Luke Nguyen’s Railway Vietnam, a docuseries covering cuisine and tourism in Vietnam by renowned Vietnamese-Australian chef Luke Nguyen, is a unique take on the country’s diverse culinary culture.

Over ten episodes shot in just 35 day, Nguyen takes viewers on a 2,000-kilometer train journey from southern Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to the towering mountains that litter the country’s northern region, showcasing the unique culinary styles, cuisines, and cultures of each and every stop along the way.

As Nguyen puts it, “Vietnamese food is the tastiest in the world” and the series is truly “a journey of senses and a combination of love for Vietnamese cuisine, tourism, and culture.”

Diving into local delicacies

Nguyen’s trans-Vietnam journey began in Ho Chi Minh City with a motorbike ride to Ton That Dam wet market.

At the market, Nguyen picks up ingredients to prepare bo nhung giam (beef in vinegar hotpot) using a recipe that was passed down from his grandmother. 

In a busy corner of the market, Luke then set up a plastic table and portable gas stove to begin processing the ingredients and cooking the dish using a unique combination of his own signature cooking style and the culinary techniques of the region – a scene he repeats several of times over the ten-episode series.

Other highlights of Nguyen’s stop in Ho Chi Minh City include cooking Chinese shuijiao at a storied restaurant in District 11 and trying hot vit lon (fertilized duck egg) at Kim Thao Eatery in District 2.

The next stops on Nguyen’s trip are Da Lat, Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Hoi An to explore the regions and their renowned cuisines, including ech nuong ong tre (frogs grilled in bamboo tubes), oc nhoi thit (snails stuffed with pork), banh trang nuong (grilled rice paper), Quang-style noodles, cao lau noodles, and chicken rice.

Luke Nguyen cooks a local Vietnamese dish. Photo: SBS

The fact that these foods are amongst the most popular dishes in each region, yet are rarely discussed outside of Vietnam, offers a perspective on Vietnamese culture that is, unfortunately, lacking most exposés on Vietnamese cuisine.

Luke Nguyen waves goodbye to locals in a scene.

Local inspiration

Throughout the series, Nguyen’s personal mission of honoring local chefs and traditional techniques is a major focal point.

In Hue, for example, Nguyen spotlights several dishes prepared by locals just outside the walls of the Imperial Citadel.

Later, on Hen (Mussel) Islet, he meets with farmers as they rake piles of mussels from the ocean before processing them into a variety of local dishes.

In northern Vietnam’s Ninh Binh Province, he once again highlights true local food as he follows a farmer through a paddy, catching enough crabs and collecting enough ant eggs to create traditional northern dishes.

In Hai Phong, he drops by a 700-year-old village famous for making banh da noodles and cooks several traditional dishes in a modern style.

Similarly, he draws inspiration for cuisine from iconic dishes, such as pho in Nam Dinh Province, and bun cha (rice noodles with grilled pork and meatballs) in Hanoi.

At the last stop of his trans-Vietnam train journey in Sapa – a village in the mountainous northern province of Lao Cai –Nguyen visited a Mong family he has known for over ten years. 

With the family’s home as a backdrop, he prepares thit trau gac bep (Mong-style buffalo jerky).

Each of the episodes of the documentary film tells a unique story. Photo: SBS

Luke Nguyen’s Railway Vietnam is a unique docuseries honoring Vietnamese cuisine and tourism. Photo: SBS

Honoring Vietnamese cuisine and tourism

Luke Nguyen's Railway Vietnam, produced by Australian broadcaster SBS in 2019, won the Best Lifestyle Program award at the 25th Asian Television Awards in 2020.

The film has been screened in 150 nations, including Vietnam.

Streaming giant Netflix bought the copyright for the docuseries and released it on its streaming platform in June.

It is considered one of Nguyen’s most unique and exciting documentaries.

Nguyen currently runs eight restaurants in Australia and Vietnam. He has authored eight bestselling cuisine books and acts as the host and the producer for multiple TV programs about food worldwide.

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