If you are looking for something genuinely local to do in Bandung, something that goes beyond the usual café hopping or shopping malls, a baking class at Ny. Liem Heritage might be exactly what you are after.
Ny. Liem Heritage has been teaching the art of baking and cooking since 1971. That is more than five decades of knowledge, recipes, and tradition passed down from one generation to the next. This is not a trendy pop-up class or a weekend workshop put together last month. This is a certified culinary institution that has quietly shaped the baking scene of Bandung for over half a century and is still going strong today.
Over 50 Years of Teaching Right in the Heart of Bandung
The story of Ny. Liem began in 1968, when Ny. Liem herself started sharing her passion for cooking with friends and neighbours in the Gandapura area of Bandung. What started as a personal hobby quickly grew into something much bigger. By 1971, her first official baking class already had 50 participants, an impressive number for its time, with a focus on European breads and pastries, a speciality that was considered both rare and prestigious in Indonesia back then.
The school eventually moved to Jalan Naripan (Naripan Street), which remains its home to this day. In 2007, the institution was formally established as LPK (Lembaga Pendidikan dan Keterampilan) Tata Boga Ny. Liem, a certified vocational culinary school operating under an official licence from the Bandung City Education Department. Since then, thousands of alumni from across Indonesia, and beyond, have passed through its doors.
What to Expect from a Class at Ny. Liem Heritage
Hands-On from Day One
The hands-on Classes at Ny. Liem Heritage are built around one principle: you learn by doing. Participants do not just watch a demonstration and go home. You roll up your sleeves and make the product yourself, guided step by step by an experienced instructor. By the end of each session, you walk away with something you made with your own hands, and the knowledge of how to recreate it.
A Wide Range of Classes
The school offers a variety of programmes to suit different goals and schedules:
- Regular classes: covering foundational baking, traditional Indonesian cakes, bread, pastry, roll cakes, and more. Open to all skill levels, including complete beginners.
- Private and group classes: tailored to your specific interests or needs, whether you are an individual, a couple, or a group from a company or organisation.
- National Certification Programme: for those who want formal recognition of their skills. The Ujian Nasional Tata Boga (National Culinary Examination) is held under the authority of the Indonesian Ministry of National Education and is available at three levels: A1 (Basic), A2 (Skilled), and A3 (Advanced)
A Fully Equipped Kitchen Classroom
The classroom is set up with everything you need: stand mixers, hand mixers, conventional and digital ovens, and all the baking tools required for the session. You do not need to bring your own equipment, just show up ready to learn.
A Heads-Up for International Visitors
One thing worth knowing before you book: classes at Ny. Liem Heritage are conducted in Bahasa Indonesia. Instructors are highly experienced and incredibly welcoming, but English-language instruction is not currently available.
That said, this does not have to be a barrier. Many international visitors and expats in Bandung find the experience even more rewarding when they bring along a local friend, colleague, or guide to help with translation. The hands-on nature of the class means that a lot is communicated through demonstration rather than words, you will pick up more than you expect just by watching and doing.
Think of it as an immersive cultural experience: you are not just learning how to make a lapis legit or a kastengel, you are stepping into a piece of Bandung’s culinary history that most visitors never get to see.
Who Is This Class For?
Ny. Liem Heritage welcomes participants from all backgrounds, with no prior baking experience required. International participants who have joined the programme include:
- Expats living in Bandung looking for a meaningful hobby or a way to connect with local culture
- Foreign visitors who want to do something different, such as a hands-on activity rather than just sightseeing
- Professionals in the F&B industry seeking to expand their repertoire with authentic Indonesian recipes
- Anyone who simply loves food and wants to learn from people who have been doing this for decades
Why Ny. Liem Heritage and Not Somewhere Else?
Bandung has its share of cooking and baking workshops, but very few can claim what Ny. Liem Heritage has: over 50 years of uninterrupted operation, a government-recognised certification programme, and a teaching lineage that traces directly back to the founder herself.
This is not a class designed to look good on social media. It is a real culinary school where real skills are taught, the same way they have been taught since 1971. The recipes are the same. The standards are the same. And the warmth of the people running it has never changed.
If you are in Bandung and you love food, this is one of those rare experiences that is genuinely worth your time.
How to Join a Class at Ny. Liem Heritage
Class schedules are announced regularly through official channels. It is recommended to register in advance as class sizes are limited.
Location: Jl. Naripan No. 80, Kb. Pisang, Kec. Sumur Bandung, Kota Bandung 40112, West Java, Indonesia.
For class schedules and registration: nyliem.com | Instagram: @ny_liem
Pro tip: if you are an international visitor without a local contact, reach out to the admin team directly here, they are used to welcoming guests from all over the world and will do their best to make the process as smooth as possible for you.
