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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Tam

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

USD
$62-$114 per person

Authentic Vietnamese cooking in Ho Chi Minh City

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Tam

Tam learned to cook mostly on her own, but also picked up a few key cooking skills from her mother at a very young age. She later studied baking at Sofitel and owned a bakery, giving her professional experience in the kitchen. Tam feels truly relaxed in the kitchen and finds herself most happy when she is cooking. She also enjoys gardening and grows herbs and plants in her garden space. Tam currently runs her own online catering business and loves that she gets to cook every day and is able to put a smile on people's faces when they try her food!

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: (1-6 guests) Tam lives in a small, modern apartment in Nha Be, a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City. She lives with a well behaved, friendly and loving dog. Tam has no dining table but you will sit at a high table in her kitchen and share an authentic Vietnamese meal together. Some of dishes that you may try are tofu sticks or spring rolls, pumpkin soup, fish stew with rice and beans, beef noodles and Greek yogurt with magic green jelly.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture with this authentic cooking class in Ho Chi Minh City in a local’s home. Learn to prepare traditional dishes using fresh ingredients and family recipes in a warm, inviting setting. During your hands-on Ho Chi Minh City cooking class, you will join Tam in her home kitchen to learn how to make two dishes from scratch. Tam will first introduce you to a variety of local and seasonal ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine and then show you have to create simple, healthy and delightful dishes with these traditional ingredients. You will also help her plate these dishes before you sit down to eat together. The cooking portion of your experience will last about an hour.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) Tam will take you to a local market after you meet her at home, to show you the various fresh, seasonal ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking.

Notes: Your host Tam can prepare vegetarian, vegan and halal meals on request. Please let her know your preference when booking your experience.

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.
  • Fresh or deep fried spring rolls
  • Crab and asparagus soup or Pumpkin soup or Pho or Purple shrimp soup
  • Lotus salad with shrimps
  • Broken rice with roasted chicken or beef or Fish in clay pot (slow cooked) or Fried rice with seafood or chicken
  • Magic jelly with ginger syrup
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Our Traveling Spoon experience with Tam was delightful. She was very friendly, as were her 3 dogs, which we loved being able to pet and cuddle while we sat and chatted with Tam. We enjoyed great conversations with Tam about Vietnam, and her world travels too. She is definitely a great conversationalist. Tam was clearly a talented cook, and explained all the dishes so well, and created some mouthwatering food. We were blown away. I am not much of a fish eater, but everything we ate was delicious. I think my favourite experience was Tam showing us how green leaves and water can be squished and made into jelly. It was almost like a magic trick with food. It was also surprising how tasty it was when we ate some for dessert. Tam’s Kitchen was a great experience and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good meal in Vietnam!

Sara and Nick, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (8)
Tam was a great cook and teacher and made us feel so welcome in her lovely home. I learned to cook quite a few dishes and feel I made a friend too!
- Lisa June 21, 2025
Tam made us feel so welcome in her home and showed us how to make quite a few very authentic and delicious dishes. She was wonderful to talk with and not only did we learn how to cook, I feel like we made a new friend!
- Pat June 21, 2025
The food class was exceptional, the best way to learn authentic Vietnamese food. Great atmosphere. so welcoming. I strongly recommend!
- Stefan_R February 02, 2024
Frankly, we've been in Hòa Hải, Đà Nẵng hundreds of times, but had never stopped here. Are we glad that we finally did! Good food, great atmosphere, "authentic" Vietnamese in every respect.
- 128Susan January 29, 2024
Tam is amazing, so welcoming, such a great, kind and funny hostess. Her food is beautiful, her classes are well worthwhile, very authentic!
- Tookes July 01, 2023
My traveling companion and I signed up through Traveling Spoon for a dinner at the home of Tam Do in Ho Chi Minh City, and had a marvelous time with her and her charming daughter Kim in their apartment. Tam's food was excellent, and she explained its preparation and context for us as she served. Tam runs her own catering business, with a special focus on organic food and environmentally sensitive packaging -- we had a fascinating conversation with her about her experiences.
- Anne B June 16, 2019
Do Tam is wonderful beyond words! We started with a smile and a walk to a street market near her home. First thing, she bought us each a glass of sugar cane juice. We live in Hawaii, and are no strangers to sugar cane, but this was so different and delicious. The market was vibrant and very local. Scooters whizzed around us, and Tam introduced us to local fruits, vegetables and wares offered in the market along with pointing out temples and pagodas. She was very patient with our questions and endless photo taking. Afterwards, we went to her cute, well organized apartment and met her four 'naughty dogs'
- Laura M April 19, 2019
Do Tam is wonderful beyond words! We started with a smile and a walk to a street market near her home. First thing, she bought us each a glass of sugar cane juice. We live in Hawaii, and are no strangers to sugar cane, but this was so different and delicious. The market was vibrant and very local. Scooters whizzed around us, and Tam introduced us to local fruits, vegetables and wares offered in the market along with pointing out temples and pagodas. She was very patient with our questions and endless photo taking. Afterwards, we went to her cute, well organized apartment and met her four “naughty dogs”. We talked easily as she explained her cooking style and got us started on cleaning the prawns. We talked, cooked and ate our way through the afternoon. I highly recommend booking a class with her, you will walk away with a new friend in Vietnam. This was our first Traveling Spoon experience, and will not be the last!
- mauilaura April 17, 2019
Read More

Tam

$62-$114 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+ people
In-Home Meal
 $68 $64 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $102 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $110 $108
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $68 $64 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $102 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $110 $108
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 9:30am-12:30pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Tam

Tam learned to cook mostly on her own, but also picked up a few key cooking skills from her mother at a very young age. She later studied baking at Sofitel and owned a bakery, giving her professional experience in the kitchen. Tam feels truly relaxed in the kitchen and finds herself most happy when she is cooking. She also enjoys gardening and grows herbs and plants in her garden space. Tam currently runs her own online catering business and loves that she gets to cook every day and is able to put a smile on people's faces when they try her food!

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: (1-6 guests) Tam lives in a small, modern apartment in Nha Be, a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City. She lives with a well behaved, friendly and loving dog. Tam has no dining table but you will sit at a high table in her kitchen and share an authentic Vietnamese meal together. Some of dishes that you may try are tofu sticks or spring rolls, pumpkin soup, fish stew with rice and beans, beef noodles and Greek yogurt with magic green jelly.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture with this authentic cooking class in Ho Chi Minh City in a local’s home. Learn to prepare traditional dishes using fresh ingredients and family recipes in a warm, inviting setting. During your hands-on Ho Chi Minh City cooking class, you will join Tam in her home kitchen to learn how to make two dishes from scratch. Tam will first introduce you to a variety of local and seasonal ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine and then show you have to create simple, healthy and delightful dishes with these traditional ingredients. You will also help her plate these dishes before you sit down to eat together. The cooking portion of your experience will last about an hour.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) Tam will take you to a local market after you meet her at home, to show you the various fresh, seasonal ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking.

Notes: Your host Tam can prepare vegetarian, vegan and halal meals on request. Please let her know your preference when booking your experience.

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.
  • Fresh or deep fried spring rolls
  • Crab and asparagus soup or Pumpkin soup or Pho or Purple shrimp soup
  • Lotus salad with shrimps
  • Broken rice with roasted chicken or beef or Fish in clay pot (slow cooked) or Fried rice with seafood or chicken
  • Magic jelly with ginger syrup
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Our Traveling Spoon experience with Tam was delightful. She was very friendly, as were her 3 dogs, which we loved being able to pet and cuddle while we sat and chatted with Tam. We enjoyed great conversations with Tam about Vietnam, and her world travels too. She is definitely a great conversationalist. Tam was clearly a talented cook, and explained all the dishes so well, and created some mouthwatering food. We were blown away. I am not much of a fish eater, but everything we ate was delicious. I think my favourite experience was Tam showing us how green leaves and water can be squished and made into jelly. It was almost like a magic trick with food. It was also surprising how tasty it was when we ate some for dessert. Tam’s Kitchen was a great experience and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good meal in Vietnam!

Sara and Nick, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (8)
Tam was a great cook and teacher and made us feel so welcome in her lovely home. I learned to cook quite a few dishes and feel I made a friend too!
- Lisa June 21, 2025
Tam made us feel so welcome in her home and showed us how to make quite a few very authentic and delicious dishes. She was wonderful to talk with and not only did we learn how to cook, I feel like we made a new friend!
- Pat June 21, 2025
The food class was exceptional, the best way to learn authentic Vietnamese food. Great atmosphere. so welcoming. I strongly recommend!
- Stefan_R February 02, 2024
Frankly, we've been in Hòa Hải, Đà Nẵng hundreds of times, but had never stopped here. Are we glad that we finally did! Good food, great atmosphere, "authentic" Vietnamese in every respect.
- 128Susan January 29, 2024
Tam is amazing, so welcoming, such a great, kind and funny hostess. Her food is beautiful, her classes are well worthwhile, very authentic!
- Tookes July 01, 2023
My traveling companion and I signed up through Traveling Spoon for a dinner at the home of Tam Do in Ho Chi Minh City, and had a marvelous time with her and her charming daughter Kim in their apartment. Tam's food was excellent, and she explained its preparation and context for us as she served. Tam runs her own catering business, with a special focus on organic food and environmentally sensitive packaging -- we had a fascinating conversation with her about her experiences.
- Anne B June 16, 2019
Do Tam is wonderful beyond words! We started with a smile and a walk to a street market near her home. First thing, she bought us each a glass of sugar cane juice. We live in Hawaii, and are no strangers to sugar cane, but this was so different and delicious. The market was vibrant and very local. Scooters whizzed around us, and Tam introduced us to local fruits, vegetables and wares offered in the market along with pointing out temples and pagodas. She was very patient with our questions and endless photo taking. Afterwards, we went to her cute, well organized apartment and met her four 'naughty dogs'
- Laura M April 19, 2019
Do Tam is wonderful beyond words! We started with a smile and a walk to a street market near her home. First thing, she bought us each a glass of sugar cane juice. We live in Hawaii, and are no strangers to sugar cane, but this was so different and delicious. The market was vibrant and very local. Scooters whizzed around us, and Tam introduced us to local fruits, vegetables and wares offered in the market along with pointing out temples and pagodas. She was very patient with our questions and endless photo taking. Afterwards, we went to her cute, well organized apartment and met her four “naughty dogs”. We talked easily as she explained her cooking style and got us started on cleaning the prawns. We talked, cooked and ate our way through the afternoon. I highly recommend booking a class with her, you will walk away with a new friend in Vietnam. This was our first Traveling Spoon experience, and will not be the last!
- mauilaura April 17, 2019
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $68 $64 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $102 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $110 $108
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $68 $64 $62
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $102 $100
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $114 $110 $108
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 9:30am-12:30pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-2:00pm 4:00pm-9:00pm
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 4% 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.