A cooking class in Hội An usually means a market visit, hands-on cooking and a meal at the end. This guide compares two established schools using their own websites, so you can see what each class includes, how long it takes and what it costs.
Two schools compared
| Class | What is included | Time | Price (school’s website) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bridge, half day | Hội An Central Market tour, boat trip on the river, herb garden walk, 2 hours of hands-on cooking, lunch | 8:15 to 13:00 | US$35 per person |
| Red Bridge, deluxe | Trà Quế herb gardens, village market, 3 hours of cooking, lunch, boat back to Hội An; maximum 8 people | 8:00 to 15:00 | US$59 per person |
| Gioan Cookery School | Choose 4 dishes, 30-minute market visit, hands-on cooking; about 3 hours in total | Choose your date and start time | Check when booking |
Red Bridge Cooking School
Red Bridge, whose sister restaurant is Hai Cafe, offers two morning programmes. The half-day class starts with a guided tour of Hội An’s Central Market, then takes a boat on the Hội An River to the school for a herb garden walk and two hours of hands-on cooking before lunch. The deluxe class is aimed at keen cooks: it visits the organic herb gardens of Trà Quế, buys ingredients at a village market, gives three hours of in-depth cooking with a maximum of eight people, and returns to town by boat. Both prices include a US$1 transaction fee, according to the school. Red Bridge also mentions a night class at Hai Cafe.
Gioan Cookery School
Gioan Cookery School, at 222/17 Lý Thường Kiệt Street, lets you build your own menu: you choose four dishes, with meat, vegetarian and other dietary options. Its website describes a 30-minute guided market visit, hands-on cooking with its chefs Vina and Mr Ho, and a three-hour session in total, with flexible dates and start times. Sample menus include:
- Signature taste of Hội An: beef phở, bánh xèo, lemongrass chicken and fresh rolls with shrimp
- Vietnam unique icon: bún chả, cao lầu with pork and bánh xèo
- Must-eat vegetarian: plant-based phở, eggplant clay pot and vegetarian bánh xèo
How to choose
Our advice: if you want the market, the river and the herb gardens in one morning, Red Bridge’s set programmes cover them. If you want to choose exactly what you cook, or need a vegetarian menu, Gioan’s pick-four format is more flexible. Book a day or two ahead in busy months, and check whether transport is included: Gioan lists transport as a separate charge.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a cooking class in Hội An?
Red Bridge charges US$35 for its half-day class and US$59 for its deluxe class. Check Gioan’s price when you book.
Do Hội An cooking classes include a market visit?
Both schools here include one: Red Bridge’s classes visit a market, and Gioan’s includes a 30-minute guided market trip.
Can vegetarians take a cooking class in Hội An?
Yes. Gioan offers vegetarian dishes and a full vegetarian menu.
Sources
- Red Bridge Cooking School, programmes and prices
- Gioan Cookery School, class format, menus and tour prices
Facts checked on 7 November 2026. Prices and times are from each school’s website on that date and can change.
