Master Chef Ngo Thanh Hoa reveals surprising culinary 'duos' with perilla leaves, fish sauce...

Today, April 12, Taste of Australia 2025, organized by the Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, has reached the end of a month-long journey to introduce food and drinks from the land of kangaroos to the people of Ho Chi Minh City.

Australian Flavour Ambassador 2025 Ngo Thanh Hoa and Vietnamese spice tray

Photo: Thuy Mien

This year's Taste of Australia Ambassador is Master Chef Ngo Thanh Hoa, winner of Vietnam's MasterChef Season 1 (2013) and currently owner of East Restaurant in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Chef Hoa shared with Thanh Nien about his journey to start a business in his homeland after a long time living in Australia and his expectations for the country's cuisine .

The transformation period of Vietnamese cuisine

Chef Hoa commented that in recent years, Vietnamese cuisine has undergone a clear transformation. Diners have the opportunity to enjoy new breezes, while professionals have the opportunity to develop their profession and achieve career advancement.

According to the Australian Flavor Ambassador, in addition to the abundant food and ingredient sources in Vietnam, the quality aspect is now pursued, allowing culinary professionals to have more choices.

Besides, the thinking of the young generation of chefs is innovative, encouraging people to regularly update and approach new culinary trends to develop their profession.

And above all, those who experience cuisine also undergo a change towards openness and more enjoyment experiences than before. The change of diners becomes the motivation for culinary professionals to always strive to excel in their profession.

Regarding the current trend, Chef Hoa believes that young chefs have applied and integrated it to create a trend of focusing on the value of raw materials, and using spices in a more scientific , sophisticated and quality way.

According to Mr. Hoa, regional values ​​are now more emphasized than before in food preparation, in which each local story is used and promoted in a subtle way.

"I am truly proud to witness Vietnamese cuisine going through a period of change, transformation, preparing for a new, vast future ahead," said the chef.

Taste of Australia 2025 by the Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, runs from March to April

Photo: Thuy Mien

Collect every mark of homeland

After becoming MasterChef season 1, Chef Hoa spent more than 10 years working in his homeland. During this time, he had the opportunity to travel across Vietnam, thereby experiencing the reality in different regions and summarizing culinary experiences in each locality.

"Business trips are the time when I learn and review how to create the flavors of each dish, learn how locals prepare dishes and then flexibly adjust and change to achieve my own unique style," the Australian Flavour Ambassador shared.

For example, Chef Hoa mentioned the perilla leaf, which is famous for the chicken hotpot dish of the Central region. However, he felt that perilla leaf is very suitable for seafood. Therefore, he used perilla leaf to create a sauce to go with shrimp and seafood.

Or at the Taste of Australia 2025, Chef Hoa discovered that Australian Murray cod goes extremely well with a sauce made from turmeric, fish sauce, palm sugar, onions, garlic, accompanied by star fruit, herbs, and stewed chili.

And to handle the smell of lamb to make it easier for Vietnamese diners to accept, the chef used coriander, fermented bean curd, Hoi An green chili, ginger, and served with taro. The result is an extremely delicious dish, with a truly special flavor and "somewhat addictive".

Special menu for Taste of Australia 2025 by Chef Hoa

Photo: Thuy Mien

Chef Hoa also said that, fortunately, thanks to many years of living and working in Sydney, he is very familiar with Australian ingredients. Combined with his experience in his homeland, within 3 days he built a special menu for Taste of Australia 2025.

“New but familiar,” the chef said of the dishes he chose for Taste of Australia 2025. The menu is designed in a modern way because it incorporates new things, but when enjoyed, it brings a feeling of closeness and familiarity with Vietnamese flavors.

Regarding the cooking competition taking place on April 12, Chef Hoa said that in addition to the necessary skills, the winner is expected to have a broad vision and be sensitive to new trends. Most importantly, the winner needs to combine what Vietnam has with the general trend to elevate the country's cuisine in a more contemporary direction, contributing to the liberation and development of Vietnamese cuisine.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/master-chef-ngo-thanh-hoa-bat-mi-nhung-bo-doi-am-thuc-day-bat-ngo-185250412121137776.htm