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Authentic vietnamese cooking experience

The experience

📍 Location: Danang or Hoi An, Vietnam
⏳ Duration: 1 day (4-5 hours)
💰 Program Fee: $50 per person (10% discount for each additional participant, up to 10 people)

This Authentic Vietnamese Cooking Experience is part of HerKitchen, a social-impact initiative under Catalyst for Change Vietnam (C4C). Unlike typical cooking classes, HerKitchen is a vocational training program that equips single mothers with professional cooking skills.

What you offer

5 hours of help per day

Cooking: Choose the menu, pick ingredients and cook delicious dishes.

Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.

Additional fee required

Amount: US$ 50 Per day

Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers and Materials for volunteer activities

Description: Sustainability of the Initiative: Your participation helps sustain this social-impact program, allowing more women to gain confidence, financial stability, and a pathway to self-sufficiency. Furthermore the fees are covering the costs of material used during the sessions.

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Team Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other people.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!

Free Parties: Get free entrance for the best parties in town.

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate Vietnamese

Between 18 and 60 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

Travel insurance

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

📍 Location: Danang or Hoi An, Vietnam
⏳ Duration: 1 day (4-5 hours)

Program Introduction
This Authentic Vietnamese Cooking Experience is part of HerKitchen, a social-impact initiative under Catalyst for Change Vietnam (C4C). Unlike typical cooking classes, HerKitchen is a vocational training program that equips single mothers with professional cooking skills.

Through this program, single mothers learn, teach, and earn—training international volunteers in traditional Vietnamese cuisine while building confidence and financial independence. Many of them go on to work at C4C volunteer houses across Vietnam or start their own micro food businesses.
By joining this program, you will learn the secrets of authentic Vietnamese cooking while supporting women on their journey to self-sufficiency.

Program Overview
This one-day immersive experience allows participants to:
✅ Learn traditional Vietnamese cooking techniques with single mothers training as chefs.
✅ Prepare and enjoy authentic homemade dishes.
✅ Understand the role of food in Vietnamese culture through personal storytelling.
✅ Support vocational training that helps single mothers build better futures.


Why Join?
By participating in this program, you:
✅ Gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture through food and personal storytelling.
✅ Support single mothers in gaining financial independence through vocational training.
✅ Take home delicious recipes and new cooking skills that allow you to recreate the flavors of Vietnam.

Activities & Shift

Vietnamese Cooking with HerKitchen
Hands-on cooking session led by single mothers training as chefs.
Learn to prepare authentic Vietnamese dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
Gain insights into Vietnamese food culture—family traditions, flavors, and techniques.
Enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal that you prepared.
Storytelling session: Learn about the journeys of single mothers, their challenges, and how food has given them a new path forward.

Program Schedule
Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM) | Vietnamese Cooking Workshop
Introduction: Overview of Vietnamese cuisine, cooking techniques, and food culture.
Select menu and walk to nearby local market to buy cooking materials.
Hands-on cooking session: Learn to prepare 3-4 traditional dishes, such as:
BĂĄnh XĂšo (Vietnamese crispy pancake)
Gỏi chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Salad)
Gỏi Cuốn (Fresh spring rolls)
BĂșn Thịt Nướng (Grilled pork with vermicelli)
Ram (Vietnamese-style spring rolls, crispy and savory)
Phở Cuốn (Pho noodle rolls stuffed with beef and herbs)
Đáș­u KhuĂŽn Sốt CĂ  (Tofu in tomato sauce, a simple yet flavorful dish)
etc

Storytelling session: Single mothers share their experiences, including:
How food is helping them rebuild their lives
Their aspirations—whether it’s running a small food business or working at a C4C volunteer house
Lunch: Enjoy the meal together, creating a communal dining experience.

Afternoon (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM) | Cultural Food Discussion & Reflection
The Deeper Meaning of Vietnamese Cuisine:
The emotional and family connections to food in Vietnamese culture.
The importance of vocational training for women’s empowerment.
How culinary skills help single mothers gain financial stability.
Q&A session with the chefs: Learn more about traditional recipes and the women’s personal journeys.

Rules

Volunteers are required to follow C4C's housing regulations, including adhering to Vietnamese laws, maintaining a clean living space, and refraining from returning late or staying overnight away from the accommodation.