Chef Duyen Home Cooking Classes & Tours

Duyen's market tour and cooking class were engaging and incredibly informative. My wife and I learned a lot about choosing the ingredients and the hands-on approach in her kitchen classroom drove the experience home. Duyen is skilled, funny and, best of all, patient with her students as she showed us the tricks of making great Vietnamese food. Highly recommended.

Duyen Than is a very interesting woman. She took us on a wholesale market tour, and we bought vegetables and herbs for the meal. We went back to her home and met her family where we cooked several dishes. We opted for vegetarian menu which was delicious. She went out of her way to explain about the food, Vietnam and culture. We would thoroughly recommend her cooking class. I can't wait to try the recipes at home, from the little recipe booklet she gave us.

To say that Chef Duyen was a wonderful educator of Vietnamese cuisine would be an understatement. She not only instructed our group of four on the recipes we were producing, but she also provided the cultural context while cooking and on our local market tour. She seemed to know everyone at the market too! It was fun, informative, and delicious! You are missing out on the best experience in Hanoi if you do not book this tour.

Chef Duyen is a wonderful chef who generously shared not only her food and recipes but also her home and her amazing story. A truly memorable experience.

We had a wonderful time with Chef Duyen in the afternoon cooking class! She took us first to the market street to seek ingredients and explained a lot about spices plants and types of meat. Then we went back to her home for the cooking class and we had a fun time creating many different recipes. We ended up eating all together with her family and had such a great time that we chatted for a long time after dinner time. Thank you so much Duyen for such a good experience! - Jen & Matt

Just as excellent as the cooking lesson and food were,... we were equally, ... if not even more inspired by the life story of Chef Duyen and the resilience and resolve of this remarkable lady. She, and likely many others like her will be the future of Vietnam and role models for future strong and independent women around the world. We were truly and unexpectedly touched by her amazing story. If you would like an authentic experience, we highly recommend taking her class.

The chef is professional and gives a lot of insights in the Vietnamese kitchen. You feel welcome in her home as of the beginning of the class We really liked the dishes she planned for us and would definitely recommend it to others.

The class was absolutely perfect. Chef Duyen is very knowledgeable! She is very committed to satisfy her clients! She adapted the course to our preferred food! We learned a lot on Vietnamese food! We have enjoyed a lot the course! Congratulations !

The class was absolutely perfect. Chef Duyen is very knowledgeable! She is vey committed to satisfy her clients! She adapted the course to our preferred food! We learned a lot on Vietnamese food! We have enjoyed a lot the course!

Chef Duyen is so knowledgeable, she took is round the entire market and explained the different vegetables and their variants abroad. She changed the menu for us as vegetarians and helped us with the recipes as well as suggesting other substitutes. The food was delicious and we got to both prepare and cook the dishes under Chef Duyen’s supervision. Afterwards we all ate together with her family and she gave us some other additions to our recipes, such as vegan ‘pork’ with seaweed and vegetables for the spring rolls. All in all an unmissable experience if you’re in Hanoi!

It's the best cooking class in Hanoi. It's different because it takes place in the chef's home and you share the food you prepare with her family. She is a great cook and the experience is fascinating

We started with a market tour. Duyen speeks good english and showed us a lot of interesting stuff at the market. After that we went to her home with a large an nicely equipped kitchen. We prepared a meal with a variety of dishes. She provided us with a recipe booklet and even told us how we can replace specific incredients that might be hard to come by in Germany. Finally we got to eat the delicious food with her family in a nice atmosphere. All in all we can highly recommend Duyen's cooking class.

I recently took part in a cooking class with Chef Duyen and have nothing but positive things to say. The tour of the local market was fantastic and took us off the beaten track to a place not easily accessible by tourists otherwise. Chef Duyen’s guidance resulted in us producing a feast of Vietnamese food with her invaluable assistance and knowledge along the way. Alongside the food, it was great to be able to learn more about life in Vietnam. Would thoroughly recommend!

Brilliant experience! The tour is smaller in size and more personal. The food was also amazing and you get to share the meal you prepared with her family, making the experience even more meaningful. Fantastic communication, she went out of her way to pick us up from where we were staying and patiently answered all our answers! I would recommend chef Duyen’s tours and classes, just a great experience from start to finish!

It was a superb experience and we’d highly recommend it! Duyen is such a talented chef, amazing host and inspiring lady!!! I went with 3 girlfriends and in our class was another woman. We had a very cool tour of the wholesale market, then went to Duyen’s house for a cooking class, then we got to eat the meal with her family! Besides the cooking, which is fun and extensive, Duyen was also very forthcoming to share about her life story and about Vietnamese culture. We learnt so much and had a splendid time!

It was great to go to a market where we were the only non-locals selling food grown in Hanoi with an interested and friendly guide who was not only able to translate but also tell us about how the different products are used. The cooking was fun and we have experienced how different techniques are used and we finished by eating a delicious meal that we had prepared with the family.

Chef Duyan is really really nice and took us to the market explaining everything they do and how the market works. It was such a lovely experience I would recommend to everyone!!! The food we cooked was delicious and we had such a nice time.

We took a Cooking class with Chef Duyen. First we had a wonderful tour of the local market. We learned much from her on the intricacies of “shopping” at this local market. It was amazing how much fresh vegetables and herbs Vietnamese use in their cuisine. Then, we spent nearly 6 tours at her beautiful home with a professional kitchen to learn how to make Banana leaf salad, taro desert, soft spring rolls, soup, chicken. Once Duyen learnt I’m curious about bitter melon, she bought it at the market and we prepared a really unusual dish with it together. Duyen is such a  pleasant individual and her instructions are very clear and professional. Not only we learned much about Vietnamese cuisine and qualities of specific vegetables, we also learned its culture and history. It was not just a cooking class; it was an unparalleled cultural sensory experience. You don’t want to miss it if you are in Hanoi.

Chef Duyen is the warmest, most humble and passionate Vietnamese chef. We had such a great time cooking and talking to her. Chef Duyen's traditional dishes were splendid (we went with Menu B), and we even bought good quality fish sauce from her! She was extremely helpful when we asked her (too many) questions on food ingredients and where to buy them in Hanoi. She is a pro! Her house is clean, well-equipped, spacious for our group of 6-pax, and just a few minutes' walk from the wet market. More about the chef https://chefduyen.com/about-me/

Chef Duyen's is a very good teacher. It was delicious

Chef Duyen was a lovely host and very knowledgeable chef! I would highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to see some local markets and learn delicious recipes :)

We were a group of only three people, which was wonderful. Chef Duyen explained a lot when walking through her local market and took us to her home, it felt like cooking among friends rather than like a class. The food was delicious. She is a wonderful person, I would book her again.

Chef Duyen was prepared and very friendly! All dishes we prepared were interesting and tasty. The market tour was a nice touch and helped us recognise some exotic ingredients.

I did the morning "Dishes From My Countryside" menu cookery class with Chef Duyen and I couldn't have asked for anything better. Easy hotel pick-up, a fascinating tour of the food markets, and then a full few hours of talking about, preparing and eating an incredible feast. Chef Duyen is knowledgeable and extremely friendly, and the small class size (five of us) meant we all got to fully engage throughout. If you can go without, don't bother with breakfast as you prepare a LOT of food! And the dishes were delicious (despite my less-than-stellar cooking abilities). A truly memorable and excellent value five-hour cookery experience!

Chef Duyen's class was the best! She is down to earth, funny, caring, and talented. She creates a welcoming environment in her lovely home where we cook up a huge feats. I keep thinking about our market tour in the morning: We explored busy and vibrant markets and shops that are distinctly Hanoi... The whole experience was VERY worthwhile, and I have already suggested it to my extended family traveling to Vietnam in the future!! Thank you Chef Duyen!

Super inspiring and educative. Combination with market trip gave a unique understanding of food culture in Vietnam. Small class (only 6 participants), where everybody contributed. Learned some tricks: do not cut the garlic-just smash it with the knife, fry eggs, eat banana flowers! Duyen is a very nice host and was flexible to match food for one non-meat eater.

My partner and I had a great time. Chef Duyen is such a warm, funny, lovely teacher who will guide you through all the process. During the market tour we even got to see how they make tofu! We are vegetarian and we highly recommend this option for vegans as well.

We had a wonderful time with Chef Duyen during our market tour and following cooking class. Everything was perfectly organised and the cooking class location is really nice. We learned a lot new things and also got some recommendations for “must-eats“ in Hanoi. We also had a wonderful dinner at the end with Chef Duyen and her family which we really enjoyed! Many thanks to Chef Duyen for the great afternoon :)

Much more than expected. Don’t cheat yourself, take this class. So much more than cooking and eating delicious food

This cooking class is brilliant. Miss Duyen is a very good and proffesionel chef, and a lovely person. We had such a good time. All the dishes we made were excellent ! The Bun chau was the most tastfull dish I had in Vietnam . Wow! And the trip to the market , first, so very fascinating . Only that was a great experiance, with her introducing us to all the things there, and also telling about the everyday life in Vietnam .I can truls recomend Miss Duyens cooking class, I ’ve been to a few and this is in absolute top class.

We experienced so many new ideas in the kitchen, but also had a good time at the market. Chef Duyen was really cool. The food we prepared was quite delicious and the dinner with our family and her family was lovely. The facility itself for cooking preparation was well - appointed. Preparation of the meal was fun and the time went by quickly. The chef speaks English well, but her Vietnamese accent is difficult to understand at times. So go and enjoy and learn!

Chef Duyen is a great teacher!!! She is very passionate, lovely and professional! I was very amazed!!! Before the class, she took us to local local market and explained many beautiful ingredients of Hanoi. It was fantastic!!! After the market, she took us to her home!!! The all dishes we cooked were super home style and very new to me, but some of them are not difficult to remake at home!!! After class, I went to market by myself and got many skins for Vietnamese spring rolls. Besides, now I know how to make sweet Vietnamese sauce!!! Omg! I can’t wait to remake at home!!! When I come back to Hanoi, I definitely want to cook with her again:-) Highly recommended!!!

Was a completely different experience going to a locals house and learning how to cook. Duyen's a fun and bubbly person and also an amazing cook. Couldn't recommend this enough.

Chef Duyen was amazingly friendly and skilled. The tour of the market was very interesting and she was able to answer all the questions. The food we cooked was delicious and she was very helpful with her instructions and lessons.

Chef Duyen was very informative. The meal was delicious and we shared the meal with beers and her wonderful family.

I'm a Vietnamese-American who has been eager to get in touch with my family's culture through food. And though I have a working familiarity with Vietnamese recipes, I wanted a professional and authentic touch: and Chef Duyen's Home Cooking Class provides all that and more. Chef Duyen is incredibly accommodating and attentive — when we got a little lost on the way to her class, she smoothly guided us in the right direction. The tour she gave us of the Long Bien market near her house was super informative and educational, and brought an extra level of authenticity that we wouldn't have found in a more popular market. Not only was Chef Duyen well-informed on matters of food, she also gave us a quick rundown of the social and ethnographic issues at play at the market. It gave us a real holistic understanding of our food and where it came from. Onto the cooking class: Chef Duyen provided us with everything we needed, from a chopping board, to aprons, to her special branded knives (which looked totally rad). She moved quickly but offered an easy to understand step-by-step process, and would advise us on how to chop or peel things if we asked for her help. She always kept a soothing level of calm, no matter how many pots she had cooking (literally), which was really helpful for a beginner-level chef like me. During the long cooking process, Chef Duyen would ask about us and make easy conversation while her family flitted in and out of her kitchen as well, which made the environment warm and inviting. I'm excited to incorporate her recipes into my regular cooking rotation. And though I'm familiar with these dishes, Chef Duyen's cooking class is perfect for those unfamiliar with Vietnamese cuisine as well. I highly recommend it for both newcomers and Hanoi old-timers alike.

This was a very enjoyable class where we prepared delicious food. I especially enjoyed seeing the market and tasting food that I didn’t know before.

Chef Duden is so sweet. She takes you through a local market that most tourists don’t go to and explains what everything is and what time of day different meats, fish, fruit & veggies are sold. She then takes you back to her beautiful home & teaches you how to make a number of delicious dishes. Everything was easy to learn and very tasty. And we ended with dinner with Chef Duyen & her two adorable boys. We definitely recommend this class!

Wir hatten den Nachmittagskurs gebucht und waren zufälligerweise die einzigen, die für diesen Termin gebucht hatten, so dass wir einen privaten Kochkurs bekamen mit vorherigem Marktbesuch. Die Köchin hat uns auf dem Markt sehr viele interessante Informationen gegeben und wir durften auch das ein oder andere Produkt probieren. Wir haben sehr viel gelernt und haben auch Tipps für alternative Produkte erhalten, falls wir einige Lebensmittel in Deutschland nicht finden. Auf jeden Fall empfehlenswert.

Very personal, a special gluten free vegan menu for us, and made an extra dish not on the menu too. So friendly and Duyen’s 2 sons were adorable and joined us to eat.

Chef Duyen was an incredible host. She took us through the market and talked us through the process as she purchased protein and vegetables to be used in our class. We then prepared and enjoyed the meal in her beautiful home located nearby the market. She provided such wonderful conversation and taught us about Vietnamese customs and traditions. I will be highly recommending her to anyone visiting Hanoi!

Chef Duyen is knowledgeable, personable, and makes this market tour and cooking class a must do in Hanoi! The food was delicious, the kitchen and atmosphere was relaxed and organized, and the market tour was great for those looking to buy some local products. Thank you so much, Chef!

Great experience done with a lot of love. Learned a lot and had great fun!

Duten's Home Cooking Class was exactly what we were looking for. We got to know more about vietnamese food specalties and insights about the local markets. The Kitchen was very nice and clean. We loved the food that we made together and Duyen was a really nice host with very good english skills. We would recommend this class to everyone.

My partner & I had a great time on the market Tour and cooking class with Chef Duyen! We got picked up from our homestay and she even organised our ride back using Grab - so easy! Duyen was very warm and bubbly, full of interesting stories to share about Vietnamese culture and food. We enjoyed our hands on cooking class and lunch feast with Duyen & her brother! Amazing experience from start to finish. Can't wait to cook this menu for our family and friends back home. I absolutely recommend :)

The class was amazing. Chef Duyen gave us an in-depth market experience. She is really warm and friendly and shared a lot of her own stories. She was patient and kept us on track to make delicious food from the countryside. She also shared tips and tricks for us to make these dishes at home. Wish we could have done the wholesale market tour as well!

I had an incredible experience with Chef Duyen and the rest of my cooking class! After picking me up from my hostel, we walked through the local market and she pointed out an array of unique ingredients that I’d never even heard of before. We were allowed to smell, taste, and ask questions about anything we passed by. Back at her house, she and her brother set us up with refreshing iced tea and got us familiar with the menu. It was a nice mix of informative demonstration with hands-on cooking. We ended up making bun cha, fresh spring rolls, shrimp and sweet potato fritters, Che, and green papaya salad. All was delicious, and our dinner conversation was a ton of fun. Definitely take your class from Chef Duyen - you won’t be disappointed.

Chef Duyen was warm and engaging and told us many interesting things about Vietnamese ingredients and culture. After the market-area walk through to gather some supplies, we moved to her home, where she has a well-appointed kitchen that was cool - a welcome respite in HaNoi. Her instruction was accessible, and together we made a large lunch with various salads, spring rolls and caramelized pork. I would absolutely recommend spending a morning with Chef Duyen.

From the beginning, when Chef Duyen came to pick us up, she was amazingly warm and inviting. She led us around a local market and kindly explain to my partner and I about the differences between the local markets and the more commercial markets. She even gave us the chance to try some 'wedding cake' made from mung bean. Long story short, it was delicious. Once we started cooking, Chef Duyen quickly assessed our cooking skill levels and helped us with all of the techniques, timings, and ingredients with great patience and understanding. Because of her kind instruction, we were able to make absolutely wonderful food (Banana flower salad, tofu cakes, braised pork, and a wonderful taro dessert she made). Coming to cook under Chef Duyen's supervision for the day definitely was one of our favorite things during our time in Vietnam. Highly recommended for anyone looking to maximize their experience in Hanoi.

It was a fantastic class and Chef Duyen was very welcoming, a lot of fun to talk with and was very informative not only in the cooking but also in the cultural aspects of Vietnamese food. I particularly liked that the menu wasn't just the typical Vietnamese food I was familiar with but also included local dishes. It was a lot of fun and feel like I learned a lot. Highly recommend.

Class was very nice, Duyen told us about vietnamiese cuisine, cuture and living

My brother and I were lucky enough to have a cooking class with Chef Duyen. She took us to the local market and explained about the food,culture and the woman working there. Chef Duyen was very friendly and welcomed us into her home where she taught us to cook a few Vietnamese dishes which we got to enjoy afterwards. The food was delicious. We are excited to try cook the dishes for our family. Highly recommend Chef Duyen. I recommend taking the morning class so you can see the market in in full force.

Loved the market tour of streets and learning new flavours through the recipes Chef shared

Chef Duyen is a great person with a wealth of knowledge on traditional Vietnamese food and history a great teacher who explains everything clearly and shows you how to prep and cook some awesome food I would highly recommend doing this cooking class

Chef Dugyen is a lovely person who makes the cooking experience truly worthwhile! She explains everything well and let's you do a lot by yourself!

Chef Duyen was great. The tour through the local market was a bit different. The cooking class was informative and comprehensive. If you plan on taking the morning class, it might be a good idea to skip breakfast to really be able to enjoy everything you will create.

We had the most amazing morning with Duyen - she picked us up from our hotel then we had the local market tour near her home. The cooking class takes place in her beautiful home with a great professional setup in the kitchen. There was lots of variety and a huge amount of dishes we were taught to cook. The food was amazing and this was such great value for money - our favourite experience in Vietnam so far! We even bought a few cooking utensils at the end of the class.

Chef Duyen was really friendly and talkative. I thought she ran the class really well. She demonstrated and explained things then helped people individually. The market tour was a little short but I was most interested in the cooking so didn’t mind. Really enjoyed learning about Vietnamese cooking (:

My girlfriend and I did the afternoon cooking class with Chef Duyen and loved it! The food we made was delicious, the class fun, and the market tour interesting. I can't recommend this class enough!

My mum and I had a fun time

My fiancé and I met Chef Duyen at our hotel and as we have informed her on our booking that we are vegetarians, chef Duyen kindly arranged for us to visit the market where vegetables and poultry are sold separately. We appreciate that chef amended her vegan menu to suit our diet (no onions/garlic)! Highly recommended for tourists visiting Hanoi. :)

great experience - market was awesome

The cooking experience, the market and mostly the wonderful Chef Duyen were really great. Duyen is a very good cook, so even watching her technique was helpful. The menu she chose was interesting with a variety of dishes. She also is a very good teacher. And best of all is her warm energy and personality.

The visit to the market was great and made the cooking experience even better. Sourcing the ingredients and being educated on how the market and retailers work was fanrastic.

Duyen’s took us to the local market which is a little bit different from the Dong Xian market. It was really exciting experience to see the local people and to listen to Duyen talk. Of course the cooking is delicious. Although my English isn’t good, I had very good time with Duyen. I would like to recommend this class who wish to learn the Vietnamese cooking and the people.

Chef Duyen is an amazing chef and a great person as well. We did several dishes at her home cooking studio (which was a lovely workspace) and even as an experienced home cook i found her lessons challenging enough for me - but at the same time she made it easy enough for my 10 year old daughter to follow too. We had a great time and the food turned out delicious. This isn't one of those "fake" cooking classes where everything is prepared ahead. You chop, wash, slice, dice and cook - to Chef's exacting standards. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience real Hanoi cooking.

We had a great time with Chef Duyen. She's a super interesting person, and she definitely knows her stuff in the kitchen. Most importantly, I left feeling like I could cook the dishes at home. Thank you!

Firstly Chef Duyen is a great lady and she has two very nice kids. One of which loves to dance. I have taken a few cooking classes in Thailand and wanted to take a cooking class here in Vietnam. I was some what taken bij the prices of cooking classes here in Vietnam. They cost much more than in Thailand. I've checked the prices of different cooking classes and the price for this class was not the less expensive but it was by far not the most expensive. And although the cost is a factor to consider the menu that you can make is the most important factor. I liked the menu options that Chef Duyen offers (more than your fried spring roll). Cooking with Chef Duyen is more than a cooking class. She invites you into her very lovely home with a unexpected really nice kitchen to cook a fantstic meal and then enjoy it with her two children. But maybe I was Lucky becouse at the thime I was her only student and I recieved a lot of attention. Chef Duyen picked me up at my hotel and the taxi dropped us off a few minutes to her home. Usually she will take her students to the market but the markt was not open at the time. Instead on the way to her home Chef Duyen we stopt off at several shops that sold fruits, vegatable and many other ingredients for cooking. We also stopt at a shop where they made Tafu and I got a complete explanation on how it is made. I love it!!! I was also impressed by the sugar cane company where we stopt and again I recieved an explanation on the cultivation and production proces for suger cane. We finally walked through a street where different whole sale shops for seafood were preparing their products to be transported to the many restaurants in and around Hanoi. I was aproached by a very interesting lady, probably in her late 60's. With the help of chef Duyen we got talking and then she said she wanted to marry me. I shyly and poitely explained that although very honerd I would have to decline her offer. She then got 2 other women I insisted that I must marry one of them. Fortunately Chef Duyen was there to rescue me!!! But enough of that…. Together with Chef Duyen I cooked 5 really nice dishes. Chef Duyen explained all the ingrediets to me and she also explained what to look for when buying your ingredients so you can choice the best quality for your meal. Chef Duyen also prepared 2 other dishes that her kids would eat while I watched (her kids do not eat pork and like other kids all around the world their particular about vegatables. Sitting down together with her kids, enjoying the dishes we prepared was a real treat and of coarse het oldest son preformed his dance moves during dinner. Top notch!!!! oh.. one finale note Chef Duyen is not just your single mother that invites you into her home to cook…. as I understand it she has worked in several exquiste restaurants throughout Hanoi.

Signed up for the market tour and cooking class with Chef Duyen and it was fantastic! My girlfriend and I lucked out and we essentially got a private lesson given only the two of us signed up for the class that day. Both my gf and I are good cooks and I have a bunch of classes under my belt including a culinary certificate from George Brown in Toronto. The original menu options looked great but my gf and I have made a few Viet dishes before (especially spring rolls) so we advised Chef that and she was quite flexible and suggested a different recipe instead. Chef Duyen was super knowledgeable and educated us about the local market and the produce. The class was fun and we learned a few new techniques and recipes that we will be using when we return home. Highly recommend this class!

Mom and I absolutely loved our market tour & cooking class with Chef Duyen! She is super knowledgeable, kind and fun! We cooked (and ate) some of the best food on our entire trip in Vietnam (and certainly the best in Hanoi)! She is incredibly enterprising and hardworking! It was a fantastic experience.

Chef Duyen gave us an authentic experience. She showed us her neighbourhood which we would not have visited otherwise. We learned about the wholesale markets and Vietnamese culture. Then we created a delicious meal. It was so much fun! Would definitely recommend.

Chef Duyen really knows how to cook and enjoys teaching it. During the market tour she shows you the vegetables you will be working with and talks to you about them and other native ones and what makes them unique to Vietnam. The recipes you make during class are sooo delicious and I am excited to re-create them at home with the recipes she provided. I am a vegan so she was wonderful to even explain the food culture in Vietnam and what I should look out for when ordering. The class becomes a personal experience and the story she has with how she arrived as a chef is inspiring. I definitely recommend this experience to anyone wanting a true local perspective with your cooking class!

Chef Duyen's market tour and cooking class was excellent! The local wholesale market we went to was an eye opening experience. As someone who has traveled to many markets, this one is right up there! Yoh get a behind the scenes view into where alot of the produce and meats come from to supply various parts of Vietnam. Highly recommended for anyone in Hanoi.

I cannot recommend more highly of this home cooking class & local market tour by Chef Duyen. Duyen is highly professional, organised, intelligent, knowledgeable, generous, unimposing, hospitable, thoughtful, so genuine, and a true ambassador for Hanoi. She reached out to me via Cookly messaging board once my sign up got through, and we then conversed via Gmail and she was so helpful and accommodating with my special requirements as i booked the class as a celebratory activity for my boyfriend's birthday and wanted a cake prepared etc. Not only did Duyen agree to help arrange it for me, she also followed up with every course of action, and made me feel secure about this booking. On the day, we were picked up from our hotel on taxi and duyen took us to her neighbourhood local market . She explained the daily on-goings and surrounds of the market, delivering it all in eloquent English. Ofc it was so fascinating and rare to be in a docent tour of the local market by an actual local. duyen's house had a large and spacious kitchen which was already prepared with all cooking utensils laid out as we got inside. Duyen is so professional, providing us with clear instructions as well as recipe. It was so fun and so rewarding and we had the best time cooking. After dinner I brought the cake out and only when I opened the door of the fridge when I saw 2 birthday cakes inside. Turns out it was Duyen's birthday also on that day! And she had withheld that from us the whole day! I hope this gives an account of the sort of unimposing person Duyen is and I cannot vouch for her more. I will recommend Duyen's classes to all of my friends without a doubt. Her kids who joined for dinner are also absolutely adorable and it's rare to be invited into the home of a local and be able to eat and dine with them and their families! It was an experience that was beyond our expectations. Thank you Chef Duyen!

Chef Duyen was an amazing teacher. Unlike all the touristy classes, hers was small and intimate. I researched a lot of different cooking classes and deciding to go with hers and it was the best cooking class I’ve ever taken. She is a skilled chef and has worked with Gordon Ramsey too! She is super funny and gives very good instruction and advice on how to make these at home. You also get an electronic cookbook that she sends over. If you are looking for a more hands-on one to one experience I would recommend choosing Chef Duyen’s class. If I come back to Hanoi, I’m going to take her cooking class again!

Chef Duyen is just lovely. She gives a great tour of the market, has a delicious menu prepared, and we also had a great time chatting with her about Vietnam. We learned a lot from her, the food was delicious, and I highly recommend her cooking class to anyone! Don't miss out!

We really enjoyed Chef Duyen’s market tour and cooking class. It was definitely the most authentic thing we did in Hanoi. It shows you a true slice of life for locals that call the city home and don’t eat out in the old quarter for every meal... Amazing food, interesting stories and perspective, and a very nice host. Thanks Chef!

Really awesome experience! Excellent food that comes with a receipe book! Chef Duyen is really generous of her time and explanations; what a pleasant women to be around and to learn from, she has a terrific story!

Chef Duyen is lovely, talented, generous, a patient teacher and an excellent company. My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed cooking with her. Even though we'd been traveling in Vietnam for a month, walking through the market and chatting with Duyen was eye-opening! Thoroughly recommended.

This was a great way to start our trip in Vietnam and a wonderful introduction to Vietnamese cuisine. Touring the market with Duyen was special because she knew many of the people and just where to take us. She was so good at explaining everything.

Great tour, class and food. Amazing value for the price.

Great class with the best chef! We had the best experience of Vietnam through cooking and visiting the local market. During the market tour, we were able to mingle with Vietnamese locals and it was so fun! We tried out some fresh ingredients on the street then went to Duyen's kitchen to do the cooking. She was glad enough to introduce us to Vietnam cuisine and culture. We even got to talk about insightful topics such as the social status of women in Vietnam, marital traditions in the countryside, etc. at the table. It was eye-opening and I was very touched by her story. Our group was a mix of professionals and first-time cooks yet she did not mind. The day ended with insightful learning and sumptuous dining.

Very informative and hands on experience. Chef Duyen is a great coach, truly recommend to anyone.

A GREAT class!! Duyen is a truly skilled chef and a patient and equally skilled teacher, as well as a lot of fun! The pre-order shopping was educational, and she also taught us possible substitutes for ingredients we might not find at home. We then prepared an amazing meal of Hanoi specialties in her well equipped kitchen classroom in her home. This was easily the best cooking class I have taken!!

Excellent Chef! We had Learnt a lot how to choose the ingredients and we went to chef's home for cooking! Delicious spring rolls we all loved it! Caramel pork is lovely too! We all enjoyed it!

I looked through SO many cooking classes! I finally settled in Chef Duyen's class because of her expertise, price, and menu. The combo could not be beaten! She is SO nice and knowledgeable about food. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to take a cooking class in Vietnam.

Our chef was the kindest and most down to earth person ever. She told us a lot about Vietnam and its culture, and showed us how to make true Vietnamese food. She is very known in the food market, and has a lot of knowledge. We would very much recommend this experience!

The teacher was absolutely perfect. Such a nice class. We learnt a lot and enjoyed a true feast !!! So yummy

We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with Chef Duyen! The market tour was an interesting and eye opening experience. The cooking class was great fun. We made a variety of traditional dishes and were given instructions so we could make these back at home. Definitely worth doing during your visit to Hanoi.

Duyen was very kind and didn't mind some of us being less competent in cooking. The market tour was very local. We even got to talk about insightful topics such as the social status of women in Vietnam, marital traditions in the countryside, etc. at the table. It was eye-opening and I was very touched by her story.

Excellent experience even for non cooks. Chef Duyens tour of the local market was really informative and interesting. The cooking class was so much fun with Duyen guiding every step of the way. The end result was delicious food, great conversation and a better understanding of Vietnamese Culture. We would definitely recommend and consider it a worth while experience while in Hanoi.

I enjoy the market tour and it was great that the cooking class was in her own home very comforting to have Chef Duyen in invite us into her home to do the cooking class.

We loved the cooking class, the Food was awesome and we learned a lot! Would definetly recommend it.

Chef Duyen's market tour and cooking class was a thoroughly satisfying experience. Her local knowledge and relationship with the market stall holders meant that we were able to see so many local processes such as tofu making and green proposal sweet cake making, as well as butchery. Her skill and patience in the kitchen meant that we were able to learn how to produce a varity of local dishes that tasted as good as they looked. Chef Duyen was very welcoming and friendly and put us at ease immediately. We would highly recommend the class to anyone based in Hanoi. Sandi, Andrew and Stewart.

Chef Duyen is great. I loved the tour in the market and the food we cooked was absolutely delicious. Thank you!

You can know what’s Vietnamese food and traditional culture. The chef explains very well.

Very passionate chef and organized class.

Everything was perfect!

The host was nice to take us to the local market and told us about the food and dining culture in Vietnam. And having real hands to do with the cooking. What a rare experience with local people!

Chef was very entertaining. She generously shared stories about the life in Hanoi. I particularly enjoyed the market tour! And the free beer together with our finished product. Taste of food was awesome. This class is highly recommended.

This was an absolutely amazing experience. A lot of knowledge was shared and the food was amazing. We cooked dishes that could easily be made at home so the memory can live on. Had a great time and would highly recommend to others!

It's easy to see why people keep giving this 5 stars. It was informative and entertaining, and my friends and I enjoyed how we were all able to get very hands on with the food we were making. If you're considering taking this class, would totally recommend it!

We had a great time with Chef Duyen! She picked us up at our hotel and dropped us back off when we were done so it was really convenient! The food that we made was delicious and more traditional to the Vietnamese countryside and not just the popular dishes you commonly find on the street. I would highly recommend this cooking class in Hanoi. It is an excellent was to learn about the food and culture of Vietnam.

A truly unique experience, and a fascinating insight into Vietnamese life. Certainly one of the highlights from an already amazing trip

We had a fabulous morning with Chef Duyen. The morning started with a tour of the local market which is a must do. It was such a treat to go through the local produce market and learn about the produces and their sorts of uses. The tour was then followed by a wonderful cooking class where we made an assortment of Vietnamese treats and then lunch to enjoy the spoils. Definitely the best thing we did in Hanoi (and we did do other days tours out of the city). Chef Duyen was friendly, professional and gave us some new skills and memories that we could take home with us!

Really good cooking experience. Loved the tour around the market place and the food was delicious! Chef Duyen was lovely, spoke good english and shared a lot of stories about her life with us. Would recommend :)

Chef dyuen is very patient and when giving the market tour and the cooking class is really enjoyable.

We tried a few, this one is the best class we took in Vietnam, relaxed yet not afraid to correct and teach you.

The class was amazing, we cooked traditional food and had a great tour at the local market before. - I would recommend this cooking class to anyone who wants to broaden their horizon, experience authentic vietnamese food and bring back great recipies for family and friends.

There’s a reason the reviews are all so good... this cooking class is amazing! Chef Duyen is a great person and leader of this cooking class. We learned a lot from her during the class and had a lot of fun. I would highly recommend doing this!

I have been privileged to take Chef Duyen’s wholesale market and street food tour already, but recently was also able to experience her local market tour and cooking class. The local market tour was informative as Chef introduced us to all kinds of local ingredients, market customs, and even examples of how ingredients were being made (example crab paste and fresh tofu). She also let us know there was a vegan version of this tour/class available. We then walked through winding alleys where local families live to get to her lovely (air conditioned) home, which featured a large island for all of us to eat our hands dirty slicing and chopping. After making about 8 or so different seasonal dishes, we sat down to a delicious feast and heard more about her life story. She truly is a remarkable woman and will recommend both her offerings to friends and colleagues in the future!

Chef Duyen was very interesting and taught a lot about but her life and the area where she lived. I liked that we cooked dishes that were a little bit different than other classes and also some vegetarian dishes.

Duyen was so knowledge when showing us the local market, we learnt so much about local culture and traditions. Felt very welcome in her home; and was easy to have a laugh with. Again taught us and helped us a lot with our cooking skills, would highly recommend!

The cooking class was interactive, delicious and so much fun. Also provided us a rare insight into the everyday lives of local Vietnamese people. Thank you Chef :) we highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting hanoi for the first time!

Chef Duyen’s cooking class and market tour was an excellent introduction to vietnamese cuisine. The market tour was so informative and a great chance to explore another part of Hanoi, away from the tourists. The class itself was fantastic. It was just myself, my partner and my parents, which provided a lot of one-to-one teaching and an opportunity to chat informally with our host about different types of Vietnamese cuisine and life in Vietnam, in general. Chef Duyen also tailored the menu to allow for various dietary requierments within our group. We really enjoyed our time and would not hesitate to recommend this class to others. Thanks Chef Duyen!

Our cooking class with Duyen was absolutely amazing and a highlight of our three week trip in Vietnam. The class taught us about cooking in Vietnam, the tour of the market a lot about the ingredients and food culture in Hanoi but more than that, Duyen explained many things about the Vietnamese culture and everyday life. We have already tried some of the recipes at home with great results so we definitely learned some things! Great fun and our only regret was not doing the class earlier so that we could also fit in the food tour with Duyen. Can not recommend more.

What a lovely morning with Chef Duyen working our way through the local market and then back to her extremely well in-house kitchen. A fun and informative time with wonderful explanations and magic flavours. A must do whilst in Hanoi

Chef Duyen is an amazing instructor, teaching you about the Vietnamese culture that thrives on food while how to cook traditional meals. The class is so informative, and so delicious. This was definitely, ‘The Meal of the Trip,’ and we made it! I highly recommend her class.

This cooking class was probably the highlight of my trip to Vietnam. Got a real insight to local culture, cooked better food than any of the restaurants I visited and Duyen was the best host. Would 1000% reckomend it to anyone who is planning on visiting Hanoi!

Awesome food. Our group of 8 was easily accommodated and the market tour was a great way to see real life/shopping. She made our experience great. She also arranged transport to and from our hotel. If ever in Vietnam - do this.

Lovely experience, highly recommended :)

Great chef, lovely group, delicious meal and interesting market tour make a great experience!

Excellent experience of seeing Vietnamese culture and people and how they live their lives with local produce and markets. Chef Duyen was a brilliant host and tour guide and we would highly recommend this for a enjoyable, learning experience. A must do!!

It is such a pleasure to meet Chef Duyen, she’s very personable and truely enjoys her work. Exploring her local market was so interesting, learning about the different veggies, fruits, fish, meats , rices, noodles, spices as well as seeing the everyday lives of the market sellers and their families, striving to make a living . Chef Duyen’s cooking class was the best ever! We had so much fun making the all the dishes together, they were so delicious, her skill and knowledge are impressive and she’s such a lovely person. Thank you Chef Duyen for sharing your Hanoi with me!

I recommended to anyone willing to have a real vietnamese experience

Terrific market tour Learnt a lot Wonderful teacher

Enjoyable, informative and well worth it

Chef Duyen made cooking the local dishes a breeze with clear and easy to understand instructions. Aside from the tour and class she even recommended for us places to dine in Hanoi.

My son and I had a fabulous morning cooking and learning about Vietnamese food. Chef Duyen is really knowledgeable and friendly. The food at the end was amazing. Would definitely recommend it. I will certainly try to make some of the dishes back home.

We had a lovely afternoon in the company of Chef Duyen. There were only the two of us on the course and we were met by the lovely, bubbly and friendly Chef Duyen at our out hotel before being taken to the food market. On the tour of the market, we found out why the meat didn’t need refrigeration, saw how tofu was made, had an olfactory exploration of all the different herbs available, saw how the entire animal was used in cooking and more. We found out much more and saw more than we would ever have done on our own. All the market stall owners were really friendly and happy for us to explore their stalls. Back at the house, we cooked a great meal and it was all very hands on. Chef Duyen explained what all the ingredients were, showed us new techniques and suggested alternative ingredients we could use at home when exotic plants such as banana flowers would not be available. The whole afternoon flew past really quickly with plenty of chat and laughs, Chef Duyen is very good company and full of useful information with a lovely manner. At the end of the session, it was hard to imagine we had made the meal in front of us, it was delicious and has certainly made us more confident in terms of both cooking and eating Vietnamese cuisine. This is probably the most intimate, personalised and fun cooking course we’ve been on. It was nice being in a domestic kitchen and having to do all the prep ourselves. We also experienced the Vietnamese level of service when the gas ran out. A few minutes after a phone call, a young guy turns up on a moped with a new gas bottle, fits it and away we go! Tremendous fun and highly recommended!

Duyen is a wonderful person and a great cook! She taught us how to cook traditional and favourite dishes of Hanoi, as well as how the Vietnamese culture influenced their style of cooking. She was very accommodating with her time and knowledge and carefully explained each ingredient at the market and also at her home while we were cooking. It was truely a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves food, and wants to know a little more about ingredients as well as the modern and traditional Vietnamese culture. The food was also incredibly delicious and easy to make!!!!

It was a very enjoyable experience and I learnt so much about ingredients, the recipes and traditional dishes of Vietnam from Chef Duyen

The class and Chef Duyen were excellent! Her culinary skills and method of cooking were exceptional which, I believe, resulted in gloriously delicious dishes that we all enjoyed wholeheartedly! The street market tour introduced us to some unique local farm and sea products. On the way to her house she gladly educated us on Vietnamese national and family traditions and practices. Chef Duyen is a gem!!!

A unique experience! You really get a look behind the touristy courtain with Duyens tour and class, with a tour of her local market and cooking at her lovely home. Duyen is kind, she has a great energy and is very welcoming. She also has a powerful and facsinating personal story. And we made awesome food! Magnus and Charlotte

I loved Duyen's cooking class! We had so much fun going to the market and learning about the things that are sold there. I loved all the food we made and really enjoyed learning how to cook it. Duyen is a wonderful chef and a great teacher. I enjoyed getting to know her and her life story. I would highly recommend her classes to anyone who wants to learn about Vietnamese food and culture. Thanks Duyen!

Chef Duyen was knowledgeable, fun, and a delight to cook and learn with. She shared with us stories, had a great sense of humor, and the food we made was AMAZING. It was definitely my favorite meal in Hanoi. It was also great because my friend is a vegetarian, and we were taking the class with a vegetarian/non-vegetarian couple so we were able to make both the Vegan meal AND the countryside menu. I’m so excited to bring these recipes home and try them out with friends.

Chef Duyen’s class is top notch, she takes you through her local markets and shows you behind the scenes of what goes on to keep the usual tourist markets of Hanoi going. The class itself is very personal, she keeps the class sizes small and mine was only 2 people. Food was great! We picked the traditional Vietnamese fare and was not disappointed.

Duyen is so sweet and friendly and she also happens to be a great teacher. The food was one of my best meals in Vietnam and I would highly recommend her to anyone visiting Hanoi!

Very skillful & friendly chef. We have learned a lot and had a lot of fun! We would recommend this cooking class to everyone!

Thank you for such a fantastic experience ...from bringing us to your local market and then to your lovely home. It was great to cook such a range of food with you. Thanks for all the fun and for explaining so much about the food you use. The flavours were amazing. I’d definitely recommend this tour. It was brilliant. Thank you Duyen.. Anne and Tomás

It was absolutely an amazing experience. Duyen is very sweet and knowledgeable, she takes you on a tour through the market which gives you an experience a tourist would otherwise never have. The cooking is lots of fun and the food is sooo delicious Absolutely I would recommend this!

Duyen is a great chef and an amazing woman. She picked us up from our hotel, took us to two fresh produce markets whilst she explained so many things about the Vietnamese culture and cuisine. She gave us different tastes to try, and had nice fresh green tea ready for us when we arrived in her kitchen lab. The food we prepared was for more than 3 people and she took the time to patiently explained every step. We cooked a delicious meal (4 course - starter, main, salad, dessert) and we chatted for so many hours making the time pass by very quickly. We stayed even longer than 1830 that was supposed to finish the course as we were enjoying ourselves so much. Every details was planned and executed by Duyen in such detail and high standard that I was amazed. From the recipe paper that is of high quality, to the proper professional benches and equipment used to the quality of raw material for the preparation of the food. My only recommendation is to be a hint warmer during winter - even though we were moving a lot during the cooking class, but it would be nice. I cannot recommend enough this experience. She deserves every compliment!

Chef Duyen is knowledgeable and fun. The food was awesome, although the booking said we will only cook 1 dish, we actually cooked a lot more. Will definitely recommend - great value for money.

My partner and myself partook in this cooking class and Duyen was so accomodation with our dietary needs on such little notice. Her enthusiasm and skills were absolutely amazing. I definitely recommend this cooking class is you are looking for a local authentic experience!

This local market tour and cooking class was by far the highlight of our trip to Vietnam. Duyen Phan is a fabulous chef and an even better teacher. Her stories and jokes were just an added bonus. Seriously will be returning to Vietnam just to visit her again and taste the amazing food she made with us. 5 stars is an understatement.

She was so informative about the wholesale market and invited us into her home for the cooking course. She had prepared everything we needed and the instruction was perfect. Highly recommended. Thank you Chef Duyen

This was one of my favorite cooking classes since the tour had a great amount of detail. She described the herbs, how the herbs are used, and also gave us some cultural tips on certain ingredients and dishes. A quick tea at her house was welcoming and we got to learn quite a bit of Vietnamese history and traditions. The cooking course was also well organized and we finished earlier than expected. Overall, the cooking experience was great because of Chef Duyen's cheerful attitude and openness to discussion.

Chef Duyen knows a great deal about the Vietnamese cuisine and she was eager to share it with us. She took us to a market and let us taste a bunch of typical greens and other products that were surprisingly delicious. The food we cooked was amazing too, we can’t wait to make it at home! All in all it was a great experience and we had a really fun afternoon, we recommend it without hesitation! Warning: come with an empty stomach, there’s so much to eat!!

We loved our cooking class with just the two of us. We learned so much. We also loved the coffee that duyen told us was the best in hanoi. Thanks for all the great tips

It was a perfectly planned visit to a non crowded market and the cooking was great. The dinner was delicious and we enjoyed all dishes we prepared. Duyen was very kind and toll us how to prepare traditional vietnamese food and answered all our questions. Highly recommended.

We had a great afternoon, wandering the markets and learning about local Vietnamese ingredients and then also cooking up a storm, more food than we could eat and left overs that our friend loved! I would thoroughly recommend this class it's a really fun and I thought authentic experience

Thoroughly enjoyed our market tour and ensuing cooking class. Can't believe we got so much into a short time (4 hours) Got some great tips to take home to Australia and try out on my friends. I have my dinner party planned already! It's a nice personal experience as it could just be the two of you (for us this was the case) or if you wanted to book with family or friends. I would think the class maximum would be 6? Anyway great experience and highly recommend to people. For the cooking side you need to be quick if you want to work your way through all 5 dishes. For the market tour... I think you can do a full market tour and eating as well (which I think next time I will do

My favourite part was the market tour...off the beaten path....but the cooking was also wonderful and a reminder that making Vietnamese food at home is completely achievable...except ,perhaps, for finding banana flowers in my local supermarket! Chef Duyen was great.

Chef duyen taught us so much about the local markets, culture, history and cooking techniques She can cater for any diet and she also explains what options for substitutions you have back home if you can't find some of the harder ingredients. We learnt how to cook (and eat) at her house. Beautiful afternoon. She does other classes just for market experience if you like which sounded pretty good too. I must come back to learn other dishes (we learnt five or so? A prawn pancake, a locals leaf wrapped pork mince, a pork belly dish, green papaya salad and a taro dessert) I emailed and you can choose your menu though.

Chef Duyen gave us an enjoyable and informative tour of the market and streets where she does her shopping. She then welcomed us into her home where we were instructed on how to prepare a really delicious meal. The meal was shared with her and her husband, providing a lovely opportunity to get a glimpse into vietnamese family life. Chef Duyen is a lovely person, a good cook and a great teacher. I would recommend her to any friends or family that visit Vietnam.

What a lovely experience! Local market tour, shopping for ingredients. Followed by a cooking class and really tasty food, way better than you get from the restaurants! All thumbs up for chef Duyen! I definitely recommend this for those with a love for new experiences, food or cooking.

On a rainy day in Hanoi my husband and I decided to go to a cooking class and were lucky we selected this one as it was great. Chef Duyen was great and has given us a good insight into selection of ingredients at the market and food prep. We made 5 or so dishes as a group that wasted very well. I can't wait to cook them at home.

Very fun experience, great insight into Vietnamese cooking.

Chef Duyen Was amazing! From the moment she personally picked us up at the hotel she went beyond the extra mile to make this an unforgettable experience for my wife and I. She definitely knows her stuff, she isn't just a great chef, she really walked us thru every step of the cooking process. The market visit was also truly memorable and again chef Duyen shared all her knowledge, explaining in detail what each ingredient was and how it could be used in cooking! Her house is extremely clean with a great cooking class set up. Everything was properly arranged ... individual cutting board, knife, towel, apron and menu with recipes was printed out for each of us☺️ Just pitch perfect... she has an eye for detail that's for sure! For the price she charged us (substantial lower then others) we must say that it's a must to-do activity while you are in Hanoi. When the food was ready we had lunch together, tasting the delicious and freshly made food items, the best was yet to come ... when she tells you her amazing journey from the time in the village as a young yet determined girl to an extremely hard and responsible young woman today! Truly amazing! Again, this was definitely and without a doubt the best part of our trip. Many thanks chef Duyen, big hugs ☺️ Angie & Joeri

Chef Duyen is a lovely, enthusiastic and talented chef. We had the best time of an incredible holiday at her class. The market tour was great fun and very informative. The cooking class was hands on, and gave us new tecniques and a great insight into daily life in Hanoi.

Duyen is awsome! She explaned everything in the market and we Couleur ask a lot. After that we wenn to her Home, which is a beautiful Place. Herr we starten to Cook and Hand a lot of fun :) the Menu was delicious and she explained Howe wenn can Cook it at Home also when some components are missing.

This was the most amazing cooking experience that has been the highlight of our trip. Chef Duyen was a lovely Hanoi local who takes you around the food market explaining the day to day life and foods the local people eat. She provides the opportunity to try some interesting delicacies before returning to her family home to walk you though some amazing dishes. She goes out of her way to answer any questions you might have and offer some great place to see and foods to eat. For an authentic and unique experience this is the best and most affordable cooking class available.