Martin Yan’s Taste of Vietnam

Recently, I was invited to a very special dinner in The New World Hotel by my friend Sabrina.

This exclusive dinner by hosted Asian Food Channel, was part of their Celebrity Chef Tour for Chef Martin Tan and was held in only four countries covering Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan.

Derek Chang, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Scripps Networks interactive shares “Celebrity Chef Tours offer viewers real live ways to engage and interact with the Chefs and TV Hosts that is both personal and fun. ” 

He is right. This evening was fun, engaging, and a great opportunity for the regular viewer at home (like me) to get to know Chef Yan a bit better not only in the kitchen, but personally as well. It was nice to be able to ask Chef questions about his restaurant in San Francisco, his kids and whether or not they are following in his footsteps for their love of food.

Martin Yan’s Taste of Asia is a show that so many people are familiar with. I think pretty much anyone who knows Chinese food, and knows about Asian Food Channel (or Food Channel back home,) knows Martin Yan because has been cooking up good food for decades.

During his time here in the city, he created an exclusive six course dinner which was set in The New World Hotel for some very special dinner guests. HOORAY FOR ME that I was one of the chosen few!

I was really excited to attend this particular event because it would be something of a “mom’s night out,” for me. Some of my friends (not actually all are mommas) would be in attendance too. The good thing is, I was sure that we would have a good time together because we all like to EAT!!!

Dinner Menu

Appetizer

Pomelo and Prawn Delight

Soup

Hot and Sour Pineapple Fish Soup

Main

Trio of Seafood Fresh Rice Rolls 

with 2 dipping sauces

Wok-Seared “Shaking” Beef

Char-grilled Spring Chicken over a Bed of Mixed Greens

Dessert
Sweet Jackfruit in Sago Coconut Milk

Ok…so for those of you who are not in the know… “Mom’s night out” does not actually involve drinking and partying every single time (only some times) we are together. In fact, on this particular night, “Momma’s night out” involved drinking hot water with lemon and superior knife teaching skills by none other than Chef Martin Yan himself.

Chef does not just have a knack for creating delicious food. He’s charming and techie as well!

All of the dishes that he served on this particular night were influenced from many of his travels to and from Asia. (After all, his show is “Taste of Asia.”) 

Martin Yan’s Taste of Vietnam is currently airing on Asian Food Channel. To learn more about his explorations while he was in Vietnam and some new dishes that are Vietnamese inspired you can catch his new show and learn more about the landscape, the people, and the heritage behind Vietnam’s best loved dishes. 

Since food and lifestyle shows are really the only shows that I prefer to watch, I will try and catch this televised tour of Vietnam on Fridays at 7 pm. (4 shows will air back to back, so you can tune in any time after 7!)

NOTE:  Sitting in the front row as a student in a college classroom was something I was sure to do in a class that I wasn’t so interested in. It would force me to pay attention to a teacher and a subject that I wouldn’t always be so keen on learning more about. in other words, it kept me honest in the class that I would much rather sleep through.

BUT sitting in the front row, when a Chef like Martin Yan is demonstrating how to use a Chinese Chef’s Knife, and filet a chicken in less than 18 seconds?

 

That is a make shift classroom that you MAKE SURE to sit in the front row for, simply because it’s fun and exciting. Plus, if you’re lucky, you might pick up a few extra pointers in the kitchen.

How lucky was I, that Chef had asked for a volunteer to come up and help him prepare the Wok-Seared “Shaking” Beef? Of course, I was happy to volunteer (wink wink) not only because I was enjoying Chef Yan, but because I also enjoy putting on a show every now and then too. (Say it isn’t so…)

I learned how to proper julienne with a knife (what looked like a cleaver to me) that I would never have had the opportunity to use. I tossed and shook up some yummy beef cubes into something that my whole family would love, And I got to take a selfie with a famous chef who is talented, funny, and endearing.

And now of course, my angle of Wok-Seared “Shaking” Beef and our “selfwe”…or is it “we-fie?”

It was quick and easy, with almost all of the ingredients being staples in my pantry! Let me know if you try to make it yourself? Take a photo and tag me please!

PS. Want to know an added bonus to the evening? Chef Yan was so impressed with my knife skills that he said he would gift me one of his very own chef knives from his collection!!! CAN YOU SAY EGGZOITED?

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