Searching for the Lotus Root Flavor in Saigon Countryside with Chad Kubanoff!
Have You Heard about Chad Kubanoff?
Chad Kubanoff is an American chef from Philadelphia. Chad has a deep passion for learning new recipes, new ingredients and new dishes.
In 2008, when he was just 21 years old, Chad arrived in Ho Chi Minh City and immediately fell in love with this place – because of the people and especially the attractive Vietnamese dishes. In 2011, Chad returned to the US with his family. But the love and nostalgia for Vietnamese cuisine is always in Chad. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to return to Vietnam and live in Ho Chi Minh City. Chad became a culinary content creator, specializing in reviewing street restaurants as well as cooking hundreds of delicious Vietnamese dishes and introducing them to international friends.
The new job not only helps Chad satisfy his passion for cooking but also receives a lot of love, including from foreigners and Vietnamese people abroad. He has connected and spread Vietnamese culture through cuisine.
“Vietnameseness” has gradually seeped into Chad Kubanoff and no matter what dish he cooks, he will combine Vietnamese spices. For example, pho combined with pizza. For Chad, Vietnamese cuisine has changed his way of cooking and helped him learn Vietnamese faster through trips to the market. Each dish he takes inspiration from Vietnamese cuisine and creates unexpected variations in both taste and sight for Chad himself and the audience who follows him.
Jackfruit Adventure and Chad Kubanoff on the New Youtube Episode
Picking The Fresh Lotus, You Won’t Believe How I Cooked It
Binh Quoi – Thanh Da is the route where our regular daily Ho Chi Minh city cycling tour – Escape To The Hidden Island took place. Embark on a journey with a hidden island just 20 minutes northeast of Saigon to the forgotten island of Little Mekong. Begin with an immersive experience in Thanh Da markets, where vibrant colors, scents, and chatter ignite your senses, offering a taste of local culture. Leaving the markets, discover the island’s secrets – from serene lotus lakes to tranquil fisherman villages. And don’t miss the enchanting mini tropical Mekong jungle, a hidden gem that’ll make you feel like Indiana Jones on a bicycle expedition.
Where Does the Shooting Take Place on the Ho Chi Minh Countryside Cycling Tour with Chad Kubanoff?
01. The Lotus Farm
This is our favorite place where we visit Uncle (Chú) Nam family, living on the humble house along the lotus farm. His family’s main income comes from growing the lotus and also some local vegetables such as morning glory (rau muống), spinachs and other local herbs.
02. Ms. Tư Family House
Ms. Tư house 72 years old lady local residence of countryside Thanh Da always welcome us with a big smile as always. Her hospitality as well as cooking skills are definitely the highlight of the visiting here.
Ms. Tư lotus salad is just one word for us say “Ngon quá” – so delicious
03. Break Time with the Lotus Tea
From the end of May to the beginning of September every year, traditional tea makers in Vietnam ward are busy at each stage of making lotus tea. Because marinating lotus tea requires meticulousness, the worker always gives every grain of lotus rice and tea bud his heart and soul. Each flower is selected, brought back to the rice cup – which is comparable to the lotus flower’s incense bag – and marinated. Taking lotus rice requires great care and attention from the worker. Not everyone knows how to make lotus rice retain its flavor and not be crushed. The petals, pistils, and lotus rice are separated by the deft hands of artisans.
Want to know more about this special adventure, check it out the latest YouTube chapter from Chad!
