Danang resort hosts 'Legendary Ladies', a fine-dining celebration of Vietnam's female chefs

Feast on Vietnamese flavours and paired wines as an all-female team takes over the kitchens at Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang. Carolynne Dear catches up with the ‘Legendary Ladies’ behind the scenes

The Legendary Ladies will be showcasing a six-course dinner with matched wines and canapés

Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang is hosting 'Legendary Ladies', an innovative dining event that brings together the country’s top female chefs, plus a leading female sommelier and female mixologist. 

Legendary Ladies takes place next month and celebrates the remarkable impact that has been made by women in Vietnam's vibrant hospitality sector.

This unique collaboration brings together six titans of the industry, including four chefs, a sommelier and a mixologist, each with a deep love of their craft. The evening is designed to honour their contributions, inspire future generations and demonstrate the potential when talent and vision converge.

Guests can expect a memorable evening, kicking off with a sophisticated three-course canapé experience paired with bespoke cocktails crafted by mixologist Kata Simon. Simon is renowned for her skills in blending bold, exotic ingredients with umami flavors. A celebrated industry member, she’s founder of the Key Bar & Tender Academy and won Campari’s 100th-year Negroni Week.

This will be followed by a six-course signature menu, the creative crescendo of the collaboration between the four chefs. Each dish will be paired with wines selected by sommelier Myriam Moretto. Moretto has worked in Michelin-starred establishments from Monaco to Hong Kong. She is the former head sommelier of various international hotels and is now a co-owner of local dining spots Le Comptoir and La Table Hoi An.

The chefs have been brought together from a number of top dining spots across the country, including Chef Hàn Ni from Esta Saigon, a restaurant recognised by Michelin in 2023, 2024 and 2025, Chef Tuyet Pham who is a MasterChef Vietnam runner-up and founder of Nu Do Kitchen, a Michelin-recognised restaurant in Da Nang, Chef Nguyen Ngo from Le Comptoir where she works alongside the executive chef, and Chef Tin Ho of Char Grill House at Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang; Ho has notched up positions in international hotels both in Vietnam and overseas, introducing Vietnamese cuisine to destinations including the Philippines, India and Thailand. 

All testify to a love of cooking from an early age and have worked hard to triumph in what is still a male-dominated industry. 

“My earliest memory is standing in the kitchen with my mother, watching her prepare family meals,” says Ho. “I can still remember the aroma of fresh herbs and spices, the sound of simmering broth and the joy of everyone gathering around the dinner table. Becoming a chef has not been easy, there have been times when I’ve felt undervalued or been overlooked, but I’ve learnt to turn these difficulties into motivation. Now I’m proud to represent women in the industry and hope to inspire the younger generation to pursue their passion.”

Ni cites her first foodie memory as fried eggs. “I loved them so much and it was the very first dish I proudly made by myself as a child,” she says. These days, as one of the industry’s rising stars, she tells Vietnam’s cultural story through her work at Esta Saigon. Her dishes connect deeply with nature and tradition and she admits to a particular fondness for working with Vietnam’s rich smorgasbord of herbs. “Sour herbs, mint, lime leaves, thai basil; they’re vibrant, versatile and represent the soul of Vietnamese cuisine.”

The chefs agree that Vietnamese cuisine is evolving fast. “It’s become more open and adventurous,” says Ni. “Chefs are exploring fusion, fine dining and new presentations, but still respecting traditional roots. And guests are more curious and willing to try modern interpretations of Vietnamese flavours.”

Ngo, who currently works alongside the executive chef at Le Comptoir in Danang, says when she returned to Vietnam in 2020 following study time in Australia, she saw a huge change in the country’s food scene. “When I first left in 2016, high-end, fine-dining and fusion restaurants weren’t as common. At that time locals were mostly interested in very specific types of restaurants, like French, or Italian, or Japanese, and tourists typically stuck to local street food," shes says.

"But when I returned in 2020, the restaurant market had exploded. There were so many new, unique concepts popping up, places that had invested heavily in the entire dining experience, from the food to the design of the restaurant. One of the first places I went to after coming back to Saigon was Esta, and I was amazed. I feel very lucky to work at Le Comptoir now, a place where I can be creative with both local and high-end ingredients while staying true to the philosophy of French cuisine.”

For the Legendary Ladies evening, each chef brings their own unique touch. Seasonal produce, local ingredients and a celebration of tradition and innovation feature highly. 

“I’ve used French techniques and a hint of local ingredients to create a dish that is not only delicious but also reflects a sweet, feminine style,” says Ngo of her own contribution. “I hope the combination of flavours and techniques will be an exciting and memorable experience for everyone.”

Legendary Ladies, 6-10pm, Friday October 18, Char Grill House, Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang; US$117 per person; bookings online.

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