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Host: Lua

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

USD
$60-$74 per person

Authentic, homestyle Vietnamese cooking class in Ho Chi Minh City

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

Meet Lua

After working in a law firm for 10 years, Lua decided to follow her passion for cooking and started her own cooking classes from home. During the pandemic she had to close her kitchen temporarily and started her own online business - selling saffron and saffron skincare worldwide. Originally from the north of Vietnam, Lua has lived in the south for more than 20 years and can cook both North and South Vietnamese dishes. She is passionate about cooking (and eating) healthy food, and also loves to travel (she has visited 16 countries and counting!) She practices yoga, meditation and Latin dance for a healthy mind and body. Lua first learned to cook when she was five years old. She was often asked to help around the kitchen with small chores and that got her very curious and interested in food and cooking. She learned most of the traditional recipes she cooks from her family, and also loves experimenting with ingredients and flavors to create her own dishes. An experience with Lua is not just about cooking and eating home food, but also about spending time together to talk, share stories, and exchange culture.

“I would like to help travelers have the best, most unique traveling experience and also help them discover the city as much as possible.”

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: (1-7 guests) Lua lives in a simple apartment in Bình Thạnh. She specializes in authentic and healthy home-style dishes, using high quality ingredients (free of MSG) and also ingredients that are easily available all over the world. A few authentic Vietnamese dishes that you might try at Lua’s home are spring or summer rolls or mango/green papaya/pomelo salad and beef/chicken/pork noodle with spices and herbs. End your meal with a traditional Vietnamese dessert like banana pudding with coconut milk.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Lua focuses on keeping her menu simple to ensure you can easily re-create the dishes you learn with her in your own kitchen. During your cooking lesson, help Lua prepare 3 traditional Vietnamese dishes from scratch in her kitchen. First, Lua will advise you on how best to prepare the dish and then she will guide you step-by-step through the entire cooking process, sharing her secret tips to ensure you get the best results. After you finish cooking, sit down together to enjoy your authentic home-cooked Vietnamese meal.

Market visit: (2-7 guests) Start your experience by visiting the local market near Lua's home. She will introduce you to some of the ingredients common in Vietnamese cooking that you might not be able to find at home, and you will purchase some of the ingredients you need for your cooking class. Then return home for your traditional Vietnamese cooking experience.

Notes: Lua can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free diets, on request. Please inform her in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies. If you are interested in eating or learning to make a specific dish during your experience, please let Lua know at the time of booking.

Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose THREE dishes from the below choices. The whole group needs to choose the same dishes
  • Bún bò Nam Bộ (Southern Vietnamese beef noodle salad)
  • Bánh xèo (Pancake with chicken/pork/prawn)
  • Phở gà (Chicken noodle soup)
  • Chả giò (Fried spring rolls with chicken/pork)
  • Bún cá (Fish noodles soup)
  • Bánh cuốn (Rice crepe rolls)
  • Gỏi (Mango/papaya/pomelo/cabbage salad)
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Lua’s Kitchen was an absolutely delightful and colorful cooking experience. With fresh fruits and veggies laid out on the table when we entered, I knew it was going to be a delicious and healthy meal. I enjoyed that Lua had a few different selections of rice paper to try out different spring roll options. She was such a great host, offering great conversation and delicious Vietnamese coffee. It was a pleasure to spend the evening learning from Lua, and sampling all the different foods.

Sara, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Through my travel agent, I signed up for a private cooking class on my last day in Saigon. It made my trip special for several reasons: 1. I learned a lot about Vietnamese foods; 2. I got to visit the home of a young woman who moved to the city as a young adult; 3. I enjoyed freshly cooked food, with very fresh ingredients -- one of the best meals I had during my 17 days in the country! Lua explained a lot about each ingredient, and I was very happy with the way she shared tasks. Very clean, very organized, and I was also so pleased to receive the recipes Lua emailed me later.
- Ruth M March 27, 2019
Our party of 4 was warmly greeted upon our prompt arrival at Lua’s lovely apartment. She had everything perfectly prepared to lead us through a hands on meal preparation and skillfully directed us through the process explaining how and why each part was done. The 5 of us then shared a delightful meal while learning about Lau and her experiences growing up and working in Vietnam. We all were enthralled with her and the experience.Jack, Anne, Carol & Jon - Denver, Colorado & Minneapolis, Minnesota
- anniegreensprings January 09, 2019
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Lua

$60-$74 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
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $64 $60
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $74 $70
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $64 $60
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $74 $70
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm 2:30pm-5:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-1:30pm

Meet Lua

After working in a law firm for 10 years, Lua decided to follow her passion for cooking and started her own cooking classes from home. During the pandemic she had to close her kitchen temporarily and started her own online business - selling saffron and saffron skincare worldwide. Originally from the north of Vietnam, Lua has lived in the south for more than 20 years and can cook both North and South Vietnamese dishes. She is passionate about cooking (and eating) healthy food, and also loves to travel (she has visited 16 countries and counting!) She practices yoga, meditation and Latin dance for a healthy mind and body. Lua first learned to cook when she was five years old. She was often asked to help around the kitchen with small chores and that got her very curious and interested in food and cooking. She learned most of the traditional recipes she cooks from her family, and also loves experimenting with ingredients and flavors to create her own dishes. An experience with Lua is not just about cooking and eating home food, but also about spending time together to talk, share stories, and exchange culture.

“I would like to help travelers have the best, most unique traveling experience and also help them discover the city as much as possible.”

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: (1-7 guests) Lua lives in a simple apartment in Bình Thạnh. She specializes in authentic and healthy home-style dishes, using high quality ingredients (free of MSG) and also ingredients that are easily available all over the world. A few authentic Vietnamese dishes that you might try at Lua’s home are spring or summer rolls or mango/green papaya/pomelo salad and beef/chicken/pork noodle with spices and herbs. End your meal with a traditional Vietnamese dessert like banana pudding with coconut milk.

Cooking experience: (1-7 guests) Lua focuses on keeping her menu simple to ensure you can easily re-create the dishes you learn with her in your own kitchen. During your cooking lesson, help Lua prepare 3 traditional Vietnamese dishes from scratch in her kitchen. First, Lua will advise you on how best to prepare the dish and then she will guide you step-by-step through the entire cooking process, sharing her secret tips to ensure you get the best results. After you finish cooking, sit down together to enjoy your authentic home-cooked Vietnamese meal.

Market visit: (2-7 guests) Start your experience by visiting the local market near Lua's home. She will introduce you to some of the ingredients common in Vietnamese cooking that you might not be able to find at home, and you will purchase some of the ingredients you need for your cooking class. Then return home for your traditional Vietnamese cooking experience.

Notes: Lua can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free diets, on request. Please inform her in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies. If you are interested in eating or learning to make a specific dish during your experience, please let Lua know at the time of booking.

Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose THREE dishes from the below choices. The whole group needs to choose the same dishes
  • Bún bò Nam Bộ (Southern Vietnamese beef noodle salad)
  • Bánh xèo (Pancake with chicken/pork/prawn)
  • Phở gà (Chicken noodle soup)
  • Chả giò (Fried spring rolls with chicken/pork)
  • Bún cá (Fish noodles soup)
  • Bánh cuốn (Rice crepe rolls)
  • Gỏi (Mango/papaya/pomelo/cabbage salad)
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Lua’s Kitchen was an absolutely delightful and colorful cooking experience. With fresh fruits and veggies laid out on the table when we entered, I knew it was going to be a delicious and healthy meal. I enjoyed that Lua had a few different selections of rice paper to try out different spring roll options. She was such a great host, offering great conversation and delicious Vietnamese coffee. It was a pleasure to spend the evening learning from Lua, and sampling all the different foods.

Sara, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Through my travel agent, I signed up for a private cooking class on my last day in Saigon. It made my trip special for several reasons: 1. I learned a lot about Vietnamese foods; 2. I got to visit the home of a young woman who moved to the city as a young adult; 3. I enjoyed freshly cooked food, with very fresh ingredients -- one of the best meals I had during my 17 days in the country! Lua explained a lot about each ingredient, and I was very happy with the way she shared tasks. Very clean, very organized, and I was also so pleased to receive the recipes Lua emailed me later.
- Ruth M March 27, 2019
Our party of 4 was warmly greeted upon our prompt arrival at Lua’s lovely apartment. She had everything perfectly prepared to lead us through a hands on meal preparation and skillfully directed us through the process explaining how and why each part was done. The 5 of us then shared a delightful meal while learning about Lau and her experiences growing up and working in Vietnam. We all were enthralled with her and the experience.Jack, Anne, Carol & Jon - Denver, Colorado & Minneapolis, Minnesota
- anniegreensprings January 09, 2019
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $64 $60
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $74 $70
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $74 $64 $60
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $74 $70
Alcohol
 $4 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm 2:30pm-5:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:30am-1:30pm
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.