Five vegan dishes start at the market. This Hanoi class with Chef Tien pairs a local market walk with hands-on teaching, and the pickup option helps you start cooking without the usual hassle.

I also like the small-group setup. With a maximum of 4 people, you get more attention while you make five Vietnamese vegan dishes step by step.

One thing to think about: this isn’t positioned as strictly vegan-only in every moment of the market stop, so if you avoid any meat or fish being purchased, you’ll want to reconsider.

Key Points That Make This Class Practical

• Market first, cook next: you shop Vietnamese daily-life ingredients before you turn on the heat.
• Five vegan dishes: you’ll assemble a full meal worth of food, not just taste sauces.
• Vegan seasonings and marinades: the instruction focuses on flavor building you can repeat at home.
• Unlimited drinks: soft drinks, coffee, tea, a herbal welcome drink, plus water.
• Small group of up to 4 with support from the instructors, including Chef Tien and a teacher named Chris.

Market Morning: Picking Ingredients Like a Hanoi Home Cook

The tour starts with a local market visit, and that choice matters. Vietnamese cooking leans hard on fresh aromatics—things like herbs, greens, and produce you can only judge by smell and texture. Seeing what’s available in Hanoi that day helps you understand why Vietnamese flavors taste the way they do.

I like that you’re not just passing through. You’re there to explore Vietnamese daily life and select your ingredients for the meal. That means the market portion isn’t a “look, don’t touch” stop. You should come with a mindset of learning: notice the bundles of herbs, the color of vegetables, and how vendors talk about what’s fresh.

One practical note: market areas are busy and you’ll probably walk a bit before you head to the kitchen. Wear comfortable shoes and expect you might get a little warm—this is Hanoi, and markets don’t run on A/C.

Chef Tien’s Kitchen: 5 Vegan Dishes With Real Step-By-Step Help

After the market, the class moves to Chef Tien’s kitchen setting for a hands-on cooking lesson. The big promise here is clear: you’ll make five Vietnamese vegan dishes, guided by cooking instructors with step-by-step instruction.

What that means for you is less guesswork. Instead of trying to follow a written recipe later, you learn the flow of Vietnamese vegan cooking: prep first, sauces and seasoning next, then timing and texture. With five dishes, you also get breadth—you’re not stuck making just one thing over and over.

The instruction is also set up for small groups. With a maximum of 4 people, it’s easier to ask questions, get corrections, and keep your station moving. That’s a huge quality-of-life factor for cooking classes, because nothing kills a class faster than waiting for the teacher to notice you.

One detail I especially appreciate: the teaching isn’t limited to cooking steps. You’re also learning about Vietnamese vegan seasonings and marinades—the flavor work that makes vegan food feel Vietnamese, not just “vegetables with sauce.”

And yes, one instructor named Chris is mentioned as a standout teacher and cook. That’s the kind of reassurance you want: a class where the person teaching can explain and also help you taste your way toward the right balance.

The Flavor Lesson: Vegan Marinades and Seasonings You Can Reuse

If you’ve ever cooked vegan Vietnamese food at home and found it tasted “almost,” this is where this class can help. The market gives you fresh ingredients; the kitchen part teaches you how to turn those ingredients into a meal that tastes like it belongs in Vietnam.

The focus on vegan seasonings and marinades is key. Vietnamese cooking often builds flavor in layers—aroma first, then salty and sour elements, then sweetness, then the final balance. In a vegan version, that structure still matters, but the ingredients change. Learning the logic of the seasoning helps you improvise later when you can’t find a specific ingredient.

Even if you don’t remember every measurement, you’ll likely remember the method:

• what you should taste for as you season
• when a marinade should be adjusted
• how the final flavor should feel when it’s ready to serve

That practical approach is what turns a one-off cooking class into something useful for future meals.

What You’ll Eat: Cooking Becomes the Meal

This isn’t just “cook a dish, then leave.” When you finish the cooking, you eat what you make with the rest of the group. That matters because it locks in what you just learned. You can compare your dish to what the others are making and notice differences in flavor and texture.

Then there’s the unlimited drink part, which I think people underestimate. You get soft drinks, coffee, tea, a herbal welcome drink, and water. After chopping, frying, and tasting, having drinks available makes the whole experience more relaxed. It also keeps you from having to budget your time around finding a café afterward.

If you’re the type who likes to keep meals simple but flavorful, this class fits that style. You leave with multiple dishes already understood—not just one recipe you’ll maybe cook again someday.

Transfers and Timing: Making It Easy to Fit Hanoi In

You’re in Hanoi, and that usually means traffic and timing can become annoying fast. This experience tries to solve that with logistics that take the edge off.

You get pickup offered, and return transfers are included from select hotels. That can save you time and money compared with figuring out your own route—especially if you’re staying a bit off the center. The experience also offers a choice of time slots, which helps you align it with your day, whether you’re doing sightseeing in the morning or saving cooking for later.

It’s also a small-group class (max 4), which tends to make schedules feel less rigid than larger group tours. You likely won’t spend your whole time waiting in a line or getting rushed from station to station.

Vegan-Focused, But Not Always Vegan-Only: A Key Consideration

Here’s the balanced part you need before you book: while the dishes are Vietnamese vegan, the market stop may involve buying meat and fish. One person specifically flagged that their market visit included stopping to buy meat and fish for the non-vegan portion of the class, which may not work for strict vegans.

So ask yourself what “vegan” means for you:

• Are you okay with seeing meat/fish being purchased as long as you cook and eat vegan?
• Or do you need the entire activity—including purchasing—to be vegan-only?

If your ethics are strict about any meat or fish being handled or purchased, this is worth clarifying before you go. The cooking itself is vegan-focused, but the market context may not be controlled like a closed vegan supermarket.

Price and Value: Is $110 Worth 3.5 Hours?

At $110 for about 3 hours 30 minutes, this isn’t the cheapest thing you’ll do in Hanoi. But it can be good value because you’re getting several components bundled together:

• a market tour where you pick fresh ingredients
• a cooking class with instruction and equipment
• cooking five dishes (not just one)
• unlimited drinks during/after the meal
• pickup and possible return transfers from select hotels
• a maximum of 4 people, which boosts the attention you get

In other words, you’re paying for teaching and convenience, not just food. If you enjoy cooking, or you want to take home skills (especially seasoning and marinades), that’s where the cost starts to make sense.

If you mainly want a quick snack or a casual food show, then you might feel it’s pricey. But if you want hands-on food knowledge, this class format is built for that.

Who Should Book This (And Who Might Skip)

This class is a great match if you:

• want to learn Vietnamese vegan flavor building, not just assemble dishes
• like the idea of a market tour before cooking
• prefer small groups so you can ask questions and get help
• want a full, satisfying meal you cooked yourself

It may be a weak fit if you:

• require strict vegan-only purchasing at the market
• dislike cooking classes and would rather eat out instead
• need long downtime built into a schedule (this is active, hands-on time)

Should You Book? My Straight Answer

I’d book it if you want a small-group Vietnamese vegan cooking experience that also teaches seasoning logic and gives you a proper meal at the end. The combination of market-first shopping, five dishes, and unlimited drinks is a practical win.

I’d slow down and ask questions first if vegan means zero meat/fish purchasing for you. The cooking is vegan, but the market stop may not be fully controlled.

If you’re flexible and focused on learning, Chef Tien’s class is the kind of hands-on activity that makes Hanoi feel personal instead of touristic.

FAQ

How long is the Hanoi Cooking Class and Market Tour with Chef Tien?

It lasts about 3 hours 30 minutes.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $110.

Is pickup included?

Pickup is offered.

Do I get return transfers?

Return transfers from select hotels are included.

Is there a market tour before cooking?

Yes. The experience begins with a local market visit to explore and pick ingredients.

How many Vietnamese vegan dishes will I make?

You’ll make five Vietnamese vegan dishes.

What drinks are included?

You get unlimited soft drinks, coffee, tea, a herbal welcome drink, and water.

How many people are in the group?

The tour has a maximum of 4 travelers.

Is the class 100% vegan, including the market stop?

The cooking is Vietnamese vegan, but the market stop may involve purchasing meat and fish for others, so it may not be vegan-only in every step.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts in Hanoi, Vietnam, and ends back at the meeting point.

What is the cancellation policy for a full refund?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. If you cancel less than 24 hours before, the amount paid isn’t refunded.