Xi Home Dumplings Bay – Dumpling Making Class

Last Updated on January 2, 2026

A delight wrapped up in dough.

Xi Home Dumplings Bay is a Chinese restaurant that also offers dumpling-making masterclasses led by its own chefs and its head chef. These dumpling making classes are a lovely way to spend an afternoon, where you can learn new skills and free yourself from the tyranny of Itsu freezer dumplings or perfect your technique with the help of professionals.

Who doesn’t like dumplings? Whether boiled, steamed or fried, floating in a light broth or piled up and soused in chilli, these morsels are irresistible. A quick trip to your local supermarket won’t result in much success; however, if you’re looking for an affordable option, especially in comparison with their Italian cousins. How useful then that Xi Home Dumplings Bay has been helping their students seize the means of dumpling production and learn how to make them themselves. Being a self-taught dumpling filler, I was keen to receive some professional advice on how best to perfect that natty little crimp that gives dumplings their comb.

 Unlike Italy’s ravioli, where Marco Polo is now in doubt as progenitor of pasta, linguistic and archaeological studies now suggest that Turkic and Mongol merchants and invaders sent dumplings east from what is now Turkey, Manti in Turkey being the precursor to Mandu in Korea, thousands of miles away.

Xi Home Dumplings Bay, located a short walk from Liverpool St. in Spitalfields, was recovering from the lunch rush when we arrived for the dumpling making class. This one was Christmas-themed, complete with coloured dough, but new themed classes are dropping regularly, including haggis-filled dumplings for Burns’ Night! Xi Home specialises in cuisine from the northern Chinese city of Dalian as well as classics like dandan noodles and spicy wontons. We were in the restaurant proper, which is adorned with neon, lanterns and murals; the space had a relaxed contemporary feel. The dumpling making class is for groups of two, so unless your third wheel doesn’t mind sharing their dumplings with a stranger, keep to pairs.

We started with a glass of prosecco and a short presentation on the history of dumplings in China. They have special significance within Chinese medicine, where the frilly edge is said to be similar to an ear and therefore helpful in keeping them safe and warm; perfect for the cold weather. They are apparently also especially eaten during Chinese New Year, where one lucky winner might find a coin in their dumpling, a bit like a Christmas Pudding or King Cake.

All our ingredients for the dumpling making class were meticulously premeasured and laid out for us. Our first job was to mix the dough. Our technique was duly critiqued by Xi Home’s head chef, Minnie Wang, who was not afraid to ensure every step met her standards. The next job was making the filling; today’s was pork and mushroom. Finally came assembly, including a masterful explanation of the exact technique for rolling the perfect dumpling wrapper and a nifty trick to ensure you can fill every dumpling easily and with a good-looking result. Not only could we use our own dough, but we could also use a range of coloured doughs to brighten up these meaty morsels.

A quick dunk in a pot of simmering water and they were done! While some elected to take theirs home, our own dumplings were snaffled up like nobody’s business. Swimming in chilli oil, soy and vinegar, there’s nothing better than a steaming plate of dumplings in the wintertime. And to top it all off, you receive a certificate of dumpling proficiency for the trouble! A perfectly satisfying, and filling, way to spend an afternoon, Xi Home Dumplings Bay dumpling making class is a great intro to the wonderful world of dumplings.

Xi Home Dumplings Bay, Liverpool Street

10 Blossom Street
London, E1 6PL

Hours
Monday – Sunday
8.30 am – 10.00 pm

phone: +44 2073796523
email: admin@xihomedumplingsbay.co.uk
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