Farm-to-Table Healthy Cooking Class: Learn How to Cook in HCMC, Vietnam

Are you ready to learn the secrets of some of the best food in the world?

Look no further than the Farm-to-Table Healthy Cooking Class, where you’ll not only learn how to make authentic healthy Vietnamese cuisine but also embark on a journey from haggling in a bustling market to handpicking fresh herbs.

Led by a renowned and charismatic chef, you’re sure to leave with both a full stomach and a newfound passion for Vietnamese cooking. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and create unforgettable memories.

What to expect from the cooking class?

Our day began with a friendly driver picking us up from our hotel in a comfortable mini-bus. After a brief introduction, we set off on a short journey to the Cu Chi district.

The local market

First we stopped at a vibrant local market to source our ingredients.

The market was busy, with stalls selling fresh produce, herbs, spices, meats, seafood, as well as household items and clothing.

Market Vietnam

Our tour guide, Hong, was an expert in all things food-related and introduced us to a variety of vegetables as we made our way through the market.

Everything looked so fresh and colorful.

Market in Vietnam
market vietnam

We stopped by a friendly seller who helped us choose some mouthwatering cherries.

fruit market Vietnam

Picking herbs in the medicine garden

After the market, we made our way to the cooking class village.

This sprawling area boasted rice paddy fields, vegetable gardens, and an open-air cooking space.

After a refreshing tea break, we headed to the farm, each of us armed with a basket, scissors, and a traditional Vietnamese-style conical hat, known as Nón lá.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class Vietnam

Under the expert guidance of Hong, we learned about the different herbs and vegetables grown on the farm, along with their medicinal properties and typical uses in Vietnamese dishes.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class garden

The farm was extensive, and as we wandered through, we had the opportunity to snip fresh produce and herbs to fill our baskets.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class Vietnam

It was a fun and educational experience. We couldn’t wait to put our new knowledge to the test in the kitchen.

The mushroom farm

We were surprised to learn the farm also grew mushrooms.

mushroom

Our guide Hong explained how these mushrooms are grown, and we picked some for our upcoming dishes.

mushroom

It was our first time seeing the process of cultivating these fascinating fungi, and we were excited to see how they would be prepared.

The cooking class

The class was lead by Chef Tan, a talented cooking instructor.

He had a natural ability to engage and entertain us, using creative analogies to explain how to cook the various ingredients.

It was clear Chef Tan was passionate about sharing the wonders of Vietnamese cuisine.

Chef Tan

Menu

The Farm-to-Table Healthy Cooking Class menu features authentic Vietnamese dishes.

With each lesson being different, you’re sure to have a unique experience.

Banh Xeo

We started by cooking a special version of Banh Xeo,  a Vietnamese-style pancake that had us drooling.

Firstly, we gathered all the ingredients and prepared the most delicious fish sauce. 

Tan then guided us through making the perfect pancake batter and then frying it to perfection.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class Banh xeo
Our pancake with it’s filling, ready to fold.
Banh xeo

Chicken with mushroom

Moving on to the next dish, we got to use the fresh mushrooms we had picked earlier to make a mouth-watering chicken and mushroom dish with a special Vietnamese sauce.

The mushrooms added a lovely earthy flavor, perfect together with the tender chicken. We cooked it all up in a traditional clay pot – this helps the flavor of certain dishes as Tan explained.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class chicken

Barbecue Pork

The pork dish was the star of the show, and we learned some key cooking techniques.

First, we learned how to marinate the pork to create a robust and mouth-watering flavor that complemented the meat’s natural sweetness.

cooking class Saigon Vietnam

We then moved on to the stir-fry, where we learned how to seal in the flavors and keep the meat juicy and tender.

We finished by adding some exciting twists to the dish – fresh veggies and herbs to add a pop of color.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class pork

Banana rolls

We ended the meal on a sweet note with fried banana rolls and a dollop of creamy coconut ice cream.

We learned how to make a light and crispy batter, then how to deep-fry the rolls to a golden brown.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class banana cake

Certificate

At the end of the cooking course, we each felt a sense of pride as Chef Tan presented us each with a certificate of completion.

We were also surprised by some other thoughtful gifts. It was a lovely gesture that added an extra touch of delight to the overall experience.

Ho Chi Minh Cooking class Vietnam

Our thoughts on the Ho Chi Minh City cooking class

We loved it! It was great to escape the bustle of the city and spend a day at a picturesque farm in the suburbs.

The highlight was undoubtedly our talented instructor, Chef Tan, who led the cooking class with clear instructions and valuable tips.

We also have to give a shout-out to our friendly and informative tour guide, Hong. Her wealth of knowledge about the local herbs and vegetables made the farm tour even more exciting and educational.

We loved exploring the farm and picking the fresh ingredients ourselves. It was a thrill to use these ingredients to prepare our dishes, knowing that we had sourced them ourselves.

The dishes we cooked were not only delicious, but healthy. We left feeling confident and inspired to experiment with new ingredients and techniques in our own kitchens.

Overall, it was an incredible experience that we will cherish for a long time, and we highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their culinary horizons.

HCM cooking class garden

How to book the cooking class

Booking your cooking class is a breeze, just follow this link to book your class.

You can then follow the simple steps and within five minutes you’ll have booked your place on one of Saigon’s best cooking classes.

Classes are available in the morning or afternoon. A friendly customer support team will help you if you have any special requirements.

vegetables

What’s included?

  • Local informative guides.
  • Lots of food and refreshments.
  • Certificate and other gifts.
  • A pick-up and drop-off service by comfortable mini-bus or car.

What else can you do in Saigon?

Want to experience Saigon’s street food scene in an easy and unforgettable way? Then why not join a food tour? You’ll get to savor delicious local dishes while exploring the city’s vibrant neighborhoods.

And if you’re in the mood for a weekend getaway from Saigon, we’ve got you covered! Check out our latest article for some fantastic suggestions on where to go and what to do.

Saigon river at night

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2 Comments

  1. Hi, for this cooking class at cu chi, do they pick you up at Ho chi Minh city? And where is the exact location of the cooking class?

    1. Yeah, they will pick you up in Ho Chi Minh city. You can communicate with them about the pickup location.

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