Nén Danang: Unique journey from farm to table
In June 2024, Nén Danang became the first and only restaurant in Viet Nam to receive the Michelin Green Star that was born to highlight establishments at the forefront of the industry for their sustainable practices and dining experiences that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments.
Summer Le, the chef and co-founder of Nén Danang receives the Michelin Green Star award. Photo courtesy of Summer Le |
Founded in 2017, Nén Danang has emerged as a leading innovator in modern Vietnamese fine dining. Nén introduces the true essence of Vietnamese flavours, offering a culinary experience that is both authentic and innovative. By telling stories through food and using 99% hyper-local ingredients sourced from across Vietnam and its own farms, Nén Danang was honoured with the above-mentioned award.
Storytelling menu
The culinary journey of Nén Danang restaurant owner, chef Le Ha Uyen, who is better known as Summer Le in the industry, a former student of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Japan and the Australian National University, began during her final year in Japan, with the blog “Danang Cuisine” signed under the name Summer Le. Uyen recorded her experiences and knowledge about Da Nang cuisine and many dishes across Viet Nam.
“Through the process of blogging, I realized that, besides street food, at that time, Vietnamese cuisine still lacked an important segment, which is high-end and modern cuisine so I wanted to do something about it”., said Uyen.
"After completing my studies in Australia, returning to Viet Nam, I tried many different jobs, but in the end, my passion for cuisine was always the most motivating thing. That idea motivated her to launch Nén Danang in 2017. It was not only a restaurant, but also a testament to the fact that Vietnamese cuisine, with a Vietnamese team and local ingredients, can completely conquer modern high-end culinary standards, on par with international standards.”, said Uyen. With the mission of expanding, in 2022, chef Summer Le officially launched Nén Light in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing a new concept of modern cuisine to Viet Nam.
Outstandingly, both restaurants run under the 'Sto:ry Menu' concept, a tasting menu woven with storytelling elements. "Sto:ry Menu is our way of portraying Vietnamese cuisine, together with the cultural and historical values of this land,” Summer Le explained. Under the 'Sto:ry Menu' concept, the dishes are a wonderful balance of taste, colour and texture.
Chef Summer Le at her family's vegetable garden – Nén Farm. Photo: HOANG NHUNG |
“In the process of exploring and learning about cuisine, I realised that respecting nature is not only a philosophy, but also a way to honour the inherent values of ingredients. Each ingredient carries its own story, from where it is sourced to how it is used in local culture. Therefore, local ingredients are always the top priority in the dishes at Nén Danang and Nén Light restaurants,” said Uyen.
Opposite Nén Danang restaurant is Nén Farm, which supplies about 30% of the ingredients for both restaurants. Nén Farm is developed based on the principle of respecting seasonality as the old saying goes “each season has its own food”. The ingredients are not grown in a fixed manner but change with each season to bring diversity. Therefore, the garden's self-produced supply also depends on the time of year. For example, in the summer, Nén Farm can provide dozens of kilograms of Malabar spinach to make the dish with Vietnamese name ‘Giay Do’.
Bananas are harvested year-round and are the main ingredient for sun-dried banana ice cream, while herbs such as ginger, lemongrass, lime or perilla leaves are always available to complement the Sto:ry Menu.
Culinary perception shift
“I studied abroad for many years in Japan, a country with a rich, profound, and sustainable culture, which is reflected in its cuisine. Observing and experiencing Japanese culture, I realised that Vietnamese culture and cuisine are also substantial and full of sustainable elements. So, why not tell that story through my culinary creations? When we opened Nén Danang in 2017, we decided to use natural, familiar, and local Vietnamese ingredients for my menu. These are ingredients I've been familiar with since childhood, ingrained in my DNA”, Uyen shared.
Uyen believe that sustainable living is in the blood of Vietnamese people; it's just a matter of whether each person recognises and embraces that lifestyle. Her grandparents, like many others from ancient times, always lived sustainably, economically, and in harmony with nature.
Honestly, when she first started, she didn't think about concepts like green or sustainable cuisine. She was simply following the path she wanted to pursue, explore and research pure Vietnamese ingredients and local products, transforming them into more interesting dishes and culinary stories for both foreign and Vietnamese diners.
With a farm right in front of the restaurant, her team can organically cultivate fresh herbs and greens while researching rare hyper-local ingredients.
Beyond the simple and familiar ingredients found in everyday meals, she seeks out unique ingredients that excite me. On her unique journey, she has discovered and utilised ingredients whose stories were less well known, such as banana rhizome- a component unfamiliar even to many Vietnamese people, let alone foreigners.
Through the lens of Michelin Guide standards, in addition to the five consistent global criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and, just as importantly, consistency both across the entire menu and over time, it also aims to be "green" for the environment.
When Michelin awarded the Green Star to Nén Danang, through cuisine, they may have expressed their views on friendly, sustainable cuisine. Michelin Green Star is a shift in culinary awareness, showing that deliciousness of the dish is not only assessed by touch but also placed in correlation with behaviour and awareness of protecting the surrounding environment. Nén does that by using hyper-local raw materials and products.
Uyen believes that ingredients represent the land, lifestyle and people who grow them. The next step is for her team to harmoniously combine local ingredients to tell the story of Vietnamese culture through culinary creations.
“I think that sometimes inspiration finds its way into my creations through the simple moments of everyday life. In our dessert menu, we feature two ice cream dishes inspired by Da Nang's sky - the night sky and the daytime sky. The daytime sky is clear and sunny, while the night sky is velvety and romantic. I believe that anything presented as a story reaches people's hearts with ease, and food that tells stories will make the dining experience more delectable and mesmerizing”, said Uyen.
A dish served at Nén Danang. A dish served at Nén Danang. |
“The Michelin Green Star helps Nén and I reach more people who are interested in sustainable cuisine. However, regardless of this award, Nen must continue on our unique path, because that is our long-term mission. With this award, I am more confident in telling Vietnamese stories to diners through ingredients and culinary creations, helping them see the cultural depth of our country, honouring time-honoured Vietnamese culture and traditions. We hope this will also motivate local farmers to be more confident in their profession in the long run,” added Uyen.
The culinary world at Nén is as vibrant as the colorful world inside a kaleidoscope, where Summer Le and her team freely explore, create, and craft unique, exquisite dishes from local Vietnamese ingredients.
In addition to restaurants, Nén has also explored new avenues, including organising events and collaborating with renowned hotels such as Park Hyatt Saigon, The Reverie Saigon, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. These efforts have allowed Nén to reach a wider audience and showcase its culinary creativity. In March 2024, Nén’s first international branch opened in Tokyo, Japan, marking the first step in its global expansion.
Nén’s culinary excellence has brought a series of prestigious recognitions: In 2019, Nén restaurant was awarded the 50 Best Discovery award; in 2023 it achieved Michelin Selected and in 2024 it was Viet Nam’s first and only Michelin Green Star restaurant. |
In addition to her main role at Nen, chef Summer Le also hosts TV shows for VTV & Asian Food Channel, collaborates with Phaidon - the premier global publisher of the creative arts and is a culinary consultant for international news agencies such as The New York Times, Food & Wine and NHK... |
Reporting by HOANG NHUNG - Translating by ANH THU