Ho Chi Minh City: Farm Cooking Class with Local Chef Tan

Summary

Farm to table cooking class near Ho Chi Minh with chef Tan

You’ll step away from city noise into Vietnam’s first organic farm near Ho Chi Minh City, pick your own herbs and mushrooms with chef Tan, then cook four real Vietnamese dishes together. With unlimited jasmine tea and stories from a truly local guide, it’s a day you’ll remember long after you’ve left the kitchen.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell — not the city’s usual mix of motorbikes and street food, but this green, earthy scent as we stepped onto the organic farm in Cu Chi. It’s about an hour from Ho Chi Minh City, but honestly, it felt like another world. Chef Tan met us at the gate, grinning and waving with muddy hands. He’s done everything, apparently — doctor, accountant, chef (he told us he once weighed 1000 kilos of mushrooms in a day; I still don’t know if he was joking). The sun was already pretty high and there were dragonflies everywhere.

We wandered through rows of vegetables and herbs while Tan explained which leaves were good for headaches or stomach aches. He handed me a sprig of something that smelled sharp and sweet at the same time — said it’s used in both soup and medicine. We picked mushrooms straight from their logs (they’re surprisingly soft), then filled our baskets with whatever looked good. There was this moment where I tried to pronounce “rau ram” correctly; Tan laughed so hard he almost dropped his hat.

The actual cooking part was all hands-on — no fancy equipment, just us chopping and stirring under a tin roof while jasmine tea steamed up our glasses. We made four dishes (I still think about that fish sauce dipping thing), and Tan kept reminding us that nothing’s impossible if you care enough about what you’re making. Lunch tasted different when you’ve pulled half the ingredients out of the ground yourself. On the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, I realized my fingers still smelled like lemongrass. Not sure why that stuck with me.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Organic Farm Visit and Cooking Class

• Travel to organic farm in Cu Chi town
• Explore farm and learn about growing vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and spices
• Learn medicinal and cooking uses of plants
• Hands-on vegetable, mushroom, herb, and spice collection
• Hands-on Vietnamese cooking class using yin-yang techniques
• Make your own dishes and receive certificate and recipes

Top questions

How far is the farm cooking class from Ho Chi Minh City?

The organic farm is about one hour from your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City by air-conditioned vehicle.

Who leads the Vietnamese cooking class?

The class is led by local chef Tan, who has experience as a doctor, accountant, farmer, and chef.

What do you cook during the class?

You’ll cook four Vietnamese dishes using fresh ingredients picked on the farm.

Is hotel pickup included for this day trip?

Yes, pickup from your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City is included.

Do I get recipes after the class?

Yes, you receive recipes and a certificate after finishing the cooking class.

Is lunch included on this tour?

Yes, you eat what you cook for lunch during the experience.

Are drinks provided during the cooking class?

You get unlimited jasmine tea during the class and 500ml mineral water for your return journey.

Can dietary requests be accommodated?

Yes, Chef Tan is happy to accommodate special requests if mentioned in advance.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi’s organic farm with Chef Tan as your guide. You’ll enjoy unlimited jasmine tea while cooking four Vietnamese dishes using freshly picked ingredients from the farm itself. Lunch is what you prepare together before heading back with recipes and a certificate — plus bottled water for the ride home.