Born into a traditional Hanoi family, Madam Nhung was exposed to and loved Vietnamese cuisine at an early age. Her experience in hotel management from a young age helped her understand the importance of introducing culinary culture to international friends. With a strong passion, she decided to pursue the path of becoming a culinary expert, dedicating her life to preserving and promoting the quintessence of traditional cuisine.
She shared: “In my 34 years as 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 dishes, because it is the meticulousness in every detail that creates the beauty of Vietnamese dishes.”
Madam Nhung is not only the 'queen of banh chung' but also a true culinary artist. Besides banh chung, traditional Hanoi dishes such as bun thang, bun rieu, nem thinh and pho prepared by her are also equally popular. "A person who cooks delicious vegetarian food must be a good meat-eater, and be delicate in seasoning ingredients to understand the taste of people who are used to eating animal meat. Cooking vegetarian dishes also requires balancing nutrients, flavors and trying to diversify the types of food as much as possible, in both fresh and cooked forms," Ms. Nhung shared. 
Hanoi Bun thang has an unforgettable rich flavor with the perfect combination of many ingredients and a sweet and light broth. With its beautiful presentation, Hanoi Bun thang is likened to the "five-color flower" of the culinary quintessence of the capital. Although it does not use animal meat, Madam Nhung vegetarian Bun thang still retains its natural sweetness, the "chicken" and "beef" in the bowl are mainly made from wheat flour and mushrooms. The meticulousness in each stage of preparation has helped this dish conquer even the most demanding diners. 
"I've been cooking salty food for 7 years before daring to make vegetarian spring rolls. Because making delicious vegetarian spring rolls is not simple. The ingredients are completely from vegetables and fruits, without meat as a binder, I have to use fresh protein from eggs, mushrooms and young rice... to create vegetarian spring rolls with young rice and mushrooms. This spring roll dish has a unique flavor that is very suitable for vegetarians," Ms. Nhung shared. 
Every season, every holiday, is an opportunity for Madam Nhung to put her soul into each green banh chung, each round banh troi, or each dish on the vegetarian tray. For her, cuisine is not only food but also a bridge between the past and the present, a way to preserve the traditional cultural values of the nation.
Vietnam.vn
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