Madam Nhung: More than 3 decades of elevating traditional Vietnamese cuisine

Madam Nhung is known as a woman with a strong Hanoian character, gentle, delicate and talented in the culinary field. She is the one who has contributed to creating a new step in preserving and enhancing traditional culinary culture through spreading and "convenientizing" traditional dishes, helping families, especially the younger generation, have the opportunity to enjoy, love and maintain a cultural feature of the country.

Flavors that touch the heart Born into a traditional family in Hanoi, Madam Nhung soon fell in love with things associated with Vietnamese traditions. As a child, she often helped her parents manage the family hotel, at that time, her job was to ensure that foreign tourists had the most comfortable experience while still revealing the unique features of Vietnamese culture and life. And to feel the most rustic, intimate, and rich beauty, there is nothing more effective than through cuisine.

Madam Nhung

Her love for traditional Vietnamese dishes has gradually grown in her. Therefore, although she graduated with a bachelor's degree in foreign languages, she chose to become a culinary expert to pursue for the rest of her life. That was also the time when the name Madam Nhung gradually became familiar to diners who love traditional Vietnamese delicacies. She shared: “In the 34 years of being a culinary expert, my goal from the beginning until now has always been to elevate the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine. I have always been passionate about traditional dishes, passed down from our ancestors, with their distinctive flavors and meticulous, sophisticated preparation. There are dishes that take several days to prepare and simmer to bring out the right flavor. Although, in today's busy life, many people think that those steps can be shortened, I personally remain loyal to the traditional way of making them, because it is the meticulousness in every detail that makes Vietnamese dishes beautiful.”

Indeed, traditional cuisine not only brings valuable taste experiences but is also closely associated with the childhood of many Vietnamese people. Especially for those who live far away from home, traditional flavors bring them back to the warm days with their families, helping to ease homesickness - something that no other delicacy can do. However, in today's modern life, when everyone's time for family becomes more limited or even for those living abroad, who do not have the conditions to buy ingredients or cook for themselves, having authentic traditional dishes at home becomes more difficult than ever. This also partly causes this cultural beauty to gradually fade away if not maintained. Understanding that, with the desire to preserve Vietnamese cuisine, in addition to fresh dishes, Madam Nhung has launched many sets of frozen ingredients with long preservation times. Thanks to that, anyone, whether in Vietnam or abroad, can make traditional dishes such as bun thang, pho, nem ran... with "standard" flavors. Perhaps, the biggest difference between culinary expert Madam Nhung and other chefs is that she can "package" the recipe. If a simple chef can cook delicious dishes, Madam Nhung helps everyone to make delicious dishes. Thanks to that, along with the belief in ancestor worship and the habit of gathering and bonding during meals of Vietnamese families, Madam Nhung's products not only make the lives of modern young people more convenient but also contribute to extending the precious historical thread through maintaining and spreading the beauty of traditional cuisine.

Balance between tradition and modernity Although the “tradition” factor is always put first, Madam Nhung also pays great attention to the issue of nutritional balance as well as the health effects of food. She said: “Vietnamese dishes are characterized by lots of green vegetables and vitamins, which are inherently very good for health. However, during the preparation process, I always focus on minimizing oil. For example, with fried spring rolls, I have specific and simple instructions so that each customer knows how to make them in a way that minimizes oil absorption. Or for mixed dishes, I always make them with rich sauces but not too much oil. Recently, I have developed a line of vegetarian dishes with the standard that although they are vegetarian, they must still be delicious and easy to eat, so that not only those who are used to vegetarian food but also those who are new to eating them will love them. In particular, the most popular products are vegetarian banh chung, vegetarian bun thang and vegetarian nem thinh. All are made from natural, fresh and healthy ingredients. I advocate saying “no” to fake vegetarian ingredients. Although they are vegetarian, I have researched and experimented a lot to come up with the most authentic recipe. Many customers who have enjoyed them have responded that Madam Nhung's vegetarian dishes have an equally appealing flavor as meat dishes.

Each season has its own food, Madam Nhung's traditional dishes are closely associated with the national holidays. From Chung cake, Moon cake, floating cake, vegetarian cake to the dishes on the full moon and the first day of every month, all are carefully prepared and conveniently packaged by Madam Nhung. Mrs. Nhung commented: "The ancients said, the fastest way to love is through the stomach. I believe that delicious dishes are indispensable catalysts of emotions, helping to preserve happiness and cultural beauty of each family in particular and the whole society in general."

Vietnam.vn