Chef Anaïs Ca Dao and Her Cross-Cultural Kitchen Spirit

Joy Around the Table

Ca Dao shared that she originally studied another field, yet spending full days in front of a computer left her drained. In contrast, she felt fully alive when cooking. The kitchen gave her the kind of focused calm where she could do many things at once: chopping vegetables, tending the oven, watching the pot of simmering broth on the stove.

What she cherishes most is the warmth of family members gathering around a shared meal. As a chef and culinary consultant, her goal is not only to create delicious and beautiful dishes but also to spark meaningful moments, turning the table into a place where people can share, listen, and connect. To her, the feeling of being understood and having space to open one’s heart is essential for inner peace.

Born in Paris to a Vietnamese–Dutch family, Ca Dao grew up traveling. The first time she returned to Vietnam in the early 1990s, she did not feel an immediate connection. Everything changed when she began working on her first cookbook inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. That project led her on a journey across the country: from cities to small towns, from plains to mountains. She sought out locals, listened to their stories, and learned their food and traditions. Over time, she grew attached to the country and decided to settle in Vietnam with her husband. She may not speak fluent Vietnamese, yet she knows local specialties by heart: nhút (fermented young jackfruit from Thanh Chương, Nghệ An), pork skewers with mắc khén enjoyed with corn wine among the Red Dao people, mắm bò hóc from Trà Vinh, crispy bamboo worms from the Mường community, and the bitter eggplant of the Ba Na people.

“You opened a Taiwanese restaurant instead of a Vietnamese one,” I said. She laughed and replied, “Vietnamese food begins in the home kitchen. It looks simple but is never easy, because each person carries their own memory of how Vietnamese food should taste. When the dishes I cook can truly compete with the dishes of the grandmothers and mothers, then I’ll open a Vietnamese restaurant.”

Rhythms of the Kitchen

Ca Dao’s cooking style reflects her cross-cultural identity. For her, every dish is built on new combinations, new ideas, new ways of treating ingredients. She loves Asian cuisines for their bright acidity and heat, and for their vibrant color harmony. The yellows, greens, and reds woven together make the food feel alive, almost as if it carries its own emotions.

She led us into the kitchen to make chicken dumplings, a dish still in development for the restaurant. Much of her time now is spent researching and creating new recipes. Travel is one of her inspirations, and this particular dumpling dish was born from a March trip to Taiwan and from her fondness for sesame oil chicken soup.

The heart of the dumplings lies in the broth. A proper broth must be naturally sweet from chicken bones, gently fragrant with ginger, and completely free from artificial seasoning. The secret is the combination of chicken bones for sweetness and chicken feet for gelatin, which gives the broth its natural body. Another small trick is using a hand blender to create foam on top of the soup, adding richness and a modern texture. Spinach and goji berries provide extra flavor and a thoughtful visual touch.

When she works with her kitchen staff, Ca Dao is intensely serious. But when she talks with us or cooks beside us, a lighter energy emerges, bright and unhurried like morning sunlight. Meeting her, we understood what it means to “juggle in the kitchen” both literally, as she tossed dough between her hands, and figuratively, as she juggled stories, flavors, and emotions from her culinary life.

After the visit, I felt certain that dishes created with freedom and joy carry their own magic. They guide diners toward a new landscape of taste, where surprises await.

Chicken Dumplings

Ingredients
Dumplings
• Ground chicken
• Onion
• Ginger
• Rice wine
• Seasoning
• Dumpling wrappers

Broth
• Chicken bones
• Chicken feet
• Ginger
• Onion
• Rock sugar
• Salt
• Spinach
• Goji berries
• Sesame oil

Instructions
• Prepare the broth: Roast the chicken bones and chicken feet until deeply browned to intensify aroma. Add everything to cold water with roasted onion and ginger. Simmer gently for about six hours.
• Prepare the filling: Sauté ground chicken with onion and ginger, add a small amount of rice wine, then season. Wrap the filling in dumpling wrappers.
• Cook the soup: Sauté ginger with sesame oil and chicken feet to bring out fragrance. Add the prepared broth and season. Blend and strain for a smooth finish.
• Assemble: Boil the dumplings in vigorously boiling water. Add spinach near the end. Serve the dumplings in a bowl with spinach, goji berries, and hot broth. Finish with a touch of sesame oil.

Originally published in Đẹp Magazine, Issue 297
Photography: Ngọc Ánh