Focus: Explore your parent’s birthplace, childhood, family tree, and ancestral roots.
Questions
FAMILY RECIPE
What is your most cherished family recipe, and what is the history behind it?
How did you learn this recipe?
What makes this recipe special to your family?
How often do you prepare this dish for family gatherings?
TRADITIONAL DISH
Can you describe a traditional dish that you are particularly proud of making?
What are the key ingredients and steps in making this dish?
What does preparing this dish mean to you and your cultural identity?
How have you adapted or preserved this recipe over the years?
EARLY MEMORY
What is your earliest memory of cooking or being in the kitchen?
Who were you with, and what were you making?
How did this experience influence your interest in cooking?
What feelings, emotions and sensations do you associate with this memory?
CULINARY TRADITION
How has the Vietnamese culinary tradition influenced your cooking style?
What aspects of Vietnamese cuisine do you incorporate the most?
How do you balance traditional methods with modern cooking techniques?
How do you ensure the authenticity of flavours in your dishes?
A MEMORABLE GATHERING
Discuss a family gathering that was particularly memorable because of the food served.
What dishes were served, and why were they chosen?
How did the meal contribute to the gathering's atmosphere or significance?
What role did you play in preparing the food for this event?
COOKING ADVICE
What cooking advice or kitchen wisdom was passed down to you from older generations?
Who shared this advice with you, and what was it?
How has this advice impacted your cooking habits or philosophy?
Do you plan to pass this wisdom on to the next generation?
ORIGINAL RECIPE
Can you share a recipe that you’ve created or adapted, and what inspired it?
What is the recipe, and what changes did you make?
How does this recipe reflect your personal or family’s taste?
What feedback have you received from those who’ve tasted this dish?
INGREDIENTS
What ingredients are essential in your kitchen, especially for Vietnamese cooking?
Why are these ingredients important?
How do you use them to bring out authentic Vietnamese flavours?
Where do you source these ingredients, especially if they are hard to find?
YOUNGER FAMILY
How do you approach teaching younger family members about cooking and culinary traditions?
What dishes or skills do you start with?
How do you make the learning process engaging for them?
Why is it important for you to pass on these culinary skills?
FAILURE
Reflect on a cooking failure or disaster and what you learned from it.
What went wrong, and how did you handle the situation?
How did this experience change your approach to cooking?
What advice would you give to others based on this experience?
SEASONAL AND LOCAL INGREDIENTS
Discuss the role of seasonal and local ingredients in your cooking.
How do you adapt your recipes to what is currently available?
Why is using seasonal and local produce important to you?
How has this approach influenced your cooking style?
SPECIAL DISH
What is a dish you love to cook for special occasions, and what makes it fitting for such events?
What is the dish, and what is the occasion?
How do you prepare and present this dish?
What reactions do you typically receive from guests?
FESTIVAL CUISINE
Can you describe a traditional festival or celebration and the foods associated with it?
What is the festival, and what foods are traditionally served?
How do you prepare for this festival?
What significance do these foods hold in the celebration?
TRAVEL
How has travel or exposure to other cuisines influenced your cooking?
What places have influenced you the most, and how?
How have you incorporated these influences into your cooking?
What dish best represents this fusion of culinary styles?
PHILOSOPHY
What is your philosophy on food and cooking, and how has it evolved?
How does your approach to cooking reflect your personal standards?
How have your cooking habits changed over time?
What message do you hope to convey through your food?
COMFORT FOOD
Discuss a comfort food that holds significant meaning for you and your family.
What is the dish, and why is it considered comfort food?
How do you prepare this dish to ensure it brings comfort?
How has this dish helped your family through difficult times?
PRESENTATION
Reflect on the importance of presentation and aesthetics in your cooking.
How do you ensure your dishes are visually appealing?
Why is presentation important in Vietnamese cuisine?
What tips do you have for creating an attractive plate?
CLOSER TOGETHER
Share a story of a meal that brought your family closer together.
What was the occasion, and what was served?
How did this meal foster a sense of unity or reconciliation?
What lessons about family and food did you take from this experience?
HEALTH AND FLAVOUR
Discuss how you balance health and flavour in your cooking.
How do you make traditional dishes healthier without compromising taste?
What substitutions or adjustments do you commonly make?
Why is maintaining a balance between health and flavour important to you?
PRESERVING TRADITIONS
What challenges have you faced in preserving culinary traditions, and how have you overcome them?
What obstacles do modern lifestyles or dietary trends present?
How do you keep traditional methods and recipes alive?
What strategies would you suggest for others trying to preserve their culinary heritage?
COMPLEX DISH
Can you explain the process of preparing a complex dish and the patience it requires?
What dish requires the most effort and patience, and why?
How do you prepare for making this dish?
What satisfaction do you find in completing such labour-intensive cooking?
IMPROVISATION
What is a recipe you’ve improvised with available ingredients that turned out surprisingly well?
What were the ingredients, and what did you make?
How did you come up with the idea for this dish?
What was the reaction from those who tasted it?
VEGETARIAN
How do you incorporate vegetarian or vegan options into your cooking?
What adjustments do you make to accommodate dietary preferences?
How do you ensure these dishes remain flavorful and authentic?
What advice do you have for those looking to explore vegetarian or vegan cuisine?
RICE
Discuss the significance of rice in Vietnamese cuisine and your family’s meals.
How do you prepare rice, and what types do you prefer?
What dishes do you serve that highlight rice as a central element?
How does rice symbolise Vietnamese culture or family traditions for you?
FAMILY TRADITION
What is a food tradition you’ve developed within your own family, separate from broader cultural practices?
What is the tradition, and how did it start?
How do you ensure this tradition is maintained and cherished?
What does this tradition represent for your family?
SCARCITY AND ABUNDANCE
Reflect on the impact of food scarcity or abundance on your cooking practices and values.
How have experiences of scarcity or abundance shaped your approach to food?
What lessons about gratitude and resourcefulness have you learned?
How do you teach younger generations about the value of food?
LEARNING FROM ELDERS
Discuss the process of learning to cook traditional dishes from older family members.
Who taught you, and what was the learning experience like?
What challenges did you face in mastering these dishes?
How do you plan to pass these recipes and techniques on?
ADVICE ON VIETNAMESE COOKING
What advice would you give to someone wanting to learn Vietnamese cooking?
Where should they start, and what foundational skills are needed?
What common mistakes should they avoid?
How can they immerse themselves in Vietnamese culinary culture?
LARGE GATHERING
Share a memory of cooking for a large gathering or celebration.
What was the occasion, and how many people were you cooking for?
How did you plan and execute the meal?
What was the most rewarding part of this experience?
ADAPTATION
Discuss how you’ve adapted traditional recipes to suit modern kitchens or cooking techniques.
What changes have you made, and why?
How do these adaptations affect the final dish?
What advice do you have for modernising traditional recipes?
MEALTIMES
Reflect on the importance of mealtime in your family’s daily life.
How do you make mealtime special or meaningful?
What conversations or activities accompany family meals?
How has the significance of mealtime evolved in your family?
MASTERING A CHALLENGE
What is a dish you’ve mastered that was initially challenging, and what was the learning curve like?
What made the dish difficult to perfect?
How did you eventually succeed in mastering it?
What did mastering this dish teach you about cooking or persistence?
SOUPS
Discuss the role of soups and broths in your cooking and your personal favourites.
What makes Vietnamese soups and broths unique?
How do you prepare your favourite soup or broth?
What memories or feelings do these dishes evoke for you?
QUICK MEAL
Share a recipe that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal and how it fits into a busy lifestyle.
What is the recipe, and why is it convenient?
How do you balance nutrition and convenience in this dish?
What tips do you have for others looking to prepare quick, healthy meals?
SOURCING INGREDIENTS
What is your approach to sourcing and selecting ingredients for your cooking?
How do you choose the freshest or most authentic ingredients?
What challenges do you face in finding specific ingredients?
How important is ingredient quality in the final taste of the dish?
DESSERT
Discuss a dessert or sweet treat that you love to make, and its cultural significance.
What is the dessert, and how is it prepared?
What occasions is this dessert typically made for?
How does this dessert connect you to Vietnamese traditions or memories?
HERITAGE
Reflect on how you’ve used food and cooking to connect with your heritage or share it with others.
What dishes do you use as an introduction to your regional culture?
How do you feel when sharing your culinary heritage?
Have you received any reactions or feedback from people unfamiliar with your regional cuisine?
CULINARY EVOLUTION
Discuss the evolution of Vietnamese cuisine in your experience, from traditional practices to contemporary trends.
How have you seen Vietnamese cooking change over the years?
What traditional practices do you maintain, and what new trends have you embraced?
How do you see Vietnamese cuisine evolving in the future?
COMMUNAL COOKING
Have you ever been involved in regular communal cooking, either long-term or temporarily?
How does food bring people together in Vietnamese culture?
What role does cooking or eating play in social events or gatherings?
How do you create a sense of community through food?
IDENTITY
Reflect on the role of cooking and food in maintaining and expressing your identity.
How does cooking connect you to your Vietnamese heritage?
How does your cooking style or favourite dishes reflect who you are as a person?
How do you see food as a medium for cultural expression and preservation?