A chat with Luke Nguyen

Congratulations on the second series Luke. What was the most exciting thing about travelling to the North of Vietnam?

The most exciting thing about travelling to the north would have to be spending time with the ethnic minority groups who live in small villages throughout the mountains of Vietnam. They live so simply, their lifestyle has not changed for hundreds of years. Fields are still ploughed by buffalos, old cooking methods are continued, traditional colourful garbs made from dried woven hemp and still worn and they still speak their own ancient dialect.

They don’t have much, but these people are the happiest people I have ever met.

Do you discover any dishes you hadn’t experienced before?

I would learn a new dish every day.

Luke, did you have a personal favourite from the series?

Mai Chau, north west Vietnam – home to the White Thai minority.

I would chop a thick log of bamboo from the village. Pluck galangal, turmeric and lemongrass from the ground. Catch an 800 g carp from the village pond. Climb a coconut tree and pick a young one, on my way down I would grab a banana leaf too.

I pound the aromatics and marinate my fish. Stuff my fish in the bamboo log, fill it with young coconut water, enclose it with the banana leaf and cook it next to the pond on sticks and fire.

Ten minutes later, I remove the fish from the bamboo and am left with the most succulent, tender, tasty fish I have ever had – and cooked with fresh ingredients all found within 50 metres from where I was standing. A cooks dream…

And, congratulations on winning best cookbook at the recent Australian Food Media Awards. What did that mean to you?

It took me 2 years to complete ‘The Songs of Sapa’, and just like my SBS series, there were no studios or food stylists – it is real Vietnam. All the food shots in the book were all taken in their specific regions throughout the country.

So when I heard that I had won the best cook book at the Australian Food Media Awards, I was so proud of Vietnam, its beauty, culture and food. I felt like Vietnamese cuisine had finally been put on the world culinary map. This means a lot.

Your family and heritage features in your shows and books. Is there a chef who was a mentor?

There are no specific chefs who are my mentors, I get all my influences, motivation and mentoring from all the street vendors and market cooks that teach me throughout my travels in Vietnam.

In episode 1 of series 2 you travel to Hue. Did you feel there was a difference in culture there?

Hue is like no other town in Vietnam. China ruled Vietnam for a thousand years, and this is very evident in Hue.

Hue is an Imperial City, home to many Emperors and Kings who demanded that they were to always have more than 50 dishes at every meal, and none of these dishes were to ever be replicated. This changed the way locals from Hue eat, meals were always huge banquets of decadent creations. Hue has a very regal air to it. 

Do you have a favourite dish? And what is your favourite dish in this series? Is there a top of your list?

Favourite breakfast dish: Banh Cuon Nong – Hand made rice noodle sheets stuffed with shredded pork and wood ear mushrooms, served with steamed pork terrine, bean sprouts, Vietnamese mint and a light sweet fish sauce dressing.

Origins: Hanoi

Favourite Lunch dish: Banh Khoai – Crisp rice flour crepe filled with mung beans, pork belly and prawns, served with star fruit and fresh herbs with a hoisin dipping sauce.

Origins: Hue

Favourite Dinner dish: Cha Ca – Snakehead fish marinated in turmeric, dill, shrimp paste and pan fried, served with vermicelli noodles, coriander and spring onions.

Origins: Hanoi

Outside of food was there a favourite travel destination during the new series?

Ninh Binh: The most spectacular scenery I have seen in Vietnam. A quiet country side town with long winding rivers that spiral through golden green rice fields which are surrounded by tall majestic limestone mountains.

Are there any other secrets you uncovered on your voyage of discovery?

Drinking warm snake’s blood is definitely an aphrodisiac.

Luke Nguyen, acclaimed owner and chef of Sydney Restaurant Red Lantern, takes a culinary journey through the northern regions of Vietnam. Starting in imperial Hue, and travelling north toward Hanoi and Sapa, Luke explores nine regions of Northern Vietnam over ten colourful half hour episodes. As he travels around the stunning landscape and chaotic towns, Luke demonstrates his passion for the country, its people and the cuisine while creating dishes that will inspire the home cook or anyone who wants to try this magnificent cuisine in an easy to follow style.

“The cuisine in the northern parts of Vietnam is more delicate, elegant and refined,” says Luke, “As I travelled from Hanoi to the northern mountains of Sapa, I felt like I was entering a whole new country.”

Preview ‘Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam’ on SBS and tune in to Series 2 of Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam beginning Thursday, 2 December at 7.30pm on SBS ONE.

My special thanks from Inside Cuisine to the charming, honest, humble and open Luke Nguyen for sharing his time for this interview. If you like to cook, you can also check out Luke’s PHO recipe on Inside Cuisine.