Cooking Tour In Hoi An

Itinerary

For food lovers and curious travelers, this immersive half-day cooking class offers far more than just recipes – it provides deep insights into Vietnamese culinary culture, from sourcing ingredients at local markets to understanding the philosophy behind balanced flavors that define Vietnamese cuisine.

Morning Program (8.00 AM start):

Your culinary adventure begins at Hai Café in Hoi An’s Ancient Town, the meeting point where you’ll gather with other participants and your cooking instructors. Board a comfortable minivan for a short 10-minute journey to Tra Que Organic Village, a remarkable farming community that has supplied Hoi An’s restaurants and markets with fresh herbs and vegetables for generations.

Walk through the meticulously maintained market gardens where local farmers work their fields using traditional methods unchanged for centuries. No electrical machinery here – only hand tools, organic fertilizers, and techniques proven effective over time. The village specializes in aromatic herbs essential to Vietnamese cooking: saw-tooth coriander (ngò gai), Vietnamese mint (rau răm), perilla (tía tô), lemongrass, and dozens of others. Under your guide’s instruction, pick fresh herbs directly from the plants that you’ll use in your cooking later. Learn about each herb’s culinary properties, medicinal uses, and the optimal time to harvest for maximum flavor.

At a local home, enjoy a refreshing herbal drink while learning about traditional Vietnamese wellness practices that incorporate the same herbs used in cooking for their health benefits.

Next, experience the energy and atmosphere of a local village market. Armed with a shopping list and accompanied by your instructor, navigate through the bustling stalls to purchase ingredients: star anise and cardamom for pho broth, thin rice paper for spring rolls, water spinach (morning glory), banana flower with its purple-pink petals, and numerous other items. Your instructor teaches you how to select the freshest produce, explains seasonal variations, and demonstrates the art of friendly haggling that makes market shopping a social experience in Vietnam.

Arrive at Red Bridge Cooking School, a beautiful riverside facility set amidst tropical gardens approximately 4 kilometers from Hoi An. The school’s open-air kitchen pavilions, positioned to catch river breezes, provide a comfortable and inspiring environment for your cooking lesson.

After freshening up, gather around your cooking station, typically in small groups of 2-4 people sharing ingredients and equipment. Your experienced chef instructor begins with an introduction to Vietnamese cuisine philosophy: the importance of balancing five fundamental flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami), the concept of yin and yang in food choices, and the emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

The hands-on lesson typically covers four Vietnamese dishes, which may include: Phở (Vietnam’s iconic beef noodle soup, learn to make the aromatic broth from scratch), fresh spring rolls with their delicate rice paper wrappers and colorful vegetables, a stir-fry showcasing proper wok technique and sauce balance, and perhaps bánh xèo (crispy coconut crepes) or another regional specialty.

Throughout the class, your instructor shares techniques, tips, and the stories behind each dish. You’ll learn knife skills for julienning vegetables, the proper way to fold spring rolls so they don’t fall apart, how to achieve perfect rice paper texture, and the secrets to creating harmonious flavor combinations.

After approximately 2.5 hours of cooking, sit down together to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The satisfaction of eating food you’ve prepared yourself, accompanied by Vietnamese beer or soft drinks, makes the meal taste even better. Your instructor joins you, answering questions and sharing additional insights about Vietnamese food culture.

Following lunch, enjoy a peaceful 25-minute boat cruise along the Thu Bon River back to central Hoi An, arriving around 2:30-3:00 PM. You’ll depart with recipe cards, new culinary skills, and a deeper appreciation for the care and tradition embedded in Vietnamese cuisine.

Duration: 5-6 hours (8:00 AM – 2:30 PM)
Meal: Lunch (dishes you prepare)
Includes: Market tour, herb garden visit, hands-on cooking class, recipe booklet, boat transfer
Class size: Small groups (maximum 12-15 participants)
Suitable for: All skill levels, families, food enthusiasts

Have dietary restrictions, want to learn specific dishes, or prefer morning versus afternoon sessions? Contact us via this form or email [email protected] to customize your tour. You can also check out our Vietnam package tours including Hoi An for other ways to discover this ancient town.

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