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According to many studies, "fusion cuisine," or more accurately, "combination cuisine," is a blend of different culinary traditions from around the world. This definition clearly reflects the cultural diversity and the open, innovative style of Vietnamese cuisine. The concept of "fusion cuisine" has been recognized since the 1970s and has contributed significantly to contemporary gastronomy.
Fusion cuisine has become a major trend. (Image source: Internet)
In Vietnam, this trend is rapidly flourishing with the emergence of numerous restaurants following a fusion culinary style. From Vietnamese dishes combined with Western cuisine to skillful blends of seemingly unrelated culinary traditions, these innovative experiments by each restaurant are bringing fresh perspectives to the burgeoning F&B market in our country.
Having had the opportunity to meet and chat with Chef Nghiem Minh Duc of Nous restaurant (Saigon), a Travellive reporter shared with him the story of fusion cuisine from many unique perspectives.
Every chef has many different perspectives on the fusion of cuisines from various cultures, and Nghiêm Minh Đức has a particularly profound understanding of fusion cuisine. Fusion cuisine is simply defined as the combination of elements from two or more different traditional cuisines. There is evidence suggesting that "fusion cuisine" began to emerge in the 1970s, alongside the birth of nouvelle cuisine in France.
The term was officially first used by chef Norman Van Aken when he gave a speech at a symposium in Santa Fe in 1988. He briefly mentioned the origins of "fusion cuisine" to emphasize that it would be a mistake to consider it a newly emerging culinary trend, and that there's no need to doubt its existence. Over 40 years of history have proven that fusion cuisine is not a fleeting, superficial trend. It exists and develops alongside traditional cuisine. Traditional cuisine or fusion cuisine, ultimately, are personal choices for both the cook and the diner.
This lamb dish is cooked in a fusion style. It combines New Zealand lamb with Vietnamese vegetables (mushrooms, pumpkin, bell peppers) and a Thai tom yum sauce using coconut milk and Vietnamese scallops.
According to him, given the long history of the culinary industry, we can all imagine that fusion cuisine actually existed much earlier than the 1970s. However, in its early stages, things were not yet clearly defined, and countless creations by food enthusiasts remained unnamed.
Chef Nghiem Minh Duc and his colleagues. (Image source: Nghiem Minh Duc)
Continuing our conversation with Chef Nghiem Minh Duc, we delve deeper into the boundary between true "fusion cuisine" and the rampant, unregulated culinary creations.
Germany, on the other hand, believes that creativity doesn't necessarily need to adhere to standards. The important thing is whether that creativity actually improves or enhances the quality of the product. For food, quality here means whether the dish tastes good and whether the ingredients are harmoniously combined. It's meaningless to tell a great story about how you "creatively" combined the ingredients, but the dish actually tastes terrible, or makes people exclaim, "I'd rather have eaten the original!"
Northwestern Vietnamese pork is combined with chunjang sauce (Korean black bean paste), Italian gnocci, and grilled Da Lat vegetables, prepared in a fusion style. (Image source: Nghiem Minh Duc)
Returning to the story of fusion cuisine in Vietnam, it seems everything is just beginning. Although there have been many unsuccessful experiments, we all acknowledge that our country has the potential for culinary creativity to flourish.
Continuing the conversation, Mr. Nghiem Minh Duc shared what fusion cuisine in Vietnam is doing best: The best thing that "fusion cuisine" is doing in Vietnam is contributing to promoting local ingredients and enhancing their value. Fusion cuisine has shown that Vietnamese ingredients can also be used in high-end restaurants, replacing many imported ingredients.
For example, mắc khén, previously a spice only commonly used by ethnic minority communities in the Northwest mountainous region, is now used by many chefs in restaurants in major cities. This change in perception regarding the value of this indigenous ingredient brings two benefits: firstly, it increases the attractiveness of Vietnamese cuisine in the eyes of international friends. They no longer see Vietnam as a country purely focused on "street food," only offering cheap food sold on sidewalks. Secondly, when indigenous ingredients are appreciated and valued appropriately, increased demand leads to better income for farmers, encouraging them to expand their farming and production, thus improving their quality of life.
A tempting dish featuring Japanese scallops, Vietnamese zucchini noodles, and daylily flowers, blended with a cold brew sauce of Vietnamese red oolong tea and Japanese wasabi. (Image source: Nghiem Minh Duc)
Fusion cuisine is a testament to the intermingling of cultural elements from around the world. Every cooking style and culinary philosophy, when combined seamlessly and skillfully, can produce captivating culinary creations.
