Veteran chef promotes Vietnamese cuisine to the world

Ms. Pham Thi Anh Tuyet was born into a high-profile family. At the age of 9, she was taught how to choose the best ingredients and how to prepare delicious healthy food.

In 2001, Tuyet won first prize in a Hanoi cooking contest. That same year, she opened a restaurant serving traditional dishes that capture the essence of Hanoi.

“I won a gold medal for grilled chicken with honey at a cuisine festival at Horrison hotel in 2001. My grandmother taught me how to cook this dish. It was acclaimed by celebrated American chef and writer Anthony Bourdain to be the best in the world,” Ms. Tuyet said.

Tuyet was chosen to cook for guests during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang last November. The highlight of the event was a Gala Dinner for APEC leaders.

“The 21 leaders came from 21 different cultures with very different tastes, so I thought about a menu that included both Western and Asian food. I finally decided to introduce the foreign guests to some traditional Vietnamese dishes made from Vietnamese vegetables, fruits, seafood, and meat. I took it as a rare opportunity to promote Vietnamese cuisine to the world,” Tuyet elaborated.

Ms. Tuyet has been in charge of the food at many banquets hosted by the Vietnamese government for foreign guests, and has been invited to cook at culinary events in foreign countries. Tuyet also organized cooking classes for foreigners.

“My class has been popular since I appeared on CNN in 2001. I have taught Vietnamese cooking to tens of thousands of foreigners. Now I’ve expanded my class to young Vietnamese. I want to preserve and promote Hanoi’s delicate cuisine,” she explained.

Tuyet and her recipes have been covered by popular TV channels like CNN, Discovery Channel, BBC, and SRG.