Hoi An Eco Cooking Class With Kien Nguyen Cooking

Absolute must-do tour while you’re in Hoi An. Kien an amazing host and very knowledgeable. The kitchen staff were beyond helpful. And the food was top shelf. Have a very small breakfast if leaving for a morning tour!

Kien and his staff did an absolutely incredible job of accommodating our family of 7, which included 5 kids ages 2-12. We are used to being very flexible and focusing on helping the children ourselves because 1) they are our responsibility, and 2) we understand the unique challenges our current life season can bring. That said, we were absolutely blown away by how efficiently this class was run, and how thoughtful they were in helping the kids to fully engage in the class, no matter what age. They each got to learn how rice paper is made (and actually do it), chop veggies (yes, even the 2-year-old, for whom they pulled up a highchair, cutting board, and plastic knife), sauté flaming sauces (while I was at my own station, they were helping the kids safely do this at theirs) and more. I was nervous about signing up for this class, and unsure how it would go/if it would be enjoyable. But, as we are determined to learn all about the world as a family, I decided to take the risk (only of an unenjoyable morning—certainly not the end of the world). My concerns were unfounded—this was truly one of our favorite experiences as we travel around Asia. Thank you, Kien and team, for a fun and memorable morning and for your work in accommodating our family. We will recommend you to all who visit Hoi An!

This was a fantastic experience and our guide was very informative about Vietnamese dishes and local specialities. Definitely great value for money with all the food you get to make, visiting the local market and the coconut boat tour. Would highly recommend to anybody visiting Hoi An interested in cooking / trying Vietnamese dishes!

Loved our experience with Kien, so much food and the class was a well oiled machine. Learnt a lot and overall 10/10 experience would recommend

We had an absolutely wonderful day participating in the Eco Cooking Class, and we wanted to share our fantastic experience. From the moment we started our guided walk through the vibrant local market, learning about the diverse array of fresh ingredients and their unique properties, it was clear this was going to be special. The enticing aromas wafting from the stalls made our stomachs rumble with hunger. Following this delicious sensory exploration, we embarked on a truly memorable and enjoyable basket boat ride, where we got to try our hand at catching crabs. The highlight, however, was undoubtedly the cooking session itself. The kitchen was a hive of activity, yet Kein and his incredibly friendly and patient staff expertly guided us through the process of preparing six different, authentic Vietnamese dishes. Their teaching was so clear and encouraging, and we were thrilled to see our dishes come to life. Each dish was an explosion of flavor and delight. As a final touch, we were gifted a recipe book, allowing us to recreate the dishes in our own kitchens and continue to savor the flavors of Hoi An long after our trip is over. We wholeheartedly and without reservation recommend this Eco Cooking Class to anyone planning a visit to Hoi An; it's an experience that will enrich your culinary knowledge, and leave you with cherished memories. Mike & Laura Derbyshire

Amazing. Worth the extra money vs other classes as you spent most of your time cooking and have a giant meal that you made yourself.

I booked this for a planned trip back before COVID. I had to cancel obviously as the world was shut down. I kept all the details for all that had been so kind and refunded. Hoi An eco cookery with Kien was one of the first on the list as soon as we were able to plan the trip again. This time my dad was also coming. The course is an absolute gem! From pick up to drop off you are given a great experience. We visited the market first to see all the ingredients and others that were available locally. After we had a ride in a corical which was good fun exploring the water coconut groves. So quiet considering the roads nearby! The cooking experience was amazing we were split into two groups but each of you cook your own lunches. We made and ate- fresh pancake rolls, beef Pho, made Rice pancakes, aubergine in oyster and soya sauce, made dipping sauces, crispy pancake and salad. They were all amazing 😍. Recipes given after within a booklet and a surprise gift. Wow could NOT recommend highly enough! Please only book through Trip advisor or direct with Kien as others are not the same even if they appear so. A long wait to attend but worth all of it. Thank you so much to Kien and the amazing team!!

Kien was amazing. Felt more like an experience at a cooking school than just a class. Almost all dishes were made from scratch. Many specific techniques were imparted to us and Kien’s assistants were very helpful in making sure we were getting it right. The walk through the local market and bamboo boat rides were added bonuses that made the entire experience even more fun.

I had a wonderful experience at Hoi An Eco cooking class and can recommend this to every passionate cook! Mr. Kien and the staff are very friendly and helpful and will show you many interesting things. The class will teach you how to prepare different dishes from start to finish and I learnt a lot along the way and at the end you get to taste your marvelous creations.

Today we did this amazing cooking class with Mr Kien. We walked away feeling so proud and excited about learning incredible new dishes which we even got to eat afterwards and, if I may say so myself, it was delicious! From starting the day at the local market, to rowing on basket boats and then making authentic and gorgeous Vietnamese dishes - we could not have asked for better. I also loved the fact that they don’t take massive groups of people as it makes the experience more personal, we were 8 people, but they can accommodate more if you prefer. Would highly recommend for your trip to Hoi Ann!

Went with family and had heaps of fun! Great experience for foodies and families with kids! Kien is knowledgeable and helpful the staff explained everything about the food and helped our little one have fun! Highly recommended!

This was such a wonderful class. From the moment we were picked up from our hotel we knew we were in for a real treat. Thank you Kien for having us and sharing you and your family’s recipes with us. A day we will treasure for a long time. The meal was certainly the best we have had in Vietnam.

We had an awesome time with Kien and his team! From market visit to coconut boat ride and the feast that we prepared were really fun. They even manage to keep my 2.5 year old engaged! The ingredients prepared was fresh and they catered to our various dietary requirements.

We did the Hoi An Eco Cooking Class with Kien and his staff a few days and it was one of the best family experiences we have had in our travels. The menu items are thoughtfully chosen with ingredients that can be purchased back home and for even non-cooks, the recipes feel like something we can re-create. We learned knife skills, how different ingredients in Vietnamese cooking work together and what the secret is to making the best broth for Phở. The location is lovely and airy, with ample space. The class is so well organized on every level. The trip on the river in the basket boat is an added bonus that our boys loved! Highly recommend this family owned cooking school!

Incredible authentic Vietnamese cooking experience, you won’t find anywhere else!! Kien Nguyen’s Eco cooking class is one of a kind!! Passing on the cooking methods that have been with his family for generations. The food is out of this world and you are truly amazed at what you have created. The whole team at Eco cooking were FANTASTIC. Not one moment of the tour felt wasted. From seeing the local markets, to the coconut boats (special shoutout to Jau), to the whole cooking experience. Be prepared to feast to your hearts content and more so. We could not recommend this highly enough. The memories we made will live with us forever. Thank you Eco Cooking class for making our time in Hoi An so special.

The food that we prepared was delicious!!! From the moment we started preparing our dishes we felt supported and were able To develop an understanding of the cultural history behind each dish. There were families and couples there and they catered for all dietary needs. What a wonderful staff and fabulous experience!

Really great tour, and food was amazing! Would recommend, very rewarding cooking and eating your own Vietnamese meal, and people were super friendly! Thank you

Sorry for the late review. We did an amazing cooking class in Dec 2024. Before the trip, I put a lot of time to choose because first of all, there are many kinds of cooking classes in Hoi An and Danang. They look very similar. Second, my kids are very young(4yo and 6yo) and I really want them to participate in it. Finally I chose Hoi An Eco Cooking Class. Although my kids were free to join the class, they had a lot of chances to participate in it, from chopping, peeling food to cooking. They enjoyed it very much. Besides a delicious Vietnamese cuisine, we all had an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend!!

We absolutely loved the cooking class with Kien and his team. I originally booked the tour mostly for my partner but turned out enjoying the whole activity more than I thought I would! The traditional rice paper making and banh xeo was an amazing experience. The whole tour was great from learning a thing or two in the market, fun basket boat ride along the mangrove. The highlight certainly was the cooking experience, which gave us good insights on finding the right balance taste in Vietnamese cooking. All the foods turned out to be very delicious and we cannot wait to go back home to show off our newly found skills to make banh xeo, aubergine sauce, and sweet&sour dipping sauce for our families. Thanks again Kien & team for guiding us through the cooking process and sharing a piece of your food culture with us!

This was a brilliant morning. Kien and his driver collected us from our hotel and took us to his bustling local market to see where all the fresh produce for the cooking class he had purchased first thing that morning had come from. This was so interesting and we learnt so much about the various fruits and produce that we don't normally see in the UK. We then went on an amazing coracle boat (thung chai) up with river with a lovely lady paddling and catching crabs and singing all the time, so much fun. We also saw fishermen casting their nets which was also wonderful to see. After this Kien informed us of what we were going to cook that day. We were each given our own work stations, aprons and chefs hats. Kien demonstrated and also gave us each an opportunity to try grinding rice and making the rice milk and rice paper for the fresh spring rolls. Kien demonstrated each dish, after which we each made a course of fresh spring rolls, aubergine with soya sauce, crispy pancakes, fish sauce and banana flower salad. We prepared each course under the watchful eye of Kien and his very kind and patient assistants. The knives were very sharp and they were very careful to ensure that no accidents occurred , especially as I am left handed. Once each course had been made we placed it in our own individual baskets, under cover. When all courses were complete we took our trays to a specially laid out table, where we were also given delicious fresh fruit and drink to enjoy with our meals. The meal was delicious, we couldn't believe we had made it. After the class had ended Kien kindly gave everyone a special peeler, which is now an integral part of my cutlery draw, a lovely, thoughtful gift in addition to a recipe book containing all the recipes we had made. The cooking class was one of our highlights of our time in Hoi An and if we are ever lucky enough to return we will definitely be booking again. Thank you Kien and all your kind ladies for such a wonderful day

Kien’s cooking class is the most authentic and legitimate one. We had lots of fun. A coconut boat tour is included (not the crazy spin, but you do get to spin gently). We had so much fun and the food was genuinely some of the best we’ve ever had - and it was made by us! Incredible ingredients and teachers clearly. This is such good value for money. You must try!

This cooking class is an absolute must when visiting Hoi An - the experience is so original and has been copied by others but none is as extensive and fun! You cannot miss this one. We will be recommending this to every single one of our friends and family. You learn to make rice paper from scratch and also cook 5 different dishes. Book directly from the website and no pre-payment required!

So much fun - hghly recommend! A great opportunity to learn about the foods in the market. A quick jaunt in the basket boats with some real characters. The cooking class was excellent, learnt so much! The worst part was waiting to eat as we cooked each element. Delicious!

Really a nice cooking class and good food! You can make a rice paper yourself and vegetarian option for every thing!!!!!

Very tasty experience. After picking us up from our hotel we got taken to the market to show us around and explain about some of the ingredients you find in Vietnam. We then jumped back into the car to the cooking school where we got to ride a coconut boat before starting the class. They also showed us the traditional way of making rice paper, which we got to have a go at. In total we did around 6 dishes which included the fish sauce, very easy to do as the chefs are guiding you throughout. The food turned out delicious and it was very very generous amounts. One of the best experiences!!!!

Our family had a wonderful experience with Kien and Phi at the Hoi An Eco Cooking class. There was a simple start, learning about some of the local produce at the market, followed by a coconut boat ride, which departs from right next to the cooking class. The ladies who took us on the boat ride were lovely, assisting with photos and making the cruise both leisurely and fun, and even took time to point out all the little crabs on the water palms along the way. The cooking class was so well orchestrated, with each component flowing seamlessly from one dish to the next. Making rice paper and seeing physically how it is done was a highlight. The food was delicious, produce really fresh and the experience was very professionally run and fun. They are also extremely cautious of potential food allergies and requirements, so anyone can participate and not worry. Highly recommended for anyone who loves Vietnamese food and wants to learn how to cook some classic and delicious dishes, as well as recreate them when they return home. It was also a great activity for families too. Thanks to Kien and Phi for a memorable experience.

Great fun to learn how to cook a few of Vietnamese dishes. I chose this one in particular based on the dishes made. Tour of the market was interesting (tourist prices when you want to purchase something) and going on the coconut boat was fun too ! The cooking class is a lengthy process and tightly scheduled. Our experience would've been better if we received welcome tea and coffee. Cooking activity is professional, well organised and hygienic. The dishes were yum!

Absolutely fantastic experience learning to cook a few outstanding Vietnamese dishes. Highly recommended at all levels Dad's,brothers, mums and sisters

The tour started with a visit to the fresh food market where the locals shop to get an overview of the food. Mr Kien has already purchased all the produce fresh that morning to get the food at its freshest. The coconut boat rode was a bit of fun to begin with but the highlight was definitely the cooking class. The whole experience was well organised and the team of ladies helping out were patient and friendly. We ended up making 7 traditional dishes which made for a delicious feast for lunch. I highly recommend this authentic experience.

Kien's team were excellent. Kien took us to the local market, and showed us around. The coconut boat was a fun time too. During the cooking, Kien and husband team were patient and super helpful! Not taking away our independence whilst cooking. The final result was delicious food! All of it was super flavourful and you can take away the recipes too!

This was a wonderful cooking class from start to finish. The trip around the market with Chef Kien set the scene. I loved the basket boat trip and crab fishing before we started cooking. We can pled a lot of Vietnamese dishes from making our own rice paper and spring rolls to crispy pancakes and pho bo. Thank you Kien and team you were amazing and can’t wait to make these dishes when I get back to NZ.

We had an amazing day. Kien picked us up from our hotel and drove us to a local market where fresh produce was sold. We then went to Cam Thanh coconut village and had a lot of fun on the basket boat ride. We enjoyed our cooking class, learning to cook a few dishes with good explanation, and recipes to take home. The food was absolutely delicious. The whole experience was a highlight of our stay in Hoi An.

We found this cooking class by accident. What a happy accident! This is easily the best cooking class I've taken, and I've taken them in multiple countries. For only $32 they picked us up, took us to the local market, a coconut boat ride (including crab fishing... I caught 3!), then the cooking class. Not only did we each get our own cooking stations, but there were other experiences included too, like trying to make rice paper, and hand grinding rice on a 100 year old machine. It was really cool. The class was really professionally run. Everything moved like clockwork. At the end, we ate the delicious food we cooked AND they gave us a surprise gift to take home. Wow. I looked high and low for cooking classes in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, and Hoi An. There is absolutely no other class that offers what this one does and for such a reasonable price. Now when we're in other countries, this class is the gold standard we hold them to. They set the bar high. Make sure you book the right class. There are others with similar names, but different service. This one with Mr. Nguyen is the right one. After the tour was over they dropped us back at our hotel and we still had plenty of time to do a 3 hour body scrub and massage. That day was one of the best we had in Vietnam. So much fun, relaxation, and great food. Amazing.

Fabulous experience from market visit, to hands on food preparation & supervision. Step by step recipe book so can replicate at home. Highly recommend. Make sure you don't get fooled by another company using similar name. Kien Ngugen Eco cooking class

An absolute MUST DO class in beautiful Hỏi An! Fabulous morning visiting the local markets and a completely unexpected Coconut Boat ride before settling in at Kien’s Cooking Class to make 7 incredible dishes. We learnt so much about mixing flavours, balancing salty & sweet, making rice paper from scratch the “old fashioned way”, and of course eating our amazing creations for lunch! Staff were so helpful and friendly, plenty of hands on and a take home recipe book that we can easily adapt in our own country. Don’t be fooled by the other tours that sound similar ( or are using a very similar name), this is THE one to do, cannot recommend this highly enough, Thankyou so much Kien and team 👏🙏🏻👍

Interesting market tour at the start followed by a tour in bamboo boats. The highlight, however, has to be the cooking class itself! It started of with some "historic" hands on experiences before everyone cooked their own dishes together under supervision of the team. Even my girlfriend who, not only in my opinion, is a great cook learned a lot of new techniques and we both thoroughly enjoyed our morning cooking class! I have probably never cooked anything so delicious myself! Overall, a great morning organized by a great team, thank you very much!

This was a very professional experience. The food was really fresh and we made a variety of stuff. What we particularly liked was the visit to the market and the fact that the groups weren’t too big.

Absolutely fabulous! Smooth experience from hotel pick up, market tour & short drive to banana boats & cooking school. Kien Nguyen was the original Eco cooking school (some others have used the same name). Kien’s dishes have been handed down by his grandmother & we prepped our rice paper on the traditional open fire & rice in the massive mortar - with lots of help from the wonderful cooking assistants. The food was superb, cooking extremely well organised & clean - absolutely delicious food. A highlight of our trip!

Very well planned trip, first go to the market in Hoi An to get the ingredients, then went to the cooking class which was great, very well organised and friendly chefs and a lovely group. Finally finished with a basket boat ride which was very tranquil

The cooking class was fantastic, starting with the visit to the Market, followed by getting there by boat and getting to the class and learning how to cook 6 delicious plates . This one activity will remain one of the most memorable experiences from our trip. Highly recomended!

We loved this experience- even though l am not a keen cook. It involved a trip to a local market with some great tips, a fantastic boat ride (in a circular coracle) to catch crabs (which you can put back) and then the class, run with chef school precision. The menu is extensive, authentic and delicious. Even reluctant cooks like me learned how to make a feast, which you eat with the rest of your class - all good friends by now! Great.

We absolutely loved this class and it was one of the highlights of our Vietnam trip! Like many others have said, there are loads of cooking courses in Hoi A but we did our research and this was one of the most highly recommended. And for good reason. Kien and his staff were fantastic. We did a market tour first, some banana boat fun then into the cooking. We had a 9 yo and 11 yo with us and the staff were just so fantastic and patient with them. They gauged their ability and only helped when needed. We cooked 7 delicious dishes and all were amazing. Can’t believe how much flavour they got into the Pho broth in 2 hours. It was hands on for the whole course and we got through a lot more than friends who did a course with a different company. Can’t recommend highly enough. Beware of cooking courses with similar names, this is the best to do!

We loved this cooking class! There seem to be so many cooking classes on offer in Hoi An and we read reviews on loads of them. This was was perfect because it included a walk through the market, a 30 minute boat road (and crab catching) with the local boatmen, and then the actual cooking class which was very hands-on (and included a lot of fire!) We were picked up (at 8:15am) and dropped back at our from our hotel (13:30pm) which also made the whole experience easier. Kien and his staff were very informative and showed us how to make each dish before we did it ourselves. He also told stories from his childhood and gave us lots of information about Vietnamese food and culture. We made 5 dishes and then got to eat everything (which was a lot!!) We would highly recommend this cooking to anyone looking for an authentic, fun experience. Thanks again xx

Hands down one the best cooking classes I’ve ever been to! The day was extremely organised from hotel pick ups, to the local market tour, coconut boats and then the fantastic class, everything just ran so smoothly. The food we made was absolutely delicious and was a lovely touch at the end with the cookbook and gift. Would highly recommend 5/5!!! Keep up the great work team :)

Best cooking class ever! We read lots of different reviews when trying to find a cooking class but this one ticked all the boxes for the variety of things on offer. Kien picked us from our hotel and we joined the other people from the tour, at the market. He talked us through our walk around the market and then we were off to the basket boat ride. What an experience…the area is lovely and you get to spin around. The cooking class itself exceeded our expectations! We made several dishes, learnt about how certain parts were cooked when Kien was younger and then got to eat everything we made. This was a brilliant class, enjoyed by everyone in our group.

We booking the cooking class with Kien after reading reviews of many schools in the area. We were so glad that we went with this company as it was a wonderful experience. Kien and his team are very professional and the whole tour ran like clock work. The market was a very interesting experience - we wandered through and Kien pointed out key things and gave us information on how it works. We then did the coconut boat ride, which we weren't particularly looking forward to as we heard that it was a very touristy activity. It was actually quite fun, and the staff paddling the boats were super friendly and happy. It was the perfect amount of time, rather than booking a full boat tour with the mass crowds. The class itself was very well organised. We had a group of 10 and they split us into 2 smaller groups and we alternated cooking stations. They had prepared lots of things in advance as we could not have made the full spread in 2 hours, so it was easy to follow the instructions. The dishes tasted absolutely amazing and we will be making them at home. We were given a recipe booklet with all the ingredients and instructions, plus bottles of water throughout the day. Would highly recommend this tour - was one of the highlights from our time in Hoi An.

Don’t look any further if you want to book a cooking tour. This class is one of the best I’ve had so far. You learn to cook 5 different dishes from a great chef and they were all delicious!! The market tour and boat trip to the coconut forest are great additions. This cooking class was one of the highlights of my trip.

Everything about this tour was excellent, especially the staff who were so friendly and great with our children. The dishes we created were incredibly delicious, and I’ll be talking about them for a long time to come! I will most definitely recommend this tour to anyone. Thanks again!

Very well organised, clean, efficient and staff delightful and very hospitable. Learned such a lot and the food was delicious….if I say so myself! Highly recommend taking the family. 10/10