Experiencing authenticity is one of the most important trends for global tourism markets. A rising trend is to experience authentic tourism by visiting local food markets, joining a cooking class, and then preparing and enjoying an authentic meal. However, very few studies discuss the issues including motivations and learning outcomes of the food tourism experience. Therefore, this study utilized in-depth interviews with 20 tourists participating in tourist cooking classes in order to explore these issues. The results can be summarized into intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, as well as three learning outcomes: internal learning, interpersonal learning, and curriculum learning. Finally, theoretical and managerial implications and future research suggestions are proposed.