Luke Nguyen Q&A

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bu siness the bu z z

Right: His Vespa is his vehicle of choice in Ho Chi Minh City but Nguyen travelled far and wide to shoot his new TV show; Below: char-grilled pork neck with vermicelli

19

My Hometown: Luke Nguyen The Aussie-raised TV chef talks to Connla Stokes about the incredible cuisine in Vietnam

Q

So what is it

doing publicity for my new

based in Australia], the more I

regularly to Vietnam?

about

book, Luke Nguyen’s Greater

can see that children are getting

My family is from Ho Chi Minh

Mekong, I’ve just opened two

bigger because they’re eating

City, and though I was born

food that makes it so

new restaurants: Fat Noodle in

too much fast food. But I saw

in Thailand as a refugee and

appealing?

Brisbane and Red Lantern on

at first hand how MasterChef

raised in Australia, we lived in

Vietnamese food is delicate,

Riley in Sydney.

Junior inspired kids in Australia

Cabramatta in Sydney, which

to say, “You know what? I’m not

is basically Little Saigon.

What do you

going to eat burgers and chips

Not many people could

hope to achieve

anymore. I want to cook with

speak English – that’s how

with your new

ingredients grown in my garden,

authentically Vietnamese it

Vietnamese

light and balanced; it’s really healthy and bloody delicious. Eating street food in Ho Chi Minh City is also pure theatre.

Q

Sadly, you can see street food

show, MasterChef

or purchased from a farmers’

was! So when we opened Red

disappearing from parts of

Vietnam?

market.” That’s what I want to

Lantern, my first restaurant, in

downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Besides putting Vietnamese

achieve in Vietnam.

2002 we cooked southern-

That’s why one day I want to

cuisine on the global stage, I

open a street-food restaurant

want to motivate Vietnamese

there. For now I have my

people to protect their culinary

plate full. Besides starting

traditions. The more I come

MasterChef Vietnam and

back [Nguyen was raised and is

style food. But I’ve learned a lot

Q

Has your style

about food from elsewhere –

of cooking

central and northern

changed since

Vietnam, and even ethnic

you started returning

minority cuisine.

m a r-a p r t i g e r t a l e s


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