NHA TRANG, Vietnam -- The street-side seafood restaurant -- long metal tables, plastic chairs, beer girls in short skirts -- is the last place one would expect a classically trained French chef to give a cooking lesson. But there was the unassuming Bay Area-based Khai Duong, one of America's most acclaimed Asian chefs, giving intricate instructions. For one dish, … [Read more...] about Bay Area-based Chef Khai Duong Is On Mission To Elevate Vietnamese Cooking
Food
Obesity in Asia: American Fast Food is Fare for the Rich
Each time I visit my homeland, Vietnam, I find that many of my relatives have gotten wealthier and progressively fatter, especially their overly pampered children. One cousin in Saigon in particular is raising an obese child. When asked why she was feeding him so much she simply shrugged and said, “Well, we barely had enough to eat during the Cold War. Now that I have money, I … [Read more...] about Obesity in Asia: American Fast Food is Fare for the Rich
A Valentine to Sriracha
I have never been very enthusiastic about Valentine’s Day. Before you write me off as a misanthrope or a bitter old maid, let me assure you: I’m not that old. Just bitter. And I do like people, for the most part. Also, in second grade I found out that the holiday has its possible origins in the decapitation of a guy called St. Valentine (it was an act of martyrdom). Even … [Read more...] about A Valentine to Sriracha
In Thailand, Elephant Sashimi is All the Rage
The following is a post by New America Media editor Andrew Lam. View the original post here. NAM editor Andrew Lam is author of "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres," and "Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora." His next book, "Birds of Paradise," is due out in 2013. In Asia, there's an ongoing irony that deepens as the natural world dwindles to … [Read more...] about In Thailand, Elephant Sashimi is All the Rage
Is Bánh Mì the New Burrito?
Chipotle thinks so. Last month, Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. opened a new restaurant concept called ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen in Washington D.C.’s DuPont Circle. Inspired by cuisines from Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, ShopHouse serves up bánh mì, noodle bowls, and rice bowls using the “Chipotle model,” where customers move along a cafeteria-style line … [Read more...] about Is Bánh Mì the New Burrito?