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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Lan Anh

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

USD
$14-$54 per person

Traditional Vietnamese food in a local home

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Lan Anh

Meet Lan Anh, a friendly and warm home cook who delights in sharing her family recipes and culture with guests. Lan Anh lives with her two children and her mother in a typical, modest family home in Ho Chi Minh City. She comes from a long line of excellent cooks and is dedicated to exclusively using all natural ingredients. You can expect a lovingly cooked meal prepared from scratch from family recipes.

Originally from Northern Vietnam, Lan Anh will teach you the simplicity and beauty of her favorite northern and central-Vietnamese dishes.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-10 guests) You will start with a traditional appetizer like a sweet soup or small traditional Vietnamese cake. You will then enjoy two traditional dishes for your meal. The menu includes dishes such as pho ga (aromatic chicken noodle soup with fresh herbs), pho bo (beef soup), bun ca (turmeric-seasoned fish served with fresh vermicelli in broth, scattered with bunches of fresh herbs), xoi xeo (sticky rice with ground beans and flavorful fried shallots), banh xeo (crepe filled with herbs and ground pork or shrimp) and spring rolls (fresh or fried), and seasonal fruit for dessert. The menu will vary based on the season.

Depending on the time of day Lan Anh’s teenage children might join you at the table – they can’t resist their mother’s cooking!

Cooking experience: (2-10 guests) In Lan Anh’s small kitchen you will learn to prepare two traditional Vietnamese dishes. As you chop, fry, assemble and sauté, Lan Anh will teach you about Vietnamese cuisine and some of her favorite cooking techniques. You can learn to cook two dishes from options such as pho bo/pho ga, bun ca, xoi xeo, banh xeo and spring rolls. If you have a preference amongst the dishes, feel free to inform Lan Anh when making your booking which two dishes you'd like to learn to cook with her. Please note that some dishes may require preparation in advance, like marinating meat overnight, which Lan Anh will have already done before your class.

Market visit: (2-10 guests) Lan Anh offers two market tour experiences. If you book a market tour only, Lan Anh will take you to the popular Ben Thanh market, one of the main markets of Ho Chi Minh City where vendors have been selling produce and wares since the 17th century. The meeting location for this is the main gate at the Ben Thanh market.

If you select a market tour as a part of your meal or cooking lesson, Lan Anh will take you to explore a neighborhood market, a true local's market that sells everything from fresh seafood (which you can buy and have filleted in front of your eyes) to a variety of Vietnamese kitchen tools and utensils. Meet at Lan Anh's home before you head to the market. Here, at the local market you will explore regional produce and poultry with your host before you walk back together to her home. Please note that this is a wet market so please wear appropriate shoes.

Notes: Lan Anh's kitchen does not have air conditioning and may be warm.

Languages spoken: Vietnamese, English

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Lan Anh is warm and friendly and genuinely wants to share her passion for food with others. She answered every question we threw at her with excitement and a sense that she wanted to share everything she knew. She was like our adopted Vietnamese mom who wanted to pass on her excitement for Vietnamese food.

Jen, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

4.83 (12)
We are a family with 4 people included my parents, we took cooking class with Lan Anh. It was very interesting to learn something new from other country. Lan Anh she is very kind and flexible with us and she was very happy to share her knowledge to us. Thank you Lan Anh. We hope to see you again in the future. Lin and family
- LoveChiangMaiTouring May 15, 2018
Lan Anh was a warm host with pride in her heritage and strong family ties. She learned to cook from her mother and grandmother who held her to exacting standards of freshness and authenticity. The fish for our soup was rubbed with freshly made turmeric powder made by her mother and accompanied by her hand made delicious noodles as well. Lan Anh is interesting to talk to and knows lots about Ho Chi Minh City from working as a journalist.
- mitchsf February 11, 2018
We had a fun eye opening market tour with Lan Anh. She was very sweet and did a great job of managing our large group. We made lovely spring rolls and shrimp and pork pancakes. It was a great experience and we would highly recommend her!
- Julianne F January 17, 2018
From arranging the taxi for us from our hotel to her home, walking us across a crazy busy Saigon roundabout, through the market, to explaining and cooking the beautiful food, Lan Anh was a wonderfull host. Friendly and informative, we learnt much about what life in modern Vietnam is really like, and the food was a bonus. Delightful!
- teebone2017 October 26, 2017
This experience was wonderful. Our host was welcoming and so willing to share about her culture and answer our questions. The trip with her to the market was a really special experience, as was having her teach us how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes.
- Megan July 01, 2017
fabulous Beyond expectation
- May 04, 2017
Lee Anh was an exceptional hostess. We felt at home in her kitchen and part of her family. Her cooking skills are excellent and the food was fabulous. We learned as much about the culture as we did the food.
- May 03, 2017
Lan Anh Lê was a very gracious host I enjoyed her cooking and conversation tremendously. I loved the experience and will rave to my friends about this app from now on. I will use this app again that is for sure.
- Paul Morris January 05, 2017
- December 30, 2016
Lan Anh is an amazing hostess and cook! Her dishes were excellent, and her she was an incredibly caring and informative teacher. We enthusiastically recommend her!
- Kylie December 13, 2016
Our host was warm and friendly, meal was interactive. Menu items were somewhat different from what was indicated. However, the one thing we felt given the local context was the price. It seemed very overpriced, food in Vietnam is cheap and an equivalent meal usually costs between USD 3-10/11 depending on the street food vs decent restaurant.
- March 02, 2016
Traveling Spoon was an ideal way to break free of the typical tourist experience and see a piece of the country (Vietnam) from a local's perspective.
- Gabe February 05, 2016
Read More
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Lan Anh

$14-$54 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $25 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $48 $42
Market Tour
 Not offered $16 $14
Market Tour + Meal
 Not offered $40 $30
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $54 $48
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $25 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $48 $42
Market Tour
 Not offered $16 $14
Market Tour + Meal
 Not offered $40 $30
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $54 $48
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 11:00am-1:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm 5:30pm-8:30pm
Market Tour
 10:00am-12:00pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Market Tour+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Lan Anh

Meet Lan Anh, a friendly and warm home cook who delights in sharing her family recipes and culture with guests. Lan Anh lives with her two children and her mother in a typical, modest family home in Ho Chi Minh City. She comes from a long line of excellent cooks and is dedicated to exclusively using all natural ingredients. You can expect a lovingly cooked meal prepared from scratch from family recipes.

Originally from Northern Vietnam, Lan Anh will teach you the simplicity and beauty of her favorite northern and central-Vietnamese dishes.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-10 guests) You will start with a traditional appetizer like a sweet soup or small traditional Vietnamese cake. You will then enjoy two traditional dishes for your meal. The menu includes dishes such as pho ga (aromatic chicken noodle soup with fresh herbs), pho bo (beef soup), bun ca (turmeric-seasoned fish served with fresh vermicelli in broth, scattered with bunches of fresh herbs), xoi xeo (sticky rice with ground beans and flavorful fried shallots), banh xeo (crepe filled with herbs and ground pork or shrimp) and spring rolls (fresh or fried), and seasonal fruit for dessert. The menu will vary based on the season.

Depending on the time of day Lan Anh’s teenage children might join you at the table – they can’t resist their mother’s cooking!

Cooking experience: (2-10 guests) In Lan Anh’s small kitchen you will learn to prepare two traditional Vietnamese dishes. As you chop, fry, assemble and sauté, Lan Anh will teach you about Vietnamese cuisine and some of her favorite cooking techniques. You can learn to cook two dishes from options such as pho bo/pho ga, bun ca, xoi xeo, banh xeo and spring rolls. If you have a preference amongst the dishes, feel free to inform Lan Anh when making your booking which two dishes you'd like to learn to cook with her. Please note that some dishes may require preparation in advance, like marinating meat overnight, which Lan Anh will have already done before your class.

Market visit: (2-10 guests) Lan Anh offers two market tour experiences. If you book a market tour only, Lan Anh will take you to the popular Ben Thanh market, one of the main markets of Ho Chi Minh City where vendors have been selling produce and wares since the 17th century. The meeting location for this is the main gate at the Ben Thanh market.

If you select a market tour as a part of your meal or cooking lesson, Lan Anh will take you to explore a neighborhood market, a true local's market that sells everything from fresh seafood (which you can buy and have filleted in front of your eyes) to a variety of Vietnamese kitchen tools and utensils. Meet at Lan Anh's home before you head to the market. Here, at the local market you will explore regional produce and poultry with your host before you walk back together to her home. Please note that this is a wet market so please wear appropriate shoes.

Notes: Lan Anh's kitchen does not have air conditioning and may be warm.

Languages spoken: Vietnamese, English

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Lan Anh is warm and friendly and genuinely wants to share her passion for food with others. She answered every question we threw at her with excitement and a sense that she wanted to share everything she knew. She was like our adopted Vietnamese mom who wanted to pass on her excitement for Vietnamese food.

Jen, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

4.83 (12)
We are a family with 4 people included my parents, we took cooking class with Lan Anh. It was very interesting to learn something new from other country. Lan Anh she is very kind and flexible with us and she was very happy to share her knowledge to us. Thank you Lan Anh. We hope to see you again in the future. Lin and family
- LoveChiangMaiTouring May 15, 2018
Lan Anh was a warm host with pride in her heritage and strong family ties. She learned to cook from her mother and grandmother who held her to exacting standards of freshness and authenticity. The fish for our soup was rubbed with freshly made turmeric powder made by her mother and accompanied by her hand made delicious noodles as well. Lan Anh is interesting to talk to and knows lots about Ho Chi Minh City from working as a journalist.
- mitchsf February 11, 2018
We had a fun eye opening market tour with Lan Anh. She was very sweet and did a great job of managing our large group. We made lovely spring rolls and shrimp and pork pancakes. It was a great experience and we would highly recommend her!
- Julianne F January 17, 2018
From arranging the taxi for us from our hotel to her home, walking us across a crazy busy Saigon roundabout, through the market, to explaining and cooking the beautiful food, Lan Anh was a wonderfull host. Friendly and informative, we learnt much about what life in modern Vietnam is really like, and the food was a bonus. Delightful!
- teebone2017 October 26, 2017
This experience was wonderful. Our host was welcoming and so willing to share about her culture and answer our questions. The trip with her to the market was a really special experience, as was having her teach us how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes.
- Megan July 01, 2017
fabulous Beyond expectation
- May 04, 2017
Lee Anh was an exceptional hostess. We felt at home in her kitchen and part of her family. Her cooking skills are excellent and the food was fabulous. We learned as much about the culture as we did the food.
- May 03, 2017
Lan Anh Lê was a very gracious host I enjoyed her cooking and conversation tremendously. I loved the experience and will rave to my friends about this app from now on. I will use this app again that is for sure.
- Paul Morris January 05, 2017
- December 30, 2016
Lan Anh is an amazing hostess and cook! Her dishes were excellent, and her she was an incredibly caring and informative teacher. We enthusiastically recommend her!
- Kylie December 13, 2016
Our host was warm and friendly, meal was interactive. Menu items were somewhat different from what was indicated. However, the one thing we felt given the local context was the price. It seemed very overpriced, food in Vietnam is cheap and an equivalent meal usually costs between USD 3-10/11 depending on the street food vs decent restaurant.
- March 02, 2016
Traveling Spoon was an ideal way to break free of the typical tourist experience and see a piece of the country (Vietnam) from a local's perspective.
- Gabe February 05, 2016
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $25 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $48 $42
Market Tour
 Not offered $16 $14
Market Tour + Meal
 Not offered $40 $30
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $54 $48
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $25 $20
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $48 $42
Market Tour
 Not offered $16 $14
Market Tour + Meal
 Not offered $40 $30
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $54 $48
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 11:00am-1:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm 5:30pm-8:30pm
Market Tour
 10:00am-12:00pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Market Tour+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.