'Always remember the food my mother cooked'

Returning from Hanoi after the prestigious ceremony to receive a Michelin star, Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin (owner and head chef of An An restaurant) was still overwhelmed with emotion. He also sat down with his staff to chat and explore the factors that contributed to the restaurant's one-star rating.

"But honestly, even now I don't know why my restaurant got a Michelin star," the restaurant owner said with a smile, beginning the story.

Peter Cuong Franklin is an American of Vietnamese descent. His parents are from Quang Ngai , while he was born and raised in Da Lat.

The restaurant attracts more Vietnamese customers after receiving a Michelin star.

Peter Cuong Franklin is a Vietnamese-American chef born and raised in Da Lat, with parents from Quang Ngai. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu (a specialized school for business and culinary arts in France) and received training at world- renowned restaurants.

Six years after opening An An, he said he felt very honored that the restaurant was once ranked among the top 50 best restaurants in Asia and is now the only restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City to have a Michelin star. He believes this is a good opportunity to promote Vietnamese tourism and cuisine to the world.

He believes that the young, hardworking staff is the key to the restaurant's success.

Overwhelmed with happiness while sitting with his colleagues, although he couldn't pinpoint the exact factor that led to the restaurant receiving this honor, he believes that the young, hardworking, and enthusiastic staff is the key to the restaurant's success.

"Before receiving a Michelin star, most of our customers were from Hong Kong and Singapore, but lately we've been welcoming more local diners, specifically from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and other provinces and cities," the owner said.

Even though I now have a Michelin star, I always remind myself of my roots, of what my mother cooked for me. I nurtured my inspiration by regularly chatting with street chefs, mostly women. They knew a lot and shared their knowledge with me, even teaching me how to cook; that's how I learned every day.

Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin

Having worked and dined in many Michelin-starred restaurants, Peter Cuong noticed a common thread among them. He expressed: "One Michelin star is already difficult to achieve, but we will continue to strive for further upgrades."

Draw inspiration from street food chefs.

Six years ago, he returned to Vietnam and opened An An with the aim of creating a new style of Vietnamese cuisine in his homeland. He chose a small space in the Old Ton That Dam Market – an ancient market with many stories connected to the people of old Saigon.

With its modest size in the heart of the Old Market and cozy atmosphere, An An's location speaks volumes about its approach to cooking – connecting tradition with contemporary cuisine, offering familiar flavors while constantly innovating.

The dishes at An An use fresh ingredients sourced from local markets.

The Vietnamese-American chef shared that the dishes at the restaurant are inspired by the vibrant culinary culture of his homeland and use fresh ingredients from local markets, combined with cooking techniques learned from his experience working at major restaurants in Hong Kong, Chicago, and other cities.

He gave an example: "Banh mi and pho at restaurants are already incredibly delicious, but I still decided to create culinary innovations based on those traditional dishes, developing them into a different version. For example, with duck, Vietnamese people usually boil it until cooked through, but we are creating a recipe for rare-boiled duck, so that customers will exclaim 'wow' when they eat it. I have to work continuously with my creative team to be able to achieve this."

Peter Cuong said he would never forget the dishes his mother cooked that nourished him as he grew up.

Introducing the name of his restaurant, "An An," he said with a smile, explaining that naming a restaurant is very important and must make an impression on diners. After much thought, he chose a name based on the basic Vietnamese words for "eating" and "drinking."

"I have a restaurant called An An that focuses more on food and a place that focuses more on drinking called Nhau Nhau. Here, they have beer and the way the dishes are prepared is also suitable for drinking beer, elevating street food to a higher level," he said.

To nurture his passion for food, the Vietnamese-American owner says that, as a chef, he never forgets his roots, where he was born, and the dishes his mother cooked as he grew up.

"Even if I have a Michelin star now, I always remind myself of my roots, of what my mother cooked for me. I nurtured my inspiration by regularly chatting with street chefs, mostly women. They know a lot and tell me, even teach me how to cook, that's how I learn every day," he shared.

Earning even one Michelin star is difficult, but the owner of An An is determined to maintain it and strive to upgrade his star rating.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the Michelin Guide's awarding of 1 star to An An and honoring restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City contributes to making Ho Chi Minh City a destination for delicious food. This helps promote the city's cuisine, create a positive impression, and increase tourist spending.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/chu-nha-hang-duy-nhat-tai-tphcm-nhan-1-sao-michelin-luon-nho-mon-me-nau-185230615221657026.htm