Food pho-nomenon: Koreans chase fine dining flavors in Vietnam as Michelin-starred chef leads innovation

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Food pho-nomenon: Koreans chase fine dining flavors in Vietnam as Michelin-starred chef leads innovation

Published: 22 Feb. 2025, 07:00

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Sam Aisbett, executive chef of Akuna in Vietnam [AKUNA]

In the hit K-drama “Boys Over Flowers” that aired 16 years ago, an ultra-rich boy whimsically suggests a date idea to his girlfriend: “How about we fly to Sapporo on the weekend for a bowl of udon?” That line has an absurd ring today — even with all the money and time, why fly to Japan when Seoul has equally authentic Japanese cuisine?

Culinary tourism, once a hyped trend among epicurious travelers, can feel irrelevant these days, with many acclaimed chefs expanding their establishments globally and social media exposing us to foods from every corner of the globe.

Culinary tourism, once a hyped trend among epicurious travelers, can feel irrelevant these days with renowned chefs expanding their brands globally and social media exposing us to food from every corner of the world. [GETTY IMAGES]

The thrill of discovering new flavors while traveling has also waned due to increased rent in tourist-heavy areas, which has led to a rise in restaurant chains and franchises in lieu of authentic mom-and-pop eateries.

Veteran Australian chef Sam Aisbett was sensing a similar, tedious fatigue in the kitchen in Singapore in 2019. It led him to abruptly quit his smooth-sailing, Michelin-starred restaurant Whitegrass, which he had helmed for four years, to travel and eat around the world. After about a year, he found a breath of fresh air in Vietnam, where he now heads the “innovative” fine dining establishment Akuna.

“There is a refreshing rawness to the culinary scene here that gets me excited again,” he told the Korea JoongAng Daily. “It has opened my eyes to different perspectives and approaches to cooking.”

Contrary to the global assimilation of flavors that made him feel "stuck" as a chef, Aisbett has found Vietnam to be a rare exception — an oasis for any adventurous cook or eater. The chef, recognized for his proclivity toward originality, advocates its relatively nascent and untapped culinary scene, which he anticipates will explode in the near future.

Ogawa Bafun uni, fan shell clam, fermented yam bean, fresh lotus seeds and sour quark drizzled with fermented black bean oil at Akuna [AKUNA]

In on this knowledge with Aisbett are Korean tourists, who comprised over a quarter of Vietnam’s tourist count in 2024. Dining was among the top three areas of spending for them, accounting for 17 percent of expenditure, according to a report from Visa last September.

Their list of foods to try goes beyond pho, banh mi and egg coffee and extends to foie gras simmered in iodized vinegar broth from French fine dining La Maison 1888 in Da Nang and guineafowl poached in salt water from Aisbett’s Akuna in Ho Chi Minh City.

“We have heaps of Koreans coming to our restaurant, and these days, it has a huge following among Korean tourists and the Korean community in Vietnam,” Aisbett said.

Vietnam is the second most visited destination by Korean travelers, with 16 percent or approximately 4.5 million visiting in 2024, according to Visa and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. The number is similar to Australia but follows behind Japan, which tops the list at 54 percent.

The country is also attracting Koreans with deeper pockets, as the amount spent on accommodation marked a 60 percent on-year increase at 21 percent of total money spent.

On par with the tourist demand for luxury, the Michelin Guide debuted in Vietnam in 2023. It currently lists seven one-star restaurants, including Akuna.

Chef Sam Aisbett of Akuna in Vietnam [AKUNA]

Aisbett described Vietnam as a blue ocean for chefs, though he projects it won’t stay that way long.

“Within a few years, I think the food scene will be booming here,” he said. “There is heaps of development here, but at the moment, the rent isn’t crazily expensive. It won’t kill so many businesses as it does these days in so many countries, and it will actually be achievable for many chefs to realize their dreams.”

The prolific varieties of seafood, herbs and protein in Vietnam also greatly inspired Aisbett. His use of ingredients, including porcupine and crocodile, has given Akuna a reputation as a compelling local restaurant.

The chef describes his style of cooking as “attempts to question everything and do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.”

In Singapore, which has a much more mature fine dining scene than Vietnam, he had felt “stuck.”

“I was getting bored. I couldn’t see where I would go from here. How do I evolve and do something different? How do I get excited?”

Saltwater poached guineafowl, Tasmanian abalone and water chestnut topped with white eggplant cream and black garlic vinegar at Akuna [AKUNA]

But the Vietnamese land, culture and people unleashed new inspiration for him, and he has since rediscovered his passion and excitement for cooking.

Aisbett attributed some of that bucolic charm to many of its chefs who’ve never traveled outside Vietnam, unlike Korea per se, where it is typical and desirable for young chefs to study abroad and then return home to open a restaurant.

“There is something very raw, real and stubborn about the culinary scene in Vietnam, and I hope it never loses that,” he said.

“This is my home now. They can't get rid of me!”

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]