The Travelista

  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborations
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Travel
    • Destinations by World Map
    • Hotels
    • Airlines
    • Restaurants
    • Itineraries
  • Life
    • Yorkshire
    • Style
  • Motherhood
  • Inspire Me
    • Adventure
    • Beach
    • City
    • Culture
    • Mountain
    • Tropical
  • Shop
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

My First Time at a Vietnamese Cooking Class

21/11/16 ᛫ 8 Comments

It’s no secret that cooking isn’t one of my fortes. I love to eat food from around the world, but if you were to ask me to recreate any of my favourite dishes, I’d probably do a terrible job. Before we went to Vietnam so many friends told me ‘you must do a Vietnamese cooking class, especially if you go to Hoi An!’. I nodded along and pretended to look vaguely inspired but deep down I knew it wouldn’t be at the top of my list.

We went to Hoi An and feasted on the best Vietnamese food of the trip, but as I suspected, the cooking class didn’t get a look in. We said goodbye to pretty Hoi An and moved on to our next destination; Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. I thought the cooking class ship had sailed, until we were invited by Kuoni to take part in a private Vietnamese Cookery Class for two. Despite my disregard to the idea before, we decided to accept and go along for the experience. What’s the worst that could happen?

the-travelista-jess-gibson-travel-blog-six-senses-cooking-class

Tour of the Organic Garden

We arrived in the Organic Garden and were met by Nguyen Thi Hanh, the resort’s Junior Sous Chef. Nguyen Thi Hanh gave us a tour of the organic garden, talking us through all of the Asian herbs, spices and fruits that are typical in Vietnamese cooking. The herbs smelt so fragrant and reminded me of the aromatic dishes I had been feasting on in the weeks prior. Smelling the herbs made me realise how much of an important part herbs play in perfecting the local dishes.

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class1

Dish 1: Vietnamese Hand Roll with Meat and Prawns and Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Dip 

With a refreshing passion fruit mojito in-hand, it was time to get started on the first dish. The cooking station had been set up before hand, with all of the ingredients in convenient pre-prepared bowls (this made everything a lot easier). Nguyen Thi Hanh demonstrated how to build the filling and roll the rice paper to make the perfect hand roll. After a few attempts, we got the hang of the technique and made 3 rolls each.

Taste Test: After each course we sat down at a table to sample the dish we had just made. I wasn’t sure if I would like the hand rolls as I usually like my meat to be hot, but the combination of flavours was absolutely delicious and the crunch of the vegetables and herbs made it taste so fresh.

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class3

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class7

vietnamese-hand-roll-cooking-class

Dish 2: Hot and Sour Fish Soup

This typical Vietnamese dish started with a flavoursome fish stock before adding chunks of pineapple, tomato, okra and chilli. Once the soup was bubbling away we threw in the fish, which slowly cooked within the sauce. The pineapple gave it a delicious sweetness and adding all the ingredients myself helped me to understand where all the different flavours come from.

Taste Test: The first hot dish was like a Vietnamese comfort food dish; warming, hearty and delicious. The soup itself was bursting with flavour and tasted like it could have been served at a top Vietnamese restaurant. I couldn’t believe I had put it together myself (with expert instruction of course!)

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class6

hot-sour-fish-soup-vietnamese-cooking-class

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class8

Dish 3: Seafood Simmered in Clay Pot

This was our main course dish, which also featured mixed seafood. As with the soup, this dish started with a magic combination of base ingredients including shallots, fish sauce, chilli and caramelised sugar. As the clay-pot simmered away, more flavours emerged.

Taste Test: By the final dish I was incredibly full but had just enough room to sample a bit of everything in the bowl. As it was our main dish, the simmered seafood was served with a bowl of rice, which soaked up the sauce beautifully.

seafood-clay-pot-vietnamese-cooking-class

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class9

six-senses-ninh-van-bay-vietnamese-cooking-class2

What I learnt from the experience  

Firstly, I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed the whole experience. Tasting the food was so much more satisfying than eating at a restaurant, as I had see each delicious course come together from the raw ingredients (with such exotic dishes, I usually never see this process). I was fascinated by the finesse and skill of our chef and how she knew exactly what was missing when she tested our dishes. Eating the dishes in between each demonstration made the whole thing feel like a unique dining experience and ironically, it turned out to be the highlight of my stay at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay.

So is this the start of a long and fruitful cookery career for The Travelista? Perhaps not. But Scott and I are planning to host a Vietnamese dinner party for our friends, where we will recreate every dish listed above. I can’t wait to give it a go and crack out our new Vietnamese chopstick set!

Click here to download the Six Senses recipes for each dish shown

Want to know more about Six Senses Ninh Van Bay? Read my full review post

What did you think of my attempt at a Vietnamese cooking class? Has it left you craving Vietnamese food? If you enjoyed this post please leave me a comment in the box below x

This post has been sponsored as part of a content collaboration with Kuoni. All views are my own. To experience Six Senses Ninh Van Bay and a private cooking class for yourself, speak to the travel experts at kuoni.co.uk

8 Comments

Related Posts

  • My 3 Week Vietnam Travel Itinerary
  • The Banjaran Hot Springs Resort Ipoh, Malaysia
  • What to Expect when Visiting Chichen Itza
« As Featured in Thomson’s Inflight Magazine
Why I Loved Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa »

Comments

  1. denimfish says

    29th November 2016 at 10:01 am

    Wow, my mouth is watering reading this. Looks amazing! Vietnam is on my list.

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      29th November 2016 at 10:12 pm

      It was all so delicious! The recipes are available via the link in this post if you want to have a go yourself 🙂

      Reply
  2. Tale of Nine says

    24th November 2016 at 9:46 am

    This looks like a great foodie experience, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      24th November 2016 at 11:39 am

      Thanks for your comment Tale of Nine! I always enjoy blogging about things like this as it’s a memory of the experience for me too 🙂

      Reply
  3. Beverley Haston says

    23rd November 2016 at 6:32 pm

    Wonderful post! Thank you for leaving the recipe link. I am going to have a go at those hand rolls. Beverley.

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      24th November 2016 at 11:39 am

      Oh I am so pleased to hear this Beverley! I’d love you to send me a photo of your finished result 🙂

      Reply
  4. Georgina Goodman says

    23rd November 2016 at 4:11 pm

    Cooking wasn’t the top of my list when I was in Thailand but it sounds like it was pretty fun! Maybe next time 🙂

    http://www.georginadoes.co.uk

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      24th November 2016 at 11:41 am

      Hey Georgia! Good to know you weren’t too fussed about the cooking either. But maybe this means you’ll really enjoy it if you try it too 🙂 x

      Reply

Spark a conversation! Cancel reply

Jess is an an award-winning travel blogger based in Yorkshire, navigating the world as a new Mum to baby Theo. Blogging about adventures both local and global.

Read More

Booking.com

Subscribe

Never Miss a Post!

Latest Posts

The Best Places to Stay in Florence

Woolacombe Beach

A Toddler-Friendly Holiday in North Devon

Our Mini Adventures: 5 Family Friendly Days Out in Yorkshire

Follow on Instagram

Ad We’re moving! 🏡 Our little house is now a Ad We’re moving! 🏡 Our little house is now a place of so many special memories and ‘firsts’, but we have definitely outgrown it and feel it’s the right time to move on to an exciting new chapter. We are relocating from Leeds to York, which is my home town. After all the isolation of the pandemic, we can’t wait to be closer to family and friends. We’ve listed our house with @purplebricksuk and are managing all our own viewings through the Purple Bricks app. Check out my house move story highlight to keep up to date with how we get on. Wish us luck for a smooth-ish process. This is uncharted territory🤞🏼😆
Happy Valentine’s and 6 year anniversary to my d Happy Valentine’s and 6 year anniversary to my dream man @scottwh9. I love you more every year 💫
I’ve welcomed some new followers this week after I’ve welcomed some new followers this week after @mother.ly reposted one of my prematurity posts. So, I thought I’d say Hi and introduce myself if you’re new here. Here are 6 things to know about me ☺️👋🏼

1️⃣ My name is Jess. I’m 30 and I live in Leeds which is in Yorkshire, UK. I live with my partner Scott and son Theo who is 2.

2️⃣ The Travelista is a travel blog I created in 2013 which grew to become my full time job and business. I plan to travel regularly again and show my son the world, when it’s safe to.

3️⃣ My son Theo was born prematurely at 25+6 weeks gestation due to #PPROM. He spent 109 days / 4 months in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) before coming home. He’s now healthy and thriving. I now also use my IG to advocate for #prematurityawareness 

4️⃣ I speak openly and honestly about mental health and the healing process I am going through after experiencing PTSD and post natal anxiety after Theo’s birth

5️⃣ I am a proud working Mum. I run The Travelista as a small business and work part time for a UK charity, making use of my digital skills for a great cause 

6️⃣ I love to write and a personal goal of mine is to get a book deal and publish a successful novel

Whether you’re a new follower or an original, leave me a comment and tell me where in the world you’re following from. Thank you for being here 💓🌏
Yesterday I had knee surgery to repair my torn car Yesterday I had knee surgery to repair my torn cartilage and finally unlock my knee. After a long wait and 3 cancelled surgery dates, I managed to get transferred to the trauma list at Leeds General Infirmary, which was a very, brilliant, last minute plot twist. 

I will need a second surgery to repair my torn ACL ligament in a few months, but yesterday’s surgery will allow me to get back on my feet and walking again which is the most important thing. Yesterday brought many PTSD triggers surrounding Theo’s birth, but I kept reading over the affirmations I wrote with @naomipsychotherapy as well as calming breath work. I am proud of myself for getting through the day.

I’m now back home recovering, very sore and drowsy from meds but feeling relieved and grateful that everything went well. The staff were wonderful and all truly deserve medals for what they do. Now time to rest, start gentle movements and ultimately get back on my feet ☺️💪🏼💫
Do you ever find yourself day dreaming about that Do you ever find yourself day dreaming about that first holiday post-Covid? Do you ever think about how profound it will feel? I wrote a poem about it to escape these long, dark days.

Warm skin, 
Frizzy hair. 
Soul alight, 
Without a care. 

Tanned legs, 
After sun. 
Mind is calm, 
Just having fun.

A day of new experience, 
Has just taken place. 
You embrace the unfamiliar, 
And every new and friendly face. 

The sun begins to set, 
And tomorrow is unplanned. 
You sip on something cold,
Toes buried in the sand. 

Midas touch is on the horizon, 
Peace is in your heart. 
Surrounded by those you love,
This moment is a work of art. 

Something feels different, 
You've seen sunsets before. 
But all your sense are heightened, 
You feel it at your core. 

Over a year of loss and struggle, 
The entire world is healing. 
Simple, little, wild things, 
Now have so much meaning.

As the sun sets, 
You realise the magnitude.
All you’re feeling in this moment, 
Is a new found sense of gratitude. 💫
Hey guys 👋🏼 This is my little self-developme Hey guys 👋🏼 This is my little self-development project. On 1st January I set some new intentions (not resolutions). The main one was to try and start waking up 1 hour earlier (I am not a morning person). But I wanted to make a change to start each day slowly and mindfully; to wake up and put my own needs first. Usually I would roll out of bed and be straight into Mum mode. Now I sit in silence with a hot cup of tea. Honestly, it has transformed my mornings and I can’t believe I’ve not done it sooner. Here are a few things I’ve been doing in my new daily hour of mental self care; 

⭐️1. The 5 Minute Journal - This book has been the greatest gift I have received in a long time. It has helped me to find gratitude in the smallest things, even when the world feels like its falling apart. I start my hour by filling out this journal. @fiveminutejournal 

⭐️2. Affirmations - I bought these beautiful affirmation cards from @lovaine_store on Etsy. Each morning I pick out a new affirmation and write it in my journal. Then I pluck another from my head. They're definitely teaching me to be kinder to myself and make me feel mentally stronger.

⭐️3. Mindfulness - After my journal I practice a guided meditation using the @calm app. 13 days in, I feel a lot more clarity. Tomorrow I’m also starting an 8 week mindfulness cognitive behavioural therapy course with @natalieenglander. I am a novice and I am excited to learn more.

Whilst we all feel like we have very little control over our lives right now, the one thing we CAN still control is our mindset. If you’re feeling frazzled and overwhelmed by the world right now, I really can’t recommend trying things enough ✨ 

What are you doing to look after your mental well-being right now? It’s brutal at the moment. Take care guys 💓

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Subscribe for Travelista updates and newsletters

Latest Video

  • 3847likes
  • 19680followers
  • 10374followers
  • 1880subscribers

Copyright © 2021 · Design by Gatto

Copyright © 2021 · The Travelista on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQ
  • Contact