Vietnamese markets always hold a strong appeal and is a great source of inspiration for Patrick Berenger, a French chef who has worked in famous French restaurants.

Berenger, who worked in Joel Robuchon, La Bourgogne and the Hôtel Matignon, the official residence of the Prime Minister of France, when Michel Rocard served as Prime Minister under François Mitterrand’s administration in the early 1990s, came to teach at the Vatel Hotel Management School in Ho Chi Minh City more than one year ago.

“I love going food shopping at local markets, as they offer fresh, diverse food as well as the chance for me to mingle with locals and learn first hand about their culture and lifestyles,” Berenger shared.

After visiting several seafood stalls at Ben Thanh market, the fastidious chef picked two big tiger prawns to prepare for his sauté prawns on cinnamon barks, a Western dish which has been localized with purple sweet potatoes, purple cabbages and local vegetables and herbs.

At the Vatel school’s kitchen, Berenger showcased his cooking skills and demonstrated to his students sophisticated cooking phases to prepare the dish, including removing the prawns’ heads, sautéing, flambéing and decorating the food with vegetables.

“Patrick can prepare the same dish differently each time with different ingredients and spices,” said Anh Thi, one of the school managers.