Cookly
Cookly is a Bangkok-based online marketplace, founded in 2015, that connects travelers with local cooking class hosts across 60+ countries and 100+ cities, monetizing via transaction-based take rates on bookings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBangkok, Thailand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cookly does
Cookly is a Bangkok-headquartered, privately held online marketplace founded in 2015 that connects travelers with local cooking class hosts across more than 60 countries and 100 cities. The platform operates a direct-to-consumer model: travelers discover and book classes through destination-indexed web pages (e.g., /cooking-class/bangkok/, /cooking-class/rome/, /cooking-class/tokyo/), while hosts list supply ranging from short-format workshops to multi-day immersive courses. Per-class pricing spans roughly $24 to over $2,100 depending on destination and inclusion of market tours, wine pairings, or private formats, with checkout supporting 30+ currencies and 20+ languages.
The underlying product is a web-based booking marketplace with payment integrations to Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and review infrastructure provided by Trustindex. Cookly monetizes via a transaction-based take rate on each booking. Its product surface extends beyond instant individual bookings to include Gift Cards, Private Bookings for groups and celebrations, and Team Building Events for corporate clients. The primary customer segments are solo travelers, couples, and families seeking authentic culinary experiences; a secondary segment addresses corporate/MICE and private group use cases.
The go-to-market is content- and SEO-led, supported by press features in CNN, Lonely Planet, and Travel + Leisure, a destination magazine, an email newsletter, and an emerging affiliate/ambassador and travel-agent partner program. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Benjamin Ozsanay and founder Etienne Marleau-Rancourt, has between 11 and 50 employees, and has raised two disclosed rounds from 500 Global and Total Access Communication Public Company (DTAC) in 2017 and 2018, with no subsequent funding disclosed in the inputs.
Cookly firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cookly
- Legal name
- Cookly
- Website
- https://cookly.me
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cookly is a Bangkok-based online marketplace, founded in 2015, that connects travelers with local cooking class hosts across 60+ countries and 100+ cities, monetizing via transaction-based take rates on bookings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cookly industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cooking Class Marketplace
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops (THAJAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAK), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Culinary Walking & Market Tours (THAJAGAA)
Keywords
Where Cookly is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bangkok
- HQ country
- Thailand
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
Cookly business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction-based marketplace commission: Cookly acts as a marketplace intermediary connecting travelers with local cooking class hosts. The platform earns revenue through transaction fees on bookings. Customers pay per class (ranging from $24 to $2,107+ depending on destination and class type) with prices displayed in local currencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Individual cooking class bookings at per-session rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Cookly product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cookly operates an online marketplace that connects travelers with local cooking class hosts across 60+ countries and 100+ cities. The platform enables instant booking of hands-on cooking classes, food tours, and culinary activities, with free cancellation, verified reviews, and support for 30+ currencies and 20+ languages. Revenue is generated through transaction-based commissions on bookings made through the platform.
Product overview
Cookly operates as a unified marketplace platform connecting travelers with local cooking class hosts globally. The core offering consists of destination-specific cooking class booking (Bangkok, Rome, Bali, Tokyo, and 70+ other destinations), supported by private/group booking services, gift cards, and team building event packages. Users can book instant classes or request custom private experiences, with payment processed through major credit cards and digital wallets. The platform aggregates experiences across categories including market tours, hands-on cooking classes, food tours, and specialized culinary experiences like wine tastings and farm visits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cooking Classes Hands-on cooking classes with local hosts across 60+ countries and 100+ cities, including Thai cooking in Bangkok, Italian pasta-making in Rome, Balinese cuisine in Bali, sushi-making in Tokyo, and many more destinations worldwide. Class formats range from 1-hour dessert workshops to multi-day immersive courses including market tours and countryside winery experiences.
- Food Tours Guided culinary tours featuring local food tastings, market visits, and cultural experiences in various destinations.
- Culinary Experiences Specialized culinary activities including wine tastings, coffee brewing classes, and farm-to-table experiences in various destinations.
- Gift Cards Gift certificates that can be purchased and redeemed for cooking class experiences on the platform.
- Private Bookings Custom private cooking experiences tailored for groups, retreats, celebrations, and corporate events, with personalized menus, timing, and host matching.
- Team Building Events Group cooking experiences designed for corporate team building activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average rating of 4.97-4.99 stars across major destinations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cookly
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cookly technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Cookly partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cookly competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Airbnb Experiences: Airbnb's experiences vertical hosts cooking classes alongside thousands of other activities globally. It is a broad incumbent rather than direct competitor because culinary experiences are a subset of its offering, but its scale dwarfs Cookly's.
- Klook: Klook is a major Asian travel activities and experiences platform that includes cooking classes among broader inventory. Operates the same marketplace model but as a multi-category incumbent rather than a culinary specialist.
Direct peers
- GetYourGuide: GetYourGuide is a leading marketplace for tours, activities, and experiences, including a sizeable cooking class inventory across global destinations. It is a direct peer in the booking-and-discovery model and competes for the same traveler demand.
- Viator: Viator, owned by Tripadvisor, is a major tours-and-experiences marketplace with a deep cooking class catalog. Direct peer operating the same marketplace model and frequently bidding on the same culinary keywords as Cookly.
- EatWith: EatWith is a marketplace for hosted dining and cooking experiences in private homes and local venues. Closely comparable to Cookly in product format (chef-led culinary experiences) and target traveler segment.
- Withlocals: Withlocals offers private tours and food experiences led by local hosts across multiple countries. Strong overlap with Cookly in the Asia and Europe culinary experience category.
- Traveling Spoon: Traveling Spoon is a marketplace for in-home cooking classes and private dining experiences, particularly focused on Asia. Direct competitor in the chef-led culinary experience space.
- Cozymeal: Cozymeal is a marketplace for cooking classes, food tours, and private chef experiences, primarily in North America and Europe. Direct competitor operating the same host-aggregation model targeting travelers and locals alike.
- ClassBento: ClassBento is a workshop and class booking platform (including cooking classes) operating primarily in Australia and the UK. Comparable marketplace model and target audience with culinary classes as a core category.
- Tours by Locals: Tours by Locals connects travelers with private local guides for tours including food and culinary experiences. Operates a similar host-based marketplace model with private-guide bookings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cookly social profiles
Digital presenceCookly financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cookly leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cookly funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cookly M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cookly
What does Cookly do?
Cookly operates an online marketplace that connects travelers with local cooking class hosts across 60+ countries and 100+ cities. The platform enables instant booking of hands-on cooking classes, food tours, and culinary activities, with free cancellation, verified reviews, and support for 30+ currencies and 20+ languages. Revenue is generated through transaction-based commissions on bookings made through the platform.
Is Cookly a public or private company?
Cookly is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cookly founded?
Cookly was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cookly based?
Cookly is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, in the Asia region.
How does Cookly make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction-based marketplace commission.
Who are Cookly's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Airbnb Experiences and Klook. Direct peers are GetYourGuide, Viator, EatWith, Withlocals, Traveling Spoon, Cozymeal, ClassBento and Tours by Locals.
Does Cookly have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cookly.
What industry is Cookly in?
Cookly's product category is Cooking Class Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAGAI, Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops, with a secondary code of BPAMAIAK, Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms. Its NAICS code is 7223 and its SIC code is 7900.