Apron Up Cooking Class

The Apron Up Cooking Class is a compact Vietnamese cooking class at 8 Gia Ngư, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, in the Old Quarter of Hà Nội, Vietnam. It is run by Apron Up Cooking Class (apronupcookingclass.com, phone +84 942 406 686) from a home kitchen a minute from the Hàng Bè market street. The operator's website should be consulted for how long the class has been running.

Sessions last three hours and run four times a day, at 9:00, 11:30, 16:00 and 18:30, so visitors can fit a class around a morning, lunch, afternoon or evening plan. Each session opens with a welcome tea and a market trip, after which participants cook five dishes, from fresh spring rolls to a northern main. The listing does not detail the full menu, but the dishes are mainly savoury with fresh and fried elements, and participants eat what they cook.

The price is 832,000 VND (USD 32.00) per person for the group class. It includes an English-speaking chef, the welcome tea and market trip, all ingredients for the five dishes, and a cookbook and certificate. Drinks beyond the tea and any tips are not included. The lower price compared with larger Hà Nội cooking schools reflects the small home-kitchen format.

The class is taught in English in a small kitchen, so groups are modest and the chef can give individual guidance. The pace is steady, with each dish demonstrated and then cooked by participants. Vegetarian and other dietary requests should be raised at booking so the ingredients and menu can be adapted, since the market trip and shopping are planned in advance.

The Old Quarter location makes the class easy to reach on foot from most Hoàn Kiếm hotels, and the four session times give more flexibility than schools running only morning classes. It suits travellers on a budget who want a hands-on class with a certificate and cookbook, and with a 4.9 rating it is among the highest-rated options in the city.