Meat & Livestock Australia hosts food and culture exchange in Hanoi

Female chef Sam Tran from a Michelin-rated restaurant in Hanoi took part in the contest.

Divided into six teams, the event saw young chefs from high-end hotels and restaurants as well as Aussie Beef Mates and Lambassadors compete in a cooking challenge that required each team to create a signature small dish using a cut of Australian beef or lamb.

“This is an extremely interesting challenge, and young Vietnamese chefs amaze us by their creativity,” said 2023 Lambassador Alysia Chan from Singapore. “Meat pieces that are always considered undervalued have been elevated through the subtle combination with local ingredients. I have also learned a lot from this contest.”

Meanwhile, chef Sam Tran said that her team prepared a dish using Australian lamb alongside many Vietnamese ingredients such as fish sauce, black garlic, and chili as a way to introduce local cuisine.

Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Micheal Crowley noted that Vietnam is an important market for MLA and the culinary cultural exchange also contributes to promoting the relationship between the two countries.

Through the contest, culinary experts were inspired to share their experiences and knowledge of using Australian red meat to more chefs and the community as a whole, he said.