Vietnamese bartender creates fever with Bun Bo Hue cocktail: Flavor surprises international judges

From shrimp paste, lemongrass, ginger to beef fat stir-fried with shallots – all are blended by Vietnamese bartenders in a Hue beef noodle cocktail that leaves international judges in awe.

The familiar flavor of Hue beef noodle soup suddenly became the inspiration that helped Pham Hoai Nam reach the world's top 2 at the Flavor Masters 2025 competition in France in mid-October.

In a cozy space with a mixing counter and judges sitting next to him, bartender Pham Hoai Nam used an essential oil burner to burn beef fat stir-fried with shallots and lemongrass. Before and during the Bun Bo Hue cocktail mixing competition, the distinctive aroma of this dish slowly approached and stimulated the taste buds of the judges in France.

Use shrimp paste, lemongrass, ginger... to make Hue beef noodle cocktail

Hoai Nam transformed into a pilot in his presentation with the implication that he and the Bun Bo Hue cocktail would take everyone to Vietnam, back to Hue - his hometown.

"As a native of Hue, I created this cocktail as a tribute to my hometown. This dish reminds me of my childhood memories in Hue, with my family and friends here," Nam shared.

Pham Hoai Nam prepares to perform with the judges

Photo: NVCC

The Bun Bo Hue cocktail was invented by Hoai Nam 3 years ago. He said that Bun Bo Hue has basic ingredients such as lemongrass, ginger, Hue noodles, pineapple, beef bone broth... To make the cocktail, Nam varied it by using pan-fried beef fat, soaking it in wine with shallots, lemongrass, ginger, and then freezing it all. This is the application of the fat wash method - created in 2007 - 2008 to bring the flavor of fats such as fat and oil into cocktails.

After a day, he filtered the ingredients, resulting in a clear mixture with the fatty taste of fat and the aroma of spices. To enhance the flavor, Nam added chili syrup, Mathieu Teisseire aromatic syrup, diluted pork floss and lemon juice.

In particular, Nam also uses a few drops of dissolved shrimp paste in the cocktail. "Cooking beef noodle soup cannot be without shrimp paste. The fleeting shrimp paste, salty taste and characteristic aroma are the 'soul' of Hue beef noodle soup," Nam said.

Cocktails served in rustic ceramic cups

Photo: NVCC

Judge Nico de Soto - one of the world's top bartenders said he had just flown back to France from Vietnam. After drinking Hoai Nam's cocktail, he felt like he was back in Vietnam. The cocktail was praised by the judges as delicious and impressive.

Judge Maxence Piattelli - winner of last year's Flavour Masters competition and French perfume expert Alex gave Nam the highest score for his Bun Bo Hue cocktail.

Affirming the position of Vietnamese bartenders

As one of the first people to enjoy the Bun Bo Hue cocktail, bartender Nguyen Phu Cuong - judge of the Flavour Masters competition in Vietnam for 2 consecutive years shared: "This cocktail left a strong impression on me. Not only the taste, but also the story behind it, a part of my own memories that Nam revealed through his presentation. The cocktail fits the theme of the competition, Make Drinks Memorable."

Hoai Nam (wearing glasses) looks for ingredients for the second round

Photo: NVCC

"The Vietnamese representative won second place overall. The presentation of the Bun Bo Hue cocktail left a deep impression on everyone. The history of the Flavour Masters competition will certainly be mentioned many more times", said Mr. Ho Hoang Huy (head of the delegation) - brand ambassador of Mathieu Teisseire in Vietnam.

Ms. Hoang Le Thuy Tran, a member of the Vietnamese delegation, shared: "Watching Nam's presentation, seeing the judges' excitement, smelling the faint aroma of beef noodle soup in the exam room, and seeing the image of the Vietnamese flag fluttering, I felt very moved and proud."

Vietnamese delegation in France

Photo: NVCC

After the Flavour Masters World Competition, Nam said he was quite regretful because he did not perform well in the second round and lost a little to the champion from Lithuania. But most of all, he felt proud and satisfied because he had done his best for the journey during the 3-day competition.

"I am proud to have brought Vietnamese culture and cuisine , especially my hometown dishes, to international friends. Vietnamese bartenders are not inferior to any country in the world," Nam shared.

Before returning to Vietnam, from France, bartender Pham Hoai Nam shared the recipe for making Bun Bo Hue cocktail which will be introduced by Thanh Nien in the next article. We invite readers to read it.

Flavour Masters is an international bartending competition organized by Mathieu Teisseire – a syrup brand from France. In Vietnam, the competition is organized by An Nam Group – the exclusive distributor of Mathieu Teisseire syrup in the Vietnamese market. Pham Hoai Nam was the champion of Flavour Masters 2025 in Vietnam in July, selected to compete internationally in France.

The competition is held for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025), with the participation of many bartenders & baristas across the country.

Evaluation criteria include: creativity in technical recipes, balance and uniqueness of flavors, and the ability to convey a story through the drink.

Part 1: True Flavor - 15 points: Create a syrup to mix with soda with mint syrup as the main base.

Part 2: Food Pairing - 50 points: The organizers will provide a dish and take the contestants on a tour of the Herb Garden. The contestants have 1 hour to create a cocktail that goes with the dish using herbs picked from the garden and prepared in advance.

Part 3: Last Final - 50 points: Make Drinks Memorable. Hoai Nam makes a Hue beef noodle cocktail.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bartender-viet-gay-sot-voi-cocktail-bun-bo-hue-huong-vi-khien-giam-khao-quoc-te-ngo-ngang-185251022124426354.htm