Vietnamese cuisine is not just about vermicelli, banh mi, and casual eateries.

"Vietnam is magical and vibrant. It opened my eyes to the familiar and allowed me to try everything. I want the world to see the culinary possibilities that I see in Vietnam," chef Sam Aisbett told the Hong Kong newspaper SCMP.

The turning point came when Michelin appeared.

In June of this year, the first edition of the Michelin-starred culinary guide specifically for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam was published. This guide includes 103 restaurants, including 4 Michelin-starred restaurants and 29 restaurants featured by the Bib Gourmand.

Previously, renowned chef Anthony Bourdain had put many restaurants in Vietnam on the world culinary map - most famously, Huong Lien bun cha in Hanoi .

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain ate bun cha (Vietnamese noodle dish) with US President Barack Obama in 2016.

This humble noodle shop became famous after Bourdain dined with Barack Obama – then the US president – ​​in 2016. The table where the two ate bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) and drank cold beer has been preserved in a glass case like a museum exhibit.

However, the introduction of the Michelin Guide and the awarding of star restaurants marked a huge shift in the Vietnamese dining landscape, signaling that it's not just about vermicelli and banh mi sandwiches.

Vietnamese-born chef Peter Cuong Franklin, who previously worked in Hong Kong and built restaurants like Viet Kitchen and Chom Chom, returned to his homeland in 2017 to open Anan Saigon, one of the first four Michelin-starred restaurants in Vietnam. He said he has witnessed a shift in culinary tastes in Ho Chi Minh City over the past few years.

"When I returned to Vietnam, the culinary landscape was still very much ingrained in Bourdain's worldview, with street food and local eateries being the main attractions. But I think the Michelin recognition is starting to change the old dynamics and perceptions," he said.

Chef Peter Cuong Franklin

Franklin feels that Vietnamese cuisine is at a historical turning point, heading towards a more exciting and sustainable future that can rival the culinary experiences of Asian destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Given Vietnam's French colonial past, French cuisine tends to dominate when it comes to fine dining. But even that is something Franklin feels is changing.

"French cuisine remains important, but Vietnamese cuisine is becoming increasingly global and diverse," he added.

From affordable to global

Da Vittorio opened its branch in October 2022, marking the second location of this gourmet restaurant outside of Italy, the other being in Shanghai.

The executive chef of Da Vittorio Saigon, Matteo Fontana, said: "When we opened Da Vittorio Saigon eight months ago, we were the first authentic Italian restaurant in the city. Except for a few French restaurants and modern Vietnamese cuisine, the rest were basically just casual eateries."

Becoming the first restaurant of its kind in the city presented challenges: Fontana spent four to five months finding reliable suppliers. "It's easier to source ingredients if you're a French restaurant, but products like tomatoes, anchovies, and some of the pasta I have to buy from Italy," he said.

Da Vittorio Saigon serves classic Italian dishes in the style of the original restaurant in Brusaporto, northern Italy.

Matteo Fontana on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City

More recently, Sam Aisbett, the Australian chef who won a Michelin star for his Whitegrass restaurant in Singapore, has moved to Vietnam. In July, he launched Akuna, a modern restaurant showcasing Vietnamese ingredients, at the Le Méridien Saigon hotel.

"Vietnam is magical and vibrant. It opened my eyes to the familiar and allowed me to try everything. I want the world to see the culinary possibilities that I see in Vietnam," Aisbett said.

The menu at Akura includes Aisbett's creative experimentation with local ingredients, such as saltwater crocodile tongue with signature toppings.

Franklin sees the emergence of new chefs and the growing interest in Vietnamese ingredients as just the beginning of a new movement in the country.

"I think international recognition will inspire a new generation of young chefs and local restaurants in Vietnam. I predict we will see strong growth and development of Vietnam's hospitality industry, especially high-end restaurants and bars, in the coming years," he emphasized.

thanhnien.vn