Discover the Hue beef noodle cocktail recipe of a Vietnamese bartender ranked 2nd in the world

The Bun Bo Hue cocktail with lemongrass, ginger, beef fat and shrimp paste helped bartender Pham Hoai Nam make a strong impression at the Flavour Masters 2025 in France. Here's how he created that unique flavor.

At the Flavour Masters 2025 bartending competition in France in mid-October organized by the 300-year-old syrup brand Mathieu Teisseire, bartender Pham Hoai Nam won 2nd place overall. The story was shared by Thanh Nien Newspaper in the article "Vietnamese bartender creates a fever with Bun Bo Hue cocktail: Flavor surprises international judges".

Bartender Hoai Nam has revealed the recipe for Bun Bo Hue cocktail that can be tried at home with simple ingredients and instructions.

1. Gin - beef fat (45 ml)

• Pan-fry 40 gr of beef fat to get the oil - add 30 gr of lemongrass and 15 gr of chopped shallots and saute until fragrant to remove the fishy smell of the beef fat. This is the ingredient that brings out the most authentic beef noodle flavor.
• Put the mixture in a bag with 200 ml of Vietnamese Gin, put it in the refrigerator overnight for 24 hours.
• Filter the mixture through a coffee filter.

The purpose of this step is to create the fat and characteristic aroma of beef fat in Hue beef noodle soup. Applying the Fat Wash method - a method created in 2007 - 2008 to bring the flavor of fats such as fat and oil into cocktails.

Hoai Nam mixes Hue beef noodle cocktail under the observation of international judges

Photo: NVCC

2. Vodka - lemongrass, ginger (15 ml)

• Chop 40 gr of lemongrass and 20 gr of ginger then put them in a zip bag with 200 ml of Vodka.
• Sous vide (vacuum cooking) for 2 hours at 62 C ^o .
• Then filter through a sieve to get the mixture.

Lemongrass evokes the characteristic aroma of beef noodle soup, combined with ginger to create a warm aftertaste for the drink.

3. Chili syrup (1 teaspoon)

Recreates the indispensable spicy taste of chili in a bowl of authentic Hue beef noodle soup.

4. Aromatic syrup (10 ml)

"My mother often adds a few slices of pineapple to the broth to make it slightly sweet. I use it to help the cocktail be cool and sweet," Hoai Nam shared.

5. Fresh lemon juice (15 ml)

A bowl of beef noodle soup cannot be without a squeeze of lemon before eating. Lemon also helps balance the sweetness of the syrup, creating a harmonious feeling.

6. Hue shrimp paste (5 drops)

Mix 1 part shrimp paste and 10 parts boiling water, stir until dissolved and filter through a coffee filter. Use only a few drops of dissolved shrimp paste.

Shrimp paste is indispensable when cooking beef noodle soup. The fleeting scent of shrimp paste, the salty taste and the characteristic aroma of Hue beef noodle soup.

A cocktail reminiscent of the taste of Hue beef noodle soup

Photo: NVCC

7. Garnish with a charred lemongrass sprig

Reminiscent of the image of a hot bowl of beef noodle soup just being brought out, steam rising and the characteristic fragrant smell of lemongrass

8. Served with shredded coconut jelly

Recreated like Vietnamese vermicelli. After a sip of cocktail, eat some vermicelli (coconut jelly) to create a cool and sweet feeling to help you get rid of the spicy taste of your dessert.

Previously, in July, this cocktail helped Hoai Nam become the champion of the Flavour Masters 2025 competition in Vietnam. After that, he continued to bring it to the international arena, making an impression on the bartender community in France.

However, because Bun Bo Hue cocktail uses alcohol, he reminds everyone: "Drink responsibly."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/kham-pha-cong-thuc-cocktail-bun-bo-hue-cua-bartender-viet-lot-top-2-the-gioi-185251022134724645.htm