Ly pursued law as a major at university and then traded watches for four years. However, her great passion for cooking gave her the chance to participate in Master Chef France 2015.
“In the first round, I prepared fish soup in Vietnamese style as my mother often does and I qualified for the next round. At first, I did not have high expectations of winning the contest, but when I was selected for the next round, I was determined to enter the final round. I know that many people in Vietnam were pleased with the victory of a Vietnamese French girl. I think that my Vietnamese origins, different from others, also contributed to my triumph at the contest,” said Ly.
When cooking for her friends in France or at special events, Ly often cooks Vietnamese dishes. For some unusual Vietnamese dishes, she changes the taste so it is edible for foreigners.
“In the first round, I prepared fish soup in Vietnamese style as my mother often does and I qualified for the next round. At first, I did not have high expectations of winning the contest, but when I was selected for the next round, I was determined to enter the final round. I know that many people in Vietnam were pleased with the victory of a Vietnamese French girl. I think that my Vietnamese origins, different from others, also contributed to my triumph at the contest,” said Ly.
When cooking for her friends in France or at special events, Ly often cooks Vietnamese dishes. For some unusual Vietnamese dishes, she changes the taste so it is edible for foreigners.
 Ly has always been passionate about cooking and loves Vietnamese cuisine. In 2015, she became famous for winning Master Chef France 2015 with dishes of both French and Vietnamese tastes.  Ly visited Hanoi from March 17 to 23 at the invitation of the French Embassy in Vietnam to participate in Francophone Day and the cuisine programme “French Tastes”. In the photo: Ly shows students from Hanoi National University how to make some French dishes.  Enjoying food cooked by Ly.  Ly presents a prize for cooking to students from Hanoi National University.  Ly and French chefs working in Vietnam.  Ly prepares a starter with eggs and asparagus shoots at a dinner party held at the French Embassy in Vietnam.  and dessert.  Taking a stroll on the streets in Hanoi.  Ly enjoys steamed rice cakes in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.  She tries to make Banh cuon (Steamed Rice Pancake Rolls).  She is fond of making steamed rice cakes.  Preparing dishes at the French Embassy in Vietnam. |
“Recently, I was invited to Singapore to prepare for a party for a group of special guests. I used different types of fruit available in Vietnam. For Singaporeans, their daily meals must include fish and meat, whereas Vietnamese dishes consist of more vegetables and soups. I tried my best to prepare a meal with fish, meat and Vietnamese vegetables and fruit. At the end of the party, some said that the dishes were very delicious and they liked the dishes I cooked”.
Ly is keen on sampling local Vietnamese cuisine so during this trip to Vietnam, she spent much time visiting beautiful places as well as enjoying delicious Vietnamese foods like Bun bo Hue (Hue-Style Spicy Beef Noodle Soup), Cao Lau (Hoi An Style Noodles with Pork and Greens) and My Quang (Quang noodles). Ly said that many foreigners like the Vietnamese dishes which have been seen in some food programmes she participated in so Vietnam should introduce traditional dishes of different regions on media to attract more tourists.
Ly visited Vietnam for the first time in 2014 and this year she came to Vietnam to introduce and promote Vietnamese and French cuisines on Francophonie Day, which is on March 20.
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After winning French Master Chef 2015, she had an opportunity to study cooking skills and management methods which helped students start their business at the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon, a culinary school founded by the “Chef of the Century” Paul Bocuse. She released a book featuring 45 recipes last April. She is a chef at a private restaurant and has been invited to work as a consultant for several prestigious restaurants in other countries. |
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Cong Dat
