Cooking at a real Vietnamese kitchen feels personal. In Hoi An, My Kitchen is a 3-hour, small-group home cooking class led by Ms. My Nguyen, where you cook from scratch and then share a homemade meal. The location is about 3 kilometers from the city center, so it feels local fast—no big-tour machine.

What I like most is that you pick the 3 dishes you want to learn, and you do real hands-on cooking rather than watching from the sidelines. I also love the focus on fresh, high quality ingredients and the promise of no MSG, with vegan and vegetarian options available if you tell My your preferences ahead of time.

The main drawback to plan around: there is no pick-up service. You’ll need to make your way to A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street in Cam Ha, and you might also want to arrange your timing if you plan to add any extras like an optional market visit.

Key things to know before you go

• Choose your own menu (3 dishes): you focus on what you actually want to cook.
• Small group limit of 7: more time with the instructor and less standing around.
• No MSG + fresh ingredients: cleaner flavors and fewer mystery shortcuts.
• Vegan and vegetarian options: tell My your diet needs and she adjusts.
• A home setting near the center: you get local conversation along with the cooking.

Finding MY Kitchen near Hoi An’s city center

You’ll meet at My Kitchen at My home: A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street, Cam Ha Commune, Hoi An. This is about 3 kilometers from the city center, which is close enough that you can often make your own way on foot if you enjoy a casual walk between sights.

The upside of a home base is simple: everything feels normal. You’re not herded through a studio, and the kitchen environment matches what you’re learning. That matters when you’re trying to understand techniques, not just collect a few recipes.

If you’re staying far out or want a low-effort day, factor in transport because there’s no pick-up service. Once you’re there, though, the rest is relaxed and focused on cooking.

A 3-hour cooking class built for hands-on learning

This is a 3-hour class with a small group limited to 7 participants. The instructor is English-speaking, and the teaching style is practical: My guides you through the steps while you actively cook your chosen dishes from scratch.

You’ll get a meal included, and you also get drinking water. That turns the experience into more than a class where you taste a tiny bite—here, you end up eating what you made at the end.

One more detail that I think is worth highlighting: this isn’t a day of side trips or extra activities by default. It’s focused on the kitchen. You can also request a market visit, but it’s optional and comes with an extra fee, so think of that as an add-on rather than part of the core experience.

The menu you can tailor: pick 3 dishes and learn the techniques

Before you start cooking, you can let My know what you want to learn. The menu is flexible, but the class is designed around cooking three dishes from scratch. That’s a big advantage for getting value because you’re not scattering your attention across too many items.

Here are the dishes on the menu you can choose from:

• Bún thịt nướng (grilled pork or chicken, noodles, fresh veggies)
• Bánh xèo (sizzling pancake with pork, prawn, or chicken)
• Gỏi cuốn (fresh summer rolls)
• Chả giò (fried spring rolls)
• Phở gà (chicken noodle soup)
• Mì xào bò (stir-fried noodles with beef)
• Bánh cuốn (rice crepe rolls with pork and mushroom)
• Gỏi (salad with mango/papaya/pomelo and pork or prawn)
• Gỏi gà xé phay (shredded chicken cabbage salad)
• Cơm tấm (grilled pork and broken rice)
• Cá kho (braised fish)
• Thịt kho trứng (caramelized pork and eggs)
• Gà xào sả ớt (chicken with lemon grass and chili)

How to choose your 3 dishes

I’d choose with two goals in mind: learn different cooking techniques, and cover flavors across Vietnam’s everyday menu. For example:

• If you want street-food energy: Bánh xèo + Gỏi cuốn + Chả giò.
• If you want a comfort-food meal: Phở gà + Thịt kho trứng + Cơm tấm.
• If you want quick, bright, and tangy: Gỏi (mango/papaya/pomelo) + Gỏi gà xé phay + Gà xào sả ớt.

If you have food allergies or strict dietary needs, tell My up front. The class is set up to accommodate vegan and vegetarian options, but you’ll get the best results when you communicate clearly before you arrive.

Inside the dishes: what you’ll actually learn to cook

What makes this class fun is that the food spans a lot of Vietnamese cooking styles. You’re not just making one kind of dish—you’re learning how different textures and flavor-building methods come together.

Bún thịt nướng: grilled flavor meets fresh crunch

This dish mixes grilled pork or chicken with noodles and a heap of fresh vegetables. The lesson tends to be about balance: the grill gives smoky depth while the fresh veggies keep everything light and snappy. You’ll learn how to pair the cooked elements with the raw ones so the dish doesn’t become heavy.

Bánh xèo: the sizzling pancake challenge

Bánh xèo is one of those dishes where timing matters. A crispy, savory pancake meets a filling that can be pork, prawn, or chicken. This is a great choice if you want to learn how Vietnamese cooks get that thin, delicate texture and still keep it flavorful.

Gỏi cuốn and Gỏi: fresh rolls and fruit-and-herb salads

Gỏi cuốn (fresh summer rolls) is all about assembly and texture. You’ll be working with fresh components, so the skill is in wrapping and getting the right amount of filling.

Gỏi uses fruit like mango, papaya, or pomelo with savory elements like pork or prawn. It’s a lesson in sour-salty balance, and it’s one reason Vietnamese food feels so bright even when ingredients are simple.

Chả giò: fried crunch without the mystery

If you pick chả giò, you’ll get a clear lesson on how spring rolls should look and feel before frying—and what you’re aiming for once they’re cooked. Fried food can intimidate people, but in a home class with a small group, you can take corrections in real time.

Phở gà and Mì xào bò: noodles, but different moods

Phở gà is comforting chicken noodle soup, where you learn how the flavors work together so the bowl tastes complete. Mì xào bò is stir-fried noodles with beef—faster, more direct heat, and focused on how sauce coats noodles without turning them dull.

Both are worth picking if you’re trying to understand how Vietnamese cooking uses either gentle simmering flavors or quick wok-style methods.

Bánh cuốn: soft rice crepe rolls

Bánh cuốn is a rice crepe roll filled with pork and mushroom. It teaches a different kind of patience and texture control. It’s also one of those dishes that helps you see that Vietnamese cooking isn’t just grilled and fried.

Cơm tấm: broken rice with grilled pork

Cơm tấm is grilled pork served with broken rice. It’s the kind of meal that feels everyday and satisfying. This is a good choice if you want something you can recreate without chasing complicated ingredients.

Cá kho and Thịt kho trứng: braised and caramelized depth

Cá kho (braised fish) and Thịt kho trứng (caramelized pork and eggs) both rely on time and flavor-building. The lesson here is how sauces turn glossy and deep, and how braising changes the character of the main ingredient.

If you like savory-sweet profiles, these two are where you’ll feel the payoff.

Gà xào sả ớt: lemon grass and chili heat

Gà xào sả ớt is chicken with lemon grass and chili. It’s fragrant and bold, and it teaches how aromatic herbs can carry a dish without turning it into a complicated recipe.

Fresh ingredients and the no-MSG difference

My Kitchen emphasizes no MSG and high quality ingredients. That matters because MSG is often used to create a punchy taste quickly; without it, your flavors should come from fresh aromatics, balanced seasoning, and good-quality produce and proteins.

In practice, that means your food can taste cleaner and more like itself—especially in dishes with herbs, fruit, and fresh veggies. It also helps the meal feel lighter even when you make richer items like fried rolls or caramelized pork.

You’ll also have drinking water included, which helps keep the session comfortable. This class is built for a full meal, not just a snack.

Eating together at My home kitchen

After you cook, you share the homemade meal. I like the social piece here because it’s not forced. My’s approach is friendly and relaxed, and the vibe stays focused on food and conversation.

In the reviews, people call out that My is fun to talk to and that the home setting keeps things warm. If you’re the type who enjoys asking questions while you eat, this is a good fit. And because the class is small, you’ll actually have a chance to talk instead of waiting your turn in a big group.

One practical note: alcohol and drugs are not allowed. If you were planning to pair the class with drinks, you’ll need to keep it to water and soft drinks.

Price and value: is $35 worth it?

At $35 per person, you’re paying for three big things: a small-group instructor, hands-on cooking guidance, and ingredients for a full meal. Many cooking classes cost more once you factor in what you get to eat and whether they include real ingredient work.

Here, ingredients are included, the meal is included, and the group is capped at 7. You also get English instruction, which is a plus if you don’t read Vietnamese.

Where you might add cost is if you want an optional market visit. But even without that, you’ll leave with three dishes you helped make and a better sense of how the flavors come together.

If you care about value, the key is choosing dishes that cover different techniques. That’s how you maximize learning per hour and feel like you got your money’s worth.

Who this class suits best (and who might prefer something else)

This experience is ideal if you want:

• a small-group cooking class close to the city center
• an English-speaking instructor (Ms. My Nguyen)
• to cook from scratch and then eat a full homemade meal
• menu flexibility with vegan and vegetarian options when you request them

It may not be ideal if you strongly prefer:

• a pickup service (there isn’t one)
• a market tour as a fixed part of the plan (you’d need to request it and pay extra)
• very large groups or a fast-rotation schedule (this is limited to 7)

One more detail: it’s not suitable for people over 95 years. If that matters for your group, you should double-check fit before booking.

Should you book My Kitchen in Hoi An?

Book this class if you want a home-style Vietnamese cooking session where you choose your dishes, cook them hands-on, and eat a meal that feels like someone’s real day in their kitchen. The no-MSG emphasis, the focus on fresh ingredients, and the small group size make it feel like good value, not a rushed tourist activity.

Skip or consider another option if you don’t want to handle your own transport to Trang Keo 8 Street, or if you need alcohol-friendly dining as part of the experience.

If you’re excited to learn techniques for Vietnamese everyday favorites—from noodles and salads to fried and braised dishes—this is the kind of cooking class you’ll remember for the food and the conversation.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point?

You’ll meet at My Kitchen at the owner’s home: A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street, Cam Ha Commune, Hoi An, Vietnam.

How long is the cooking class?

The class duration is 3 hours.

How many people are in the group?

The group is limited to 7 participants.

Is there an English-speaking instructor?

Yes. The instructor speaks English.

What dishes do I cook?

You cook 3 dishes from scratch. You can let My know what you’d like to cook, based on the available menu.

Are there vegan or vegetarian options?

Yes. Vegan and vegetarian options are available if you inform My about your dietary needs.

Is a market visit included?

A market visit is not included by default. You can request one for an extra fee.

Do you include transportation or pick-up service?

No. Pick-up service is not included.

Are alcohol or drugs allowed?

No. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed during the activity.