A North African man's skillful cooking of Vietnamese rice has left netizens amazed.

Vietnam is "not just a place to live, but a place to belong."

Hamza Smahi (a Moroccan national) is a Vietnamese man married to a Vietnamese woman. He and his wife met in 2018. In March 2023, Hamza came to Hanoi with the intention of experiencing life in his wife's homeland for a few months. Unexpectedly, he quickly fell in love with the country, considering Vietnam his second home, "not just a place to live, but a place where I truly belong."

"Before coming here, I thought Vietnam was a peaceful, ancient country. But once I got to know it, I found it vibrant, full of energy and joy. What surprised me most was how friendly and open the Vietnamese people are, and how their cuisine seems to be intertwined with their daily lives," he shared.

In Hanoi, besides his main job, he spends his free time filming videos showcasing the capital's cuisine and cooking Vietnamese dishes.

North African guy cooks Vietnamese food.

Mr. Hamza truly considers Vietnam his second home. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Hamza recalls that in his early days in Hanoi, his wife took him wandering through the small streets, admiring and tasting exotic dishes he had never seen before. The moment he tasted his first bowl of bun rieu (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), he was completely captivated by the allure of Vietnamese cuisine.

"The dish may seem simple, but it has everything I'm looking for – a refreshing taste, freshness, and an unforgettable blend of flavors," Hamza shared with VietNamNet reporters .

From there, he came up with the idea of documenting his culinary experiences to share with others through YouTube and TikTok. His TikTok channel, active since February 2025, has nearly 100 videos sharing Hanoi cuisine and how to cook Vietnamese meals, all created by Hamza himself.

Although primarily using English, and sometimes Moroccan, Hamza's approachable, passionate, and dedicated approach, coupled with visually appealing and polished content, quickly attracted Vietnamese viewers and followers.

Cooking home-cooked meals "as skillfully as a Vietnamese person"

Hamza started his channel with a challenge to discover 50 delicious dishes in Hanoi. He enjoyed a wide variety of delicacies, from rice rolls, pho, bun cha, and garlic-fried duck... to sweet soups, to tofu and shrimp paste noodle soup, and red jellyfish.

"I've always enjoyed connecting with people through food, and Vietnamese cuisine is perfect for that. The dishes are both diverse and refined, and they come with fascinating stories," shared the man from the North African country.

Hamza skillfully prepares shrimp paste dipping sauce to accompany the red jellyfish dish. Photo: What does Hamza eat?

Hamza not only enjoys the food, but also observes the cooking process and actively seeks information from the chefs. In recent months, he has taken on a new challenge: cooking authentic Vietnamese meals and sharing them on his channel.

"Initially, I just watched how Vietnamese people cooked – at home, on the street, or in family-run restaurants. Then, I started trying to make them myself with the dedicated guidance of my wife and friends. For more difficult dishes, I asked the vendors at the market or watched instructional videos online, and gradually discovered the secrets," Hamza recounted.

Hamza really loves the Vietnamese "home-cooked meal." In his homeland, families also gather around the dinner table, creating a warm and happy atmosphere.

However, in Hamza's opinion, Vietnamese meals are simpler yet more harmonious. A Vietnamese meal always includes a main dish, soup, green vegetables, and dipping sauce. "Each Vietnamese dish gives me a sense of balance in both flavor and emotion," he shared.

Hamza learned everything from rinsing rice and green vegetables to peeling onions and garlic, and then more difficult techniques like marinating meat and seasoning with fish sauce... He did it every day, so gradually, his hands became more skillful and proficient.

He can measure the water level for cooking rice with his fingertips, knows that stir-fried chicken needs a few slices of shredded ginger to enhance the flavor, that cabbage broth should have some crushed tomatoes added, and that fish soup should be lightly fried to make the broth clearer and more fragrant.

"Cooking has taught me patience, attention to detail, and to appreciate every ingredient – even a small sprig of herb," Hamza shared.

A video of Hamza cooking a home-cooked meal of fish in tomato sauce, fried tofu, boiled cabbage, and stir-fried bitter melon with eggs has garnered over 500,000 views. Video: What does Hamza eat?

When asked about the most difficult Vietnamese dish she had ever made, Hamza answered without hesitation: "Definitely spring rolls. I watched a lot of Vietnamese tutorial videos online, asked friends how to choose the right rice paper, how to roll them tightly without breaking, and tried many times. Sometimes the spring rolls broke, sometimes they weren't crispy enough, but I kept trying again and again. When I heard that first 'crunching' sound of crispness, I was overwhelmed with joy."

Under Hamza's video, many Vietnamese people praised him, saying: "This foreigner cooks rice as well as a Vietnamese person"; "He really understands our cuisine"...

Hamza said that each message made him feel welcome. "I feel like I'm part of this community, not just a guest anymore," he said happily.

Hamza travels to many provinces and cities in Vietnam to explore the cuisine and listen to stories. He believes that each dish contains a story – about the land, about memories, and about emotions.

"Vietnamese cuisine teaches me how to slow down and enjoy every moment. I don't just cook Vietnamese food – I'm living with it every day. Cooking Vietnamese food isn't as difficult as people think. Just understand how to balance the flavors and cook with your heart, and you'll feel its beauty," he shared.

Linh Trang - Trong Nghia

A video showing a foreign tourist 'breaking a sweat' while making Vietnamese specialties, laughing heartily in the courtyard of an ancient house in Hanoi, is going viral on social media.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/anh-chang-bac-phi-nau-com-viet-kheo-leo-khien-dan-mang-thot-len-kinh-ngac-2458065.html