle dish, savory spring rolls, and sweet treats while learning why food holds such a central place in Filipino family life.

I like the small maximum of four people, which gives the instructor time to check each cooking station. I also like that the recipes use basic ingredients and equipment you can work with at home. The main consideration is that the price is $60 per person, so this makes the most sense if you want hands-on cooking rather than a quick tasting.

I especially like the warm, personal teaching style of Chyl, whose name is pronounced Chill. The class suits families well, including one family that attended with a three-year-old and an infant, but the outdoor cooking setup means you should keep an eye on the weather and allow time to reach Makati Avenue.

Key points about this Makati cooking class

• Three Filipino snack dishes: You prepare a noodle dish, spring rolls, and sweet treats during the class.
• A maximum of four people: The small group keeps the instruction personal and leaves room for individual cooking stations.
• Chyl leads the class: Her patient, attentive style is a major part of the experience.
• Recipes you can repeat at home: The class focuses on basic ingredients and straightforward methods.
• Family-friendly format: Staff helped care for young children so parents could take part in the cooking.
• Two hours in central Makati: The class starts at 2:00 pm at Somerset Olympia Makati and ends there.

What Filipino meryenda means at the table

Meryenda is the Filipino tradition of eating a snack between meals. It can be sweet or savory, light or filling, and it reflects the country’s habit of bringing people together around food throughout the day.

That makes this class more useful than a simple lesson in following recipes. You are not just chopping, mixing, and cooking. You are learning the place of snack food in everyday Filipino life, along with the practical habits that help these dishes work in a home kitchen.

The session introduces three broad parts of meryenda: a noodle dish, crunchy spring rolls, and sweet treats. The exact names of the dishes are not specified, so you should not book expecting one particular national specialty. The strength is the range of flavors and textures, from filling and savory to crisp and sweet.

I like that balance. A class built around only one dish can feel narrow, especially if you already know a little about Filipino food. Here, you get a small tour of the snack table in one sitting.

Arriving at Somerset Olympia Makati at 2:00 pm

The meeting point is Somerset Olympia Makati at 7912 Makati Avenue, Makati City, 1200 Metro Manila. The location is near public transportation, which helps if you are staying elsewhere in Manila or moving around Makati without a private car.

The start time is 2:00 pm, and the activity returns to the same meeting point. Since the class lasts about two hours, it fits neatly into an afternoon plan. You could schedule it between morning sightseeing and an evening meal, though you may not feel hungry for dinner right away.

Give yourself enough time to find the building and meeting area. The supplied information does not specify a hotel pickup service, so plan to make your own way to Somerset Olympia Makati.

The class requires good weather. That detail matters because one experience describes the cooking as outdoor cooking. If rain or poor weather causes a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

A small class with real cooking time

The maximum group size is four people. That is one of the best features here. In a large cooking class, you can end up watching an instructor prepare most of the food while you stir one bowl. With only four people, you have a better chance to handle the ingredients, use the equipment, and ask questions as you work.

Reports from the class describe individual cooking stations. That detail changes the experience from a demonstration into a lesson. You can make your own portion, watch how it changes during cooking, and see where adjustments matter.

Chyl’s role also seems important. She is described as friendly, patient, and attentive, checking in on each person and helping make sure each dish turns out properly. That is especially helpful if you have never cooked Filipino food before or if you want more than a recipe card.

The class is also conversational. You can ask about Filipino food, Manila, and daily life while you cook. For me, that sort of informal conversation often gives a food lesson its character, as long as you are comfortable with a relaxed social setting rather than a formal culinary school.

Cooking noodles, spring rolls, and sweet treats

The first part of the food preparation centers on a filling noodle dish. Noodles are useful in a cooking class because they teach several skills at once: preparing ingredients, managing texture, seasoning, and bringing separate components together at the right time.

You should expect to work with ingredients and equipment supplied for the session. The class is designed around food you can cook at home, so the focus is not on rare tools or complicated professional methods.

Next come savory and crunchy spring rolls. This gives the class a different kind of task. You move from combining and cooking a noodle dish to assembling and preparing a snack with a crisp finish.

Spring rolls can be simple to eat but tricky to prepare well. The filling needs balance, the wrapper needs careful handling, and the final texture matters. A patient instructor is useful here, particularly if you are new to folding or working with wrappers.

The sweet course rounds out the meal. The description calls the treats unforgettable, but the exact sweets are not named, so I would treat this as a pleasant surprise rather than booking around a specific dessert.

One practical strength is the amount of food. A participant described making a mountain of food and still eating leftovers the next day. That suggests you are not merely sampling tiny portions. Come ready to eat, and consider how you will manage leftovers if you have an evening restaurant reservation.

Why Chyl’s teaching style matters

A cooking class succeeds or fails on the instructor. Ingredients and recipes can be excellent, but a rushed teacher can turn the session into a scramble.

Chyl receives especially strong praise for being patient, welcoming, and attentive. She checks on each cooking station rather than leaving people to guess. That matters if your knife work is slow, your spring roll folding is untidy, or you need to ask the same question twice.

The teaching also reaches beyond the food. Chyl shares insight into local cuisine and talks about the Philippines while the dishes come together. You get context without needing to sit through a long lecture.

I would expect the mood to be friendly and informal. One description compares the afternoon to cooking while chatting about food, the country, and life. That may be exactly what you want if you enjoy meeting a host through a shared activity. If you prefer a fast, technical class with strict timing, the conversational approach may feel less focused.

A good choice for families

The class is clearly designed to welcome families. One family attended with a three-year-old and a baby, and staff helped hold the children when they became unsettled. That allowed the adults to concentrate on cooking.

Of course, you should still expect to supervise your own children. The information does not promise a separate child-care service, and cooking involves heat, tools, and food preparation. The useful point is that young children are not automatically treated as a problem.

For older children, the class could be a practical way to connect food with culture. They can see ingredients change, help with simple tasks, and eat something they helped prepare. The small group size should make it easier for an instructor to adjust attention to different ages.

Families should also note the weather requirement. Since the class may include outdoor cooking, a rainy afternoon could affect plans. Keep the provider’s cancellation terms in mind before you arrange nonrefundable transport or dinner reservations around it.

Is $60 a fair price?

At $60 per person, this is not the cheapest way to eat Filipino food in Manila. If your only goal is to try noodles, spring rolls, and sweets, you can likely spend less at a local restaurant or market.

The value comes from the hands-on format. Your fee covers cooking equipment, ingredients, a nonalcoholic drink, instruction, and the chance to prepare several dishes yourself. With a maximum of four people, you are paying for access to the instructor as much as for the food.

The recipes add lasting value. Several parts of the experience point toward food you can recreate at home with basic ingredients. If you regularly cook, or if you are building a personal collection of dishes from your trips, that makes the $60 easier to justify.

The food portions may also be generous. If you leave with enough to eat again the next day, the cost compares more favorably with a restaurant meal, though you should not treat leftovers as guaranteed.

Group discounts are available. If you are traveling with family or friends, check the rate for your party before booking. Since the group limit is four, a small private-feeling class may be possible, depending on how the discount is structured.

Gratuity is not included, but it is optional. There is no requirement to add a tip.

What you should bring and how to plan the afternoon

You do not need to bring cooking equipment or ingredients. Both are provided, along with a nonalcoholic drink.

Wear something comfortable for standing and cooking. The information does not give a dress code, so I would choose practical clothing rather than anything you need to keep spotless. Because weather can affect the session, check the forecast before leaving and keep your phone available for any update from Explore Manila Tours.

Do not plan a heavy lunch immediately before the class. You will prepare several dishes, and the portions may be substantial. A light meal earlier in the day leaves room for the food you make.

The class ends back at Somerset Olympia Makati. That makes onward planning simple. You can return to your hotel, continue around Makati, or arrange an evening activity from the same general area.

Who will enjoy this experience most?

I would recommend this class to you if you want to do something active with Filipino food rather than simply order it. It suits first-time visitors who want an introduction to local cooking, home cooks looking for repeatable recipes, and people who collect cooking lessons during international trips.

It is also a strong choice for Filipino American visitors who grew up eating Filipino food but never learned the basic methods. One participant described exactly that situation, and the class provided a way to connect familiar flavors with the process behind them.

Families can benefit from the patient approach and small group size. Couples and solo visitors may also enjoy the chance to talk with Chyl while cooking.

You may want to choose another activity if you need a fully indoor class, want a large professional kitchen, or have a particular dish in mind that is not listed among the class offerings. The exact recipes are not identified, so ask before booking if one specific food is your main reason for attending.

Booking and cancellation details

You receive confirmation at the time of booking. The experience is offered with free cancellation if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 2:00 pm start time.

A cancellation made within 24 hours is not refundable, and changes within that period are not accepted. Cutoff times use local time in the Philippines. Poor weather is handled differently: you can take another date or receive a full refund if the provider cancels the session.

The experience has a perfect five-star rating from 80 reviews, with 100 percent recommending it. Those figures point to a reliable experience, but the practical details still matter: the class is small, food-focused, sometimes outdoors, and built around a friendly host rather than a formal restaurant kitchen.

Should you book the Manila meryenda class?

Book it if you want personal instruction, generous food, and recipes you can use at home. The strongest reasons are the four-person limit, Chyl’s patient teaching, the three-part menu, and the family-friendly tone.

At $60, it is best viewed as a cooking lesson with a meal included, not as a budget lunch. I would especially choose it for a free afternoon in Makati, a family outing, or a food-focused trip where you want to take home a skill rather than just a memory.

Skip it if you need guaranteed indoor cooking, a named signature dish, or a very technical class. For most people who enjoy food and conversation, though, this looks like a warm and practical introduction to Filipino meryenda.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class meet?

The class starts and ends at Somerset Olympia Makati, 7912 Makati Avenue, Makati City, 1200 Metro Manila, Philippines.

What time does the class start?

The start time is 2:00 pm.

How long does the experience last?

The class lasts approximately two hours.

How many people can join?

The activity has a maximum of four participants.

What is included in the price?

Cooking equipment, food ingredients, and a nonalcoholic drink are included. Gratuity is optional and not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund.