MY Kitchen – Vietnamese Home Cooking Class in Hoi An

The best part of MY Kitchen is the freedom to choose what you cook. Ms. My Nguyen sends you a long menu of Vietnamese dishes, then helps you select three that match your appetite, skill level, or curiosity. You cook in her home, not in a large demonstration kitchen, and finish by eating the meal together.

I like the small group of no more than seven and the focus on fresh, high quality ingredients without MSG. I also like that you can request vegan, vegetarian, allergy-friendly, or specific dishes in advance. The main consideration is location: the house is about 3 kilometers from central Hoi An, and pickup is not included.

Key points at a glance

• Choose three dishes yourself: Pick from noodles, spring rolls, rice dishes, salads, soups, seafood, meat, and more.
• A real home setting: Cook at Ms. My’s house on Trang Keo 8 Street in Cam Ha Commune.
• Small and personal: The group is limited to seven participants, with English instruction.
• Fresh cooking without MSG: Ingredients, drinking water, and the final meal are included.
• Flexible for special diets: Vegan and vegetarian choices are available, and you can discuss allergies or dietary needs.
• Three hours for $35: A solid value if you want hands-on cooking rather than a quick food demonstration.

Choosing your three dishes in Hoi An

Your class begins at MY Kitchen, Ms. My Nguyen’s home at A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street, Cam Ha Commune. The house is about 3 kilometers from Hoi An’s city center, so you are close enough to reach the class from town, but you are not cooking in the middle of the old quarter.

The menu is unusually broad for a three-hour class. You choose only three dishes, so the important decision is what kind of meal you want to learn. If you want a classic introduction to Vietnamese food, you could combine bánh xèo, gỏi cuốn, and bún thịt nướng. That gives you a sizzling pancake, fresh rolls, and noodles with grilled meat and vegetables.

You can also choose a more substantial set. Phở gà offers chicken noodle soup, while cơm tấm pairs grilled pork with broken rice. Cá kho is braised fish, and thịt kho trứng features caramelized pork and eggs. These choices show a different side of Vietnamese home cooking than the lighter rolls and salads.

The menu also includes mì xào bò, stir-fried noodles with beef; bánh cuốn, rice crepe rolls with pork and mushroom; several salads; and gà xào sả ớt, chicken with lemongrass and chili. You are not locked into a fixed menu, which makes this class useful for repeat visitors to Vietnam or anyone who already knows which dishes they want to master.

Send your requests, allergies, or dietary needs ahead of time. The food can be adjusted for vegan and vegetarian diets, but you should discuss this before arriving so Ms. My can prepare the right ingredients.

Cooking in Ms. My’s home kitchen

The setting is central to the experience. You are invited into a cozy private home rather than placed at a cooking station built for a large tour group. That changes the tone: the class is designed around cooking and conversation, with Ms. My and her boyfriend joining you for a homemade meal afterward.

The class is taught in English. The group limit of seven means you should have a fair chance to take part, ask questions, and follow each dish. It is not a private class by default, but the small size gives it a more personal feel than a crowded cooking demonstration.

You will cook three dishes from scratch. That matters because Vietnamese food often depends on preparation: washing and cutting fresh vegetables, handling herbs, assembling rolls, mixing fillings, and balancing savory, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. The exact work depends on your chosen menu, so a class built around bánh xèo will feel different from one focused on phở gà or cá kho.

This is a hands-on session, not a show where you watch the instructor do everything. One especially useful feature is that you choose dishes that interest you. You can spend your limited class time learning something you are likely to cook again, rather than following a preset menu that may not suit you.

What the three-hour schedule feels like

There is no single published menu or fixed sequence, so the class has some flexibility. You should expect the three hours to center on selecting and preparing three dishes, cooking them with Ms. My’s guidance, and eating the finished food at the house.

The opening part is likely to focus on getting organized and discussing the dishes. This is when it helps to state clearly what you want to learn and what you cannot eat. If you have a favorite Vietnamese dish from your time in Hoi An, ask about it before the class rather than waiting until cooking has started.

The main portion is practical work. You might be shaping fresh summer rolls, preparing the filling for fried spring rolls, making a rice crepe, or assembling noodles with meat and vegetables. You could instead spend the time on a soup, stir-fry, braised dish, or salad. Since you select three dishes, you control much of the class’s rhythm and content.

At the end, you eat the meal you helped prepare. The meal is included, along with drinking water. This shared table is more than a final snack. It gives you a chance to taste the balance of the dishes together and continue chatting with Ms. My about Vietnamese food and daily life in Hoi An.

Allow the full three hours. The duration gives you enough time for real participation, but it also means this is not the right choice if you want a quick one-hour food activity between sightseeing stops.

The menu: from bánh xèo to phở gà

The menu covers several major styles of Vietnamese cooking. Here is how I would think about the choices:

• Bún thịt nướng: Grilled pork or chicken with noodles and fresh vegetables. This is a good choice if you want one bowl that combines grilled flavor, cool vegetables, noodles, and herbs.
• Bánh xèo: A sizzling pancake with pork, prawns, or chicken. Choose it if you want a dish with a lively cooking process and a crisp result.
• Gỏi cuốn: Fresh summer rolls with pork, prawns, or chicken. These are lighter than fried rolls and useful for learning how to assemble fresh ingredients neatly.
• Chả giò: Fried spring rolls with pork or chicken. This gives you a crisp snack or starter and a different technique from fresh rolls.
• Phở gà: Chicken noodle soup. It is a familiar Vietnamese classic, but the class lets you learn it in a home setting.
• Mì xào bò: Stir-fried noodles with beef. This is a practical choice if you want a straightforward meal that can work well at home.
• Bánh cuốn: Rice crepe rolls with pork and mushroom. Choose this if you want to try a more specialized rice-based dish.
• Gỏi: Salad made with mango, papaya, or pomelo, plus pork or prawns. This is a good route for fresh, bright flavors.
• Gỏi gà xé phay: Shredded chicken and cabbage salad. It offers a lighter option with chicken and crisp vegetables.
• Cơm tấm: Grilled pork with broken rice. This is a satisfying main course and a strong choice if you want a rice-based meal.
• Cá kho: Braised fish. Choose it for a slower, savory dish rather than a fresh roll or noodle bowl.
• Thịt kho trứng: Caramelized pork and eggs. This is hearty Vietnamese home cooking and a useful contrast to lighter dishes.
• Gà xào sả ớt: Chicken stir-fried with lemongrass and chili. It suits you if you want a fragrant, spicy dish.

You do not need to choose three dishes from the same category. A balanced set might include one noodle or rice dish, one fresh item, and one cooked dish. If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan meal, ask Ms. My which selections can be prepared to fit your needs.

Fresh ingredients and no MSG

The class emphasizes fresh, high quality ingredients and does not use MSG. That is useful if you want to pay attention to the building blocks of Vietnamese food rather than simply copy a finished recipe.

Fresh vegetables appear in many of the choices, including bún thịt nướng, gỏi cuốn, gỏi, and the chicken and cabbage salad. Herbs and produce also help explain why Vietnamese dishes can feel light even when they include pork, prawns, chicken, or beef.

The no-MSG approach may matter to you if you avoid it or want to learn a style of home cooking that keeps the seasoning more direct. Still, Vietnamese food is not bland. Depending on your menu, you may work with chili, lemongrass, caramelized flavors, grilled meat, fish, noodles, and fresh produce.

The class includes all ingredients, so you do not need to shop before arriving. A market visit is available only if requested and costs extra. That is an important distinction: MY Kitchen is primarily a cooking class, not a combined market tour and cooking tour.

Value at $35 per person

At $35 per person, the value comes from the amount of participation and the meal at the end. You get three hours, three dishes, ingredients, drinking water, English instruction, and a small-group setting. For someone who wants to learn rather than simply eat, that is a fair package.

The flexible menu adds value. You are not paying to cook three dishes chosen by someone else. You can focus on bánh xèo, spring rolls, phở gà, or a dish you have never tried. If you have a restricted diet, the ability to discuss vegan or vegetarian options also makes the price easier to justify.

The class may be less useful if your main goal is a market visit, a large social event, or a full meal without much work. A market trip is not included, and alcohol is not included. You are paying for a cooking-focused home experience, not a long list of add-ons.

Getting to Trang Keo 8 Street

The meeting point is Ms. My’s home at A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street in Cam Ha Commune. It is about 3 kilometers from Hoi An’s city center and is described as easy to find. You can walk from the center, though the distance may feel less appealing during hot weather or if you are carrying bags.

Pickup is not included. Plan your route before the starting time, especially if you have arranged a morning or afternoon class around other activities. The activity ends back at the same home, so you will not need to arrange a second meeting point afterward.

The location is part of the tradeoff. You give up some convenience compared with a class inside the old quarter, but you gain a home setting away from the busiest tourist streets. If you want the shortest possible transfer, confirm the meeting details and starting time when you book.

The experience is wheelchair accessible. You should still share any access needs in advance so the host can be ready for you.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would recommend MY Kitchen to you if you want to learn several Vietnamese dishes in one sitting and prefer a small, friendly setting. It works especially well for couples, siblings, friends, and solo cooks who enjoy conversation while preparing food.

It is also a strong choice for anyone who wants control over the menu. The ability to choose three dishes makes the class more useful than a fixed program if you have already tried common Vietnamese food or want to learn a particular recipe.

The class suits vegetarians and vegans better than many food experiences because those options are available. You still need to communicate your needs before arriving, especially if you have allergies.

You may want another activity if you dislike cooking, want a market excursion included, or prefer a large group with more of a party feel. This is a focused three-hour class. The central activity is preparing food, not moving between several attractions.

The experience is not suitable for people over 95 years old. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and alcoholic drinks are not part of the package.

A friendly teacher and a personal meal

Ms. My’s role is more than simply showing recipes. She welcomes you into her home, explains the dishes, and joins the conversation over the meal. The atmosphere is intended to be relaxed and social, with cooking at the center.

The strongest praise for this experience centers on Ms. My’s passion, clear teaching, and easy company. That matters in a cooking class because the teacher controls how much you actually learn. A patient instructor can explain why a step matters instead of rushing you through it.

Her boyfriend may also join the meal and conversation. This adds to the home-cooking feel, though you should choose the class because you want a personal kitchen experience, not because you expect a formal restaurant service.

The experience has a 5.0 rating from six reviews, with particular praise for the private kitchen, fresh ingredients, dish selection, and hands-on format. That is a small sample, so I would treat it as a positive sign rather than a guarantee that every class will feel identical.

Booking, cancellation, and timing

The class lasts three hours, with starting times shown according to availability. You can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Hoi An schedule is still changing.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. That gives you some protection, but you should still check the selected date and starting time carefully before booking.

Because the group is limited to seven, early booking may be sensible if you want a particular day or need special dietary preparation. The menu is flexible, but the host needs to know your requests before the cooking begins.

Should you book MY Kitchen?

Book this class if you want hands-on Vietnamese cooking in a home, a choice of three dishes, and a meal shared with the person teaching you. The $35 price is good value for three hours of cooking, ingredients, water, and a small group.

Choose it with realistic expectations. You must get yourself to the house, the market visit costs extra, and the experience is about cooking rather than sightseeing. If that sounds like the right balance, MY Kitchen offers a practical way to leave Hoi An with more than a full stomach: you leave with dishes you chose, prepared, and tasted yourself.

FAQ

Where is MY Kitchen located?

MY Kitchen is at A9-11 Trang Keo 8 Street, Cam Ha Commune, Hoi An, Vietnam. The home is about 3 kilometers from Hoi An’s city center.

How long does the cooking class last?

The class lasts three hours. Starting times depend on availability.

How many dishes will I cook?

You will cook three Vietnamese dishes from scratch. The menu is flexible, so you can request dishes and select your preferred combination.

Who teaches the class?

The class is taught in English by Ms. My Nguyen, the owner and cooking teacher.

Are vegetarian and vegan options available?

Yes. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. You should tell Ms. My about dietary needs or allergies in advance.

Is transportation included?

No. Pickup service is not included. The class begins and ends at MY Kitchen.

Is a market visit included?

No. A market visit can be arranged if requested, but it costs an extra fee.

What is included in the $35 price?

The price includes all ingredients, the cooking class, a meal, drinking water, and the small-group experience. Alcoholic drinks are not included.