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As an icon in the landscape of high-end Vietnamese cuisine and located in the luxurious five-star Le Méridien hotel in Saigon, AKUNA restaurant has just achieved a significant milestone less than a year after its opening.
A Michelin star was awarded at the Michelin Guide Awards ceremony on the evening of June 27th, affirming the recognition for the restaurant's outstanding efforts in creating culinary art inspired by the people and ingredients of Vietnam. There are five factors used to evaluate and award Michelin stars: ingredient quality, cooking techniques, flavor harmony, the chef's culinary personality, and consistent excellence.
These standards have been applied in over 40 countries for nearly a hundred years, ensuring fairness and consistency in the evaluation process to award a prize that represents the outstanding excellence of world-class restaurants.
AKUNA restaurant receives a one-star Michelin award.
Becoming one of the few restaurants in Vietnam to be recognized by the MICHELIN Guide is a prestigious award for Chef Sam Aisbett and the team at AKUNA. Launched in July 2023, AKUNA embodies Chef Sam Aisbett's journey of developing his creative talent after a period of seclusion exploring and discovering the world of cuisine.
The deliberate combination of his unconventional personality and inspiration from the people and ingredients of Vietnam has created AKUNA's renowned "Unlimited" culinary style. Adhering to the principle of not allowing any style or culture to define his dishes, Chef Sam has continuously pushed for innovation and delivered impressive masterpieces on the fine dining table. The culinary experience at AKUNA is one where diners are always treated to an explosive experience, crafted from local ingredients, spices, and herbs, along with diverse culinary nuances, many of which have never before appeared on a high-end dining table.
Behind Chef Sam's success and AKUNA restaurant lies an incredibly talented culinary team. Led by Head Chef Enrico Gross, the team includes experienced chefs from around the world: Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and France. The presence of General Manager Desiderio Bevilaqua, who previously worked closely with Chef Sam at the iconic Whitegrass restaurant, brings a unified vision and action to the entire establishment. Together, they create experiences that transcend boundaries for diners at AKUNA.
Chef Sam Aisbett
For Chef Sam, the MICHELIN Guide recognition is a confirmation of the right path he is pursuing: doing what makes him happy, working alongside a dedicated and talented team, and striving to break all boundaries to create countless more culinary masterpieces. He shared: “We are very honored to be awarded a MICHELIN star. This is a precious gift for our hard work in providing an excellent experience for our customers, and a great motivation for us to continue our journey of conquering and breaking all limits.”
Chef Sam Aisbett is no stranger to Michelin stars. His previous restaurant, Whitegrass, an icon of Australian cuisine in Singapore, earned a Michelin star for two consecutive years and was named one of Asia's Top 50 Restaurants. In 2018, after leaving Singapore, Sam spent time traveling in Australia before coming to Vietnam and falling in love with its "beautiful chaos." After a five-year hiatus, the vibrancy of the Vietnamese people and culinary culture has reignited Sam Aisbett's passion for free-spirited cooking.
A culinary masterpiece at AKUNA restaurant.
