After almost one year in the making, “Taste of Vietnam,” a television series on Vietnam’s culture, tourism and gastronomy hosted by American chef Robert Danhi, will start airing next month.

The 26-episode show, jointly held by Ho Chi Minh City Television and Dien Quan Co., will get on air on HTV7 at 9:00 pm every Friday, starting July 18.

In the show, Danhi will be featured preparing more than 90 Vietnamese delicacies right on the beach, in the forest or in the paddies, and showcasing the cultural and culinary highlights of the places he has traveled to.

This year’s show is longer and more detailed than last year’s prequel, “Martin Yan – Taste of Vietnam,” as it features Danhi delightedly exploring Vietnamese culture in several localities, particularly seas and islands such as central Quang Ngai Province’s Ly Son Island, Ba Ria Vung Tau Province’s Con Dao Island, Kien Giang Province’s Phu Quoc Island, and Ca Mau Province in the south.

“It was such a wondrous, unforgettable feeling when I collected garlic on the sand and prepared a crab dish with it right on Ly Son Island. It felt like you’ll never have the chance to do it again,” Danhi excitedly shared.

“The stunning beaches and cheery, warm people in Vietnam are what I’ll remember most about this trip. I’ll surely return to the country, maybe in a project on environment protection,” he added, showing his legs which are riddled with leeches’ bite marks when wading and collecting bee honey in Ca Mau’s U Minh Ha Forest.

In 2000, Danhi made his first trip to Vietnam to experience first-hand and learn about the country’s gastronomy.

He traveled across the country, roaming remote areas and living a rustic life. Captivated by what he saw on his travel, he returned to Vietnam six more times.

Danhi said that in his cozy kitchen in the U.S., he loves to prepare his bread with Vietnamese pork, bologna, and liver paste in the style of Vietnam’s “banh mi.”

The chef is currently working on finding a way to minimize the amount of sodium in Vietnam’s “nuoc mam nhi” (protein-rich fish sauce), an indispensable seasoning and condiment in most Vietnamese dishes.

A 20-year veteran of world gastronomy research and a PhD in Southeast Asian Food Studies, Danhi has authored several cookbooks, including the James Beard Nominated “Southeast Asian Flavors - Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, & Singapore.”

The book was also the winner of the Best Asian Cookbook of the U.S. in 2009 and rated the second Best Asian Cookbook in the World.

He has turned down several tempting offers to work with prestigious restaurants and hotels in order to have time to travel around the world and explore different gastronomic styles.

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