Despite heavy rain, Nguyen Van Chinh Trung, 52, decided one day to drive a motorbike from Bien Hoa City in Dong Nai province to Binh Thanh district in HCM City to attend the free bakery class run by Hanh.

Trung regularly participates in charity campaigns which deliver food to the needy. When hearing about the bakery class, he immediately decided to join the class to improve his cooking skills. 

He was a bit surprised when facing other learners of the class. They were from different localities, of different ages, with different jobs.

Hanh, the teacher, is not a professional chef. However, she has been passionate about cooking since childhood.

Throughout her young days, no matter where she worked or what environment she was in, she always tried to study and accumulate cooking skills and experience. When working in the tourism sector, Hanh was assigned to teach foreign travelers how to prepare Vietnamese dishes.

After she retired, she invited her friends to her home and opened free cooking training courses. As many people said they wanted to make cakes, she began specializing in teaching how to make cakes.

“At first, I came to pagodas and temples to teach cooking for free. Later, as I realized the high demand, I decided to open a class at my home,” she called, adding that everyone is welcome.

People come to Hanh’s bakery class for different reasons. Many want to make cakes to treat relatives and friends, while others learn to become professional pastry cooks.

“All people can attend the class for free. They don’t have to pay a fee, including for materials. The class has been running for 12 years. At first, there were only several registrants, but now there are 30-35,” she said.

The class opens at 8am and finishes at 11.30am every Sunday. Hanh guides students in how to make one or two types of cakes each time.

In general, she prints the recipes for cakes before every lesson and distributes to learners. She also prepares materials in advance.

During lessons, learners are directly guided how to make cakes, take notes and film the bakery process. She also reveals the secrets she has accumulated after many years of cooking. When leaving class, everyone can take the cakes they prepare.

Phan Thi Khanh Nhu, 72, a student from BaRia-VungTau, attended four lessons given by Hanh. 

To attend the class, she has to get up at 4am to take a bus from Ba Ria – Vung Tau to HCM City to come to class on time.

“She wants to help learners be united with family by making delicious cakes for family members,” Nhu commented.

Hanh’s class is also helpful to many people. Some learners, after ‘graduating’ from Hanh’s class, have become professional pastry cooks. They run bakeries of their own and earn money to feed their families.

According to Hanh, the costs to run the class are relatively high. However, she feels happy to maintain the class because what she receives from it is much more valuable.

“Every member of the class, in my eyes, is a flower that brings joys and happiness. Instead of going shopping and traveling to enjoy a leisurely retirement, I would rather teach people to make cakes and devote myself to those who need my help,” she said.

“I believe that my learners can find joy and happiness when they can prepare delicious dishes for family members. And their happiness is my happiness,” she added.

One day, a learner complained that she could not get along with her mother in law. After attending Hanh’s class, she returned home and together with the mother in law made the cakes she learned from Hanh. This helped improve relations between them. 

Relating the story, Hanh said this makes her feel happy and useful to people. This is an important driving force for her to maintain the class.

“I have led a happy life. So I want to use the rest of my life to do good deeds to be thankful for my life,’ she said.

Ha Nguyen