Description

This 6-day program explores the intersection of gastronomy and sustainability in Vietnam, highlighting the practices of responsible producers, social enterprises, and farm-to-table restaurants. Participants journey through multiple regions — from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta, and then to Da Nang and Hoi An — discovering how food connects culture, community, and ecological stewardship.

Vietnamese cuisine is a vibrant tapestry of flavors, deeply rooted in centuries-old traditions and influenced by a rich agricultural heritage. Through this journey, participants engage with local changemakers, visit pioneering social enterprises, and experience firsthand how gastronomy can be a force for regeneration.

Educational Approach

• Context-based learning through immersion in local food systems across diverse regions
• Experiential engagement with social enterprises, organic farms, and artisan producers
• Peer-to-peer exchange between participants and local food innovators

Itinerary

• Day 1: Welcome to Saigon — Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City. Orientation to the city’s vibrant food culture and introduction to Vietnam’s social enterprise landscape. Evening walking tour through Saigon’s culinary streets.

• Day 2: Food & Social Impact in Ho Chi Minh City — Visit KOTO, Vietnam’s first social enterprise, providing hospitality training for at-risk youth since 1999. Explore Kashew Cheese, a plant-based artisan cheese maker using organically grown cashews from Raglai indigenous communities. Afternoon visit to Limart Zero Waste, a green store chain creating jobs for people with disabilities.

• Day 3: Mekong Delta — Regeneration in the Coconut Kingdom — Travel to Ben Tre for a regenerative tour with C2T, a community-based tourism enterprise. Walk under coconut trees, canoe along rivers, and experience authentic Mekong lifestyles. Hands-on experience picking coconuts with local farmers. Overnight at Can Tho Ecolodge, an immersive eco-accommodation built with stone, wood, palm leaves, and bamboo from the local environment, powered by solar energy.

• Day 4: Traditional Rice & Floating Markets — Early morning visit to Cai Rang Floating Market, where locals trade produce on the Can Tho River. Journey to Lua Mua Tu Viet farm to learn about traditional rice cultivation with Uncle “Tu Lua Mua,” who has spent over a decade preserving traditional rice varieties and natural farming methods. Experience firsthand how this farm serves as a cultural hub for studying and researching traditional rice farming.

• Day 5: Central Vietnam — Culinary Heritage — Travel to Da Nang and Hoi An. Dinner at Reu Restaurant, where molecular gastronomy meets local traditions — each dish is a small masterpiece using reclaimed materials and regenerative principles. The restaurant uses old wooden ships, yin-and-yang tiles, and handcrafted elements with a spirit of regenerating old materials. Visit the organic herb gardens of Tra Que village.

• Day 6: Reflection & Departure — Morning reflection session synthesizing learnings across regions. Discussions on how gastronomy, social enterprise, and sustainability intersect. Departure with actionable insights and new connections across Vietnam’s food ecosystem.