A looking glass into the essence of Vietnamese cuisine and the life of overseas Vietnamese across the world in the twenty-first century.
Viet Kieu adj., noun: Person of Vietnamese ancestry living abroad; foreigner in a familiar country.
Viet Kieu is a vital, extraordinary cookbook that explores the heart of Vietnamese food and cooking techniques, as interpreted by acclaimed chef Thi Le. Thi is a self-described viet kieu who has spent her life navigating her place across two worlds while never feeling truly at home in either one. The movement between the two is what defines her remarkable approach to ingredients and flavour.
From classics like Cháo gà (Chicken congee) and the southern-influenced Can chau chanh dây (Sweet & sour fish soup with passionfruit), to a vibrant Prawn goi salad with a nuoc mam dressing, and the basics for fermenting Com me (sour rice), along with communal feasts like a Viet Cajun seafood boil-up and the beloved leafy 'Wrappy guy', each of Viet Kieu's 100-plus recipes reflect Thi's unending appetite for food that is alive with freshness, a relentless curiosity and an uncompromising desire to distil the cuisine of her heritage through a modern lens.
Viet Kieu also tells the compelling story of a girl raised in outer western Sydney in a home where narratives of upward mobility were absent. Where a safe identity felt elusive. It's a tale of hardship, deep resilience, cooking as a life raft, a groundbreaking restaurant in Melbourne - and fierce love too.
Thi Bich Phuong Le is a Melbourne-based chef-restaurateur of Vietnamese descent. She runs two small restaurants, Anchovy and Jeow, in inner-Melbourne's Richmond, and a banh mi bar called Ca Com with her partner Jia-Yen Lee and their spoodle Cheddar Cheese.
About the Author
Thi Bich Phuong Le is a Melbourne-based chef-restaurateur of Vietnamese descent. She runs two small restaurants, Anchovy and Jeow, in inner-Melbourne's Richmond, and a banh mi bar called Ca Com with her partner Jia-Yen Lee and their spoodle Cheddar Cheese.
Industry Reviews
'This book has shaken me to my core. One of the most important chefs and migrant voices of this generation, Thi Le generously - and courageously - allows us into the deepest recesses of her heart. And through her utterly delicious, boundary-pushing cooking, she reminds us of the true healing power of food and community. With intuitive observations by Thi's life and work partner Jia-Yen Lee, Viet Kieu is a cookbook like no other, and one that I believe will be spoken about for years to come.'
Kylie Kwong
'Thi Le cooks with a fire that's more than heat - it's instinct, heart and heritage. Her food is fearless and full of flavour, sparking an engaging dialogue between her Vietnamese roots and Australian ingredients.'
Lennox Hastie
'What I love about Thi as a chef is that she is not interested in trends. She makes food that is studied and born from history. She's unafraid to experiment and take time-honoured food traditions from Vietnam and recreate them in Melbourne. It's astounding the lengths she will go to in search of flavour and authenticity. She is incredibly generous in sharing all this knowledge with anyone who wants to know more about the truly beautiful, complex cuisines of South-East Asia.'
Danielle Alvarez
'Viet Kieu is an absolute treasure trove for readers eager to explore the author's journey and the evolving story of Vietnamese cuisine in Australia.'
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