Cooking Classes in Vietnam: Where and How to Learn

A cooking class is the easiest way to understand what's going on in the dishes you've been eating. Vietnam has more dedicated cooking schools than almost any other country in Asia, and the range goes from half-day market-and-cook tours to multi-day intensive programmes.

What to expect

Most cooking classes follow the same basic shape: a guided market visit to buy ingredients (one to two hours), a quick lecture on the herb and chilli repertoire, then three to five dishes cooked in a small group, with the meal eaten together at the end. Sessions run from three to six hours. Prices range from 600,000 VND for a basic group class to over 2,000,000 VND for a premium full-day with cruise included.

Vegetarian options are widely available on request. English is the standard language; French, German and Japanese are sometimes available at the larger schools.

Hội An

Hội An is the cooking-class capital of the country.

Red Bridge Cooking School is the long-running standard. The half-day class includes a boat trip down the Thu Bồn river to the school, a riverside cooking area, and four dishes including a fresh spring roll, a salad, a main and a dessert. Around 1,000,000 VND. The full-day adds an extended market tour and more dishes. Easy for total beginners.

Morning Glory Cooking Class is run by Trinh Diem Vy in her central-Hội An restaurant on Nguyễn Thái Học. Tighter focus on classic central-Vietnamese dishes — cao lầu, mì Quảng, white rose dumplings. Around 800,000 VND for half a day.

Hai Cafe Cooking School is the cheaper backpacker-friendly option at around 500,000 VND. Less polished but the dishes you learn are correct.

Hanoi

Hanoi Cooking Centre at 44 Châu Long is run by Tracey Lister, an Australian who has lived in Hanoi for over twenty years and written several Vietnamese cookbooks. Serious classes for serious cooks; the full-day includes a Đồng Xuân market tour and four to five classic Hanoi dishes. Around 1,500,000 VND.

Apron Up Cooking Class in the Old Quarter is the smaller, more intimate alternative. Half-day market-and-cook for around 900,000 VND.

Rose Kitchen Cooking Class near Hoàn Kiếm is the popular budget option at around 700,000 VND.

Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc, attached to the Hoa Tuc restaurant at 74 Hai Bà Trưng, is the long-running classic. Compact two-and-a-half-hour class with three dishes for around 1,200,000 VND. Good if you have a single afternoon free.

Vietnam Cookery Center on Le Thanh Ton runs longer half-day and full-day classes with broader menus, including central- and northern-Vietnamese dishes for southern visitors. From 800,000 VND.

GRAIN Cooking Class by chef Luke Nguyen at multiple locations is the higher-end option with a more curated menu and a slicker setup. Around 1,800,000 VND.

What to learn first

If this is your only Vietnamese cooking class, ask for:

• A version of phở or another noodle soup, to understand the broth-and-garnish structure
• A salad (gỏi) or summer roll, to learn the herb logic
• A grilled or fried dish that uses the standard marinade (fish sauce, garlic, sugar, lemongrass)
• A dipping sauce (nước chấm) made from scratch, since this is the same base across many dishes

What you'll need at home

A wok and a small frying pan, a deep saucepan for stocks, a mortar and pestle, a small charcoal grill if you're serious. Vietnamese fish sauce (Phú Quốc Red Boat is the export standard), rice paper, dried rice noodles, palm sugar, and a steady supply of fresh herbs. Most Vietnamese recipes are not equipment-intensive; the discipline is in the prep.

Honest take

Classes in Hội An are the most relaxed and the most fun for first-timers. Classes in Hanoi go the deepest if you actually want to cook northern food at home. Classes in HCMC are convenient but tend to teach a slightly watered-down "best of Vietnam" menu. Pick a class on day two or three of your trip, not day one — you'll know what you've liked eating and can ask the instructor to lean into it.

Related reading: Hội An food guide, Hanoi food guide, HCMC food guide, Markets of Vietnam, Street food etiquette.