Taste of Australia 2025 celebrates culinary innovation, Australia-Vietnam connections

The challenge, which asked the contestants to recreate a dish made by chef Hoa, who won MasterChef Vietnam in 2013, on Saturday morning was part of a cooking competition organized within the framework of the Taste of Australia 2025 program.

Held annually, Taste of Australia celebrates Australian cuisine and culture while strengthening the collaboration between the Australian and Vietnamese food industries.

The 'Young Chefs, Big Dreams' cooking competition was designed to provide a platform for young chefs to showcase their talent and to highlight premium ingredients from Australia.

The jury featured renowned names in the local culinary world, including chef Ngo Thanh Hoa, owner of East by Ngo Thanh Hoa restaurant, Sam Aisbett, head chef at the Michelin one-starred restaurant Akuna in Ho Chi Minh City, Aeron Tran, executive chef at Tomatito Saigon, and Frank Pham, culinary YouTuber and head chef at Society Café & Dining.

In the second round of the competition, the contestants were free to get creative and make dishes using the premium Australian ingredient selected by the judge: kingfish.

The taste of Australia with a Vietnamese twist

Over the course of two hours, the eight contestants impressed the judging panel with dishes that uniquely blended Australian and Vietnamese flavors, such as lamb ribs served with sauces made from chao (fermented tofu), fish sauce, and Thai basil.

They also surprised the judges with creative takes on kingfish, including kingfish sashimi paired with xot kho to (Vietnamese braised fish sauce) and pan-seared kingfish served with lotus seeds and mashed potatoes.

"You each have your own way of combining flavors, very harmoniously, and you know how to use the ingredients well,” chef Hoa, who is the face of Taste of Australia 2025, commented on the contestants.

“But what to remember is that the final taste should represent a connection between Vietnamese and Australian cuisines.

"In Vietnam, we often use chao in dishes like goat or duck.

“Having spent time living in Australia and now returned to Vietnam, I always aim to blend Australian and Vietnamese flavors to create something familiar yet unique.

"In the sauce I prepared, I combined various Vietnamese herbs such as Thai basil, coriander, spearmint, and mint leaves.

“I also briefly blanched ginger and garlic in fresh milk to reduce their pungency, giving the sauce a lighter, more delicate flavor.”

Meanwhile, chef Aisbett praised the contestants for their ability to master kingfish, a fish that can be challenging to cook for those unfamiliar with it, using highly creative techniques and clever ingredient pairings.

As the event wrapped up, the top prize was awarded to Nguyen Ngoc Phu, a second-year student at Saigontourist Hospitality and Tourism College, who conquered the judges with his dish of pan-seared kingfish marinated in fish sauce and served with charred pomelo segments.

“What's really exciting about these competitions is that each brings their own cultural heritage and their own skills and talents to bear,” Sarah Hooper, Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre News upon seeing the contestants combine Australian kingfish with fish sauce and other Vietnamese ingredients.

“We've seen really innovative cooking today from young emerging chefs and it's very exciting to think that one day, they'll be running a restaurant and we'll be able to eat Australian produce with a Vietnamese twist.”

“Food is at the base of all relationships,” she commented.

“It's so important in Vietnam, it's so important in Australia and this way we can take Australian produce, Vietnamese cooking talent and elevate it to a world cuisine.”

In addition to the cooking competition, this year’s Taste of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City also featured a namesake expo.

The concurrent exhibition showcased over 30 booths, presenting a variety of Australian products such as truffle mushrooms, Manuka honey, seafood, meat, cheese, fruits, wines, and displays from Australian educational institutions.