Vietnamese self-taught chef charms France’s ‘island of beauty’ with flavors of homeland

The 35-year-old from the northern Bac Ninh Province had never planned a culinary career before moving to France with her husband. Her greatest inspiration was the late American chef Anthony Bourdain, whose admiration for Vietnamese cuisine deepened her passion.

"The way he spoke about Vietnam—with love, respect, and passion—made me want to cook even more," she says.

Hoang Kim (far right) is the head chef specializing in appetizers at a four-star hotel on the French island of Corsica. Photo courtesy of Hoang Kim

In April 2023 she and her husband arrived in Corsica, a Mediterranean island often referred to as the "island of beauty" for its breathtaking landscapes. As she adjusted to her new life, the longing for home grew stronger, leading her to find comfort in cooking, adapting local ingredients to create Vietnamese flavors. Her dishes—fried spring rolls, braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, and chicken pho—soon won over her French in-laws.

Seeing the potential, her husband’s cousin, a cruise ship employee, suggested she start a business. "Tourists, especially Asian visitors, always look for familiar dishes here, but apart from sushi, there are no other options," he said. "Vietnamese food is amazing. Why don’t you give it a try?"

Encouraged, she started small, making fried spring rolls and introducing the cousin to them. They were a hit and he managed to quickly add them to the ship’s menu. Her spring rolls also became popular at night markets and bars, demand grew rapidly, and some places started ordering over 100 pieces daily. One establishment even named them "Nem Maison de Kim" (Kim’s Home Spring Rolls). She later expanded her menu to include braised pork, southern-style beef noodle salad and steamed buns.

Scaling up came with challenges. Some dishes lacked consistency, leading to customer complaints. Determined to improve, she documented recipes and portion sizes precisely to maintain quality. She also insisted on using fresh ingredients, avoiding frozen food to preserve authenticity.

"With some dishes, especially spring rolls, using frozen ingredients can lower the quality by half," she says.

"I want my food to taste homemade so that customers experience it the way I would serve my own family."

Hoang Kim cooking in the kitchen of the four-star hotel in Corsica island, France. Photo courtesy of Hoang Kim

In February 2024 she posted her first TikTok cooking video, filming, editing, and narrating in French. It gained 10,000 likes overnight. Since then, she has uploaded over 60 videos featuring dishes like chicken spring rolls, pho, grilled pork banh mi, and beef noodle salad. Her channel has attracted a strong following, particularly among Vietnamese expatriates in France. "When people tell me my recipes make them feel at home, or that they’re proud to see me representing Vietnamese culture, it means more to me than any number of views or likes," she says.

A month after launching her channel, she was offered a job at a four-star French restaurant. "The owner knew I was good at Vietnamese food and was considering adding some to the menu," she says. He had previously worked in Vietnam and had a deep appreciation for its cuisine.

Lacking formal training and with limited professional-level French, she began as a kitchen assistant, learning ingredient names and cooking techniques. Within three months she was promoted to head chef in charge of appetizers, including Vietnamese dishes. Beyond cooking, she took on kitchen management responsibilities. Dishes she introduced—fried spring rolls, deep-fried shrimp, steamed buns, and beef noodle salad—were approved by the head chef and became customer favorites.

"Many guests had visited Vietnam before, and when they tasted my food, they immediately asked if it was made by a Vietnamese chef," she says. "Every time I hear customers ordering Vietnamese dishes, I feel so proud."

Nevertheless, working in a luxury hotel came with challenges: The language barrier caused occasional misunderstandings with the head chef, leading to delays and customer complaints. The pressure left her exhausted and stressed.

"There were times I wanted to quit, but the head chef encouraged me to keep going, telling me this was a great opportunity to promote Vietnamese cuisine," she says.

Determined to make Vietnamese food more widely recognized, she has plowed ahead.

Hoang Kim and her husband now living on Corsica island, France. Photo courtesy of Hoang Kim

Alongside her restaurant job, she continues to sell her own food along with her husband, Quentin Farrari. Every morning, she preps ingredients and teaches him how to make fish sauce, cook rice, fry spring rolls, and prepare deep-fried shrimp before delivering orders. "Thanks to my wife, I’ve learned how to cook Vietnamese dishes—earlier I only knew how to eat them," he jokes.

This year Kim plans to open a Vietnamese restaurant in Corsica featuring traditional drinks like iced milk coffee and salted coffee.

"But my bigger dream is to expand and take Vietnamese food across France."