Explore Vietnam with Luke Nguyen

Join acclaimed chef Luke Nguyen as he takes us on a culinary journey through the northern regions of Vietnam.

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Luke Nguyen's Vietnam

Go behind the scenes of the second season of Luke Nguyen's Vietnam. Starting in Hue, Luke travels through Vietnam's spectacular northern countryside, visiting the natural wonders of Ha Long Bay, stopping at the bustling and French-inspired Hanoi and all the way to the beautiful mountains of Sapa. Along the way he prepares dishes in locations that represent an authentic Vietnam, in all its chaotic vibrancy.

Hue

The first stop is Hue, in central Vietnam, home to the ruling emperors of the 17th century. Luke prepares a fig salad on the outskirts of Hue's historic citadel, the seat of the Nguyen emperors. He visits some of Hue’s local eateries and prepares some favorite dishes with a little help from the locals.

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Luke chats with the staff in Ba Do, squeezed into their tiny kitchen as they prepare the food.

Vinh

Luke travels to rural Vinh to explore the vibrant market lifestyle and prepare regional dishes for the local people.

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The Vinh locals take it upon themselves to join Luke on camera, and are all too eager to help out with the cooking process.

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A local chef shares her food with Luke.

Ninh Binh

Luke's journey continues to the mysterious and serene Ninh Binh, where he cooks in some of the most beautiful scenery Vietnam has to offer.

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Late afternoon in a quiet country temple, Luke listens to two local women sing a classic Vietnamese song.

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A hard task made to look easy: Luke cooks a broth of snails in a little rowboat.

Hanoi

Luke reaches the bustling city of Hanoi to discover its old charm, strong French influence and very vibrant street-food scene. Here, Luke shows off a street-food favorite, Bun Cha.

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Luke meets with Bac Hai, who prepares Pho on the ground out in the alley. Bac Hai's small house wouldn't allow the space for preparation of these ingredients.

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The finished product: a steaming pot of Pho ready for service.

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A local vendor carves her duck, and Luke adds his touch to the specialty by adding a delicious sauce.

Sapa

Luke leaves the hustle and bustle of Hanoi behind for the mystical mountains of Sapa to cook in the clouds. The charming marketplace of Sapa offers Luke a welcoming space to cook a buffalo salad.

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Mushrooms are gathered with a lovely Red Dao girl, Su May, who helps prepare ingredients while chatting with Luke about local life.

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This is the stunning setting of Ta Fin village in the late afternoon before a rainstorm. Sapa has more rainfall year round then any other province, which is why it has great wild mushrooms.

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After a long day of exploring in the mountains of Sapa, Luke stops for an afternoon beverage at a cute local bar.

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These welcoming ladies from the Red Dao village join Luke in a meal, as he prepares a very special dish of farmed mountain salmon.

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Luke finishes his recipe of tofu and tomato then sits back to take in the breathtaking views of Sapa.

Bac Ha

The small town of Bac Ha comes alive on weekends as many tourists flock to its renowned weekend market.

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The town is filled with mountain people; some have walked for many hours in the dark to arrive promptly with their battered livestock for the weekend market sales. These markets are not for the faint-hearted, whether you are a local or a tourist.

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Luke discovers a dish using purple noodles, a rare find, which he uses to make a stir-fried dish with bamboo shoots.

Ha Long

Seafood is the ingredient of choice for Luke in beautiful Ha Long Bay, one of the world's natural wonders. Blue swimmer crabs, pippies and mussels are caught and cooked in and amongst the floating villages.

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Luke enjoys a gorgeous day in Ha Long Bay on a Vietnamese junk.

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On the deck of a junk boat, Luke wok-tosses pippies amidst Ha Long Bay’s famous limestone karsts.

Mai Chau

Finally, Luke reaches Mai Chau and visits the local white Thai people. Here he gets to eat jackfruit salad with a family in their stilt house, cook fish in bamboo and discover his love for a family feast.

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Luke makes a fantastic white Thai specialty, where the fish will be steamed inside bamboo over an open fire. In this second series of Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam, Luke demonstrates his passion for the country, it’s people and the regional food, and creates dishes that inspire the home cook or anyone who wants to try this magnificent cuisine in an easy-to-follow style.