Mời cả nhà ăn cơm!

The stereotypes surrounding Vietnamese food in Germany perhaps come more from the mainstream and not from the restaurants themselves. Maybe some restaurants do align to some stereotypes in order to allow people to know that, okay, this is Asian and not even Vietnamese but just Asian. Which may make it more accessible to clients. It could be just a way to profit from whatever works and I think it’s difficult to be confined in that box. Then of course, there’s pricing. You need a lot of technique and knowledge in order to make Vietnamese food good.

I believe my cooking is sort of a mix of my inherited cultures and what is accessible to me. So it might not always follow the traditional path, but sticks to those major flavors, and I mean, what is Vietnamese food for the diaspora? Can we make it whatever we want or is it only what people are eating now or have eaten in Vietnam?

Die Art zu kochen kann man schon verändern, aber die Zutaten und wie sie reinkommen – das muss einfach so sein. Zum Beispiel: Wenn mein Mann Fleisch macht, dann muss er das Schweinefleisch unbedingt zehnmal waschen, um den Geruch mit Ingwer weg zu bekommen. Ich mache das manchmal nicht – und trotzdem schmeckt’s. Die Zubereitung macht am Ende sowieso jeder, wie er will.