Vietnam Cooking Class: Master Techniques at Ben Thanh Market

Cook a three-course Vietnamese meal, then sit down and eat what you made.

An advanced cooking class in Vietnam held at Mai Home near Ben Thanh Market, where you start with a market visit (morning sessions only) to source ingredients with the chef, then return to the kitchen to master techniques across appetizers, mains and desserts before dining on the dishes you've prepared. Sessions run three hours in the morning, afternoon or evening; the morning and afternoon options include the market visit, while evening does not. You'll receive a recipe book, certificate and souvenir gift at the end.

The Experience

The class starts at Ben Thanh Market's West Gate on Phan Chu Trinh Street if you're joining a morning or afternoon session. You and the chef walk the market together to see how Vietnamese cooks source their ingredients and understand what's seasonal and fresh—this is the part that doesn't happen in the evening session. Back at Mai Home, you get a welcome drink and hear the story of the Kitchen God before you move into the kitchen itself.

You'll work through each step of three courses: a starter like lotus stem salad or spring rolls, a main of grilled pork rib or chicken curry with rice, and a dessert such as steamed rolled cake or Vietnamese pancakes. The chef covers all the basic cooking methods so you can replicate them at home. The menu changes daily and you can choose which dishes to prepare depending on what appeals to you. Everything is included—ingredients, tools, instruction—so you're not stopping to shop or measure twice.

At the end of the session, you sit down in a shared dining space with the other people who cooked alongside you and eat what you've made. You leave with a printed recipe book so you can recreate the dishes, a certificate marking the class, and a souvenir gift from Mai Home. Sessions are offered at 8:30am to noon, 2pm to 5:30pm, or 5pm to 7:30pm, each running three hours. English and French-speaking guides lead the classes, and children from age nine are welcome.

What’s included

• Market visit (morning and afternoon sessions only).
• cooking ingredients for all dishes.
• instruction in basic cooking methods.
• lunch or dinner depending on which session you choose.
• printed recipe book.
• certificate of completion.
• souvenir gift from Mai Home.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by "Mai" Home - The Saigon Culinary Art Centre

Is this one for you?Most cooking classes in Vietnam are tourist-focused and end with a meal prepared by someone else; this one puts you in control of every step and puts the food you cooked in front of you at the table, so you leave knowing exactly how to make it again.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the morning, afternoon and evening cooking sessions?

The morning session (8:30am–noon) and afternoon session (2pm–5:30pm) both include a market visit with the chef at Ben Thanh Market to select ingredients; the evening session (5pm–7:30pm) skips the market and goes straight into cooking at Mai Home. All three sessions cover the same cooking techniques and end with you eating the meal you've prepared.

Do I need cooking experience to join this advanced class?

The class is designed for people who already cook well and want to improve their recipes or develop their skills further, possibly toward a professional level. The chef covers all basic cooking methods, so you'll build on what you already know rather than start from scratch.

What menu items will I cook?

The menu changes daily and includes options like lotus stem salad, spring rolls, grilled pork rib, chicken curry, steamed rolled cake and Vietnamese pancakes. You choose which dishes to prepare from the day's offerings, so you're not locked into one set menu.

What do I take home after the class?

You receive a printed recipe book with the dishes you've cooked, a certificate of completion and a souvenir gift from Mai Home, so you can recreate the recipes at home and have a record of what you learned.

Can children join the cooking class?

Children are welcome from age nine and up. They work through the same cooking steps as adults and eat the meal at the end alongside everyone else.