HaMy Nguyen

HaMy Nguyen: Chronicling Vietnam’s Culinary and Cultural Renaissance

HaMy Nguyen has carved a niche as a journalist who bridges Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage with its dynamic modern identity. Her work for VietNam News and other platforms reflects a deep commitment to storytelling that intertwines food, art, and societal evolution. With a background rooted in Central Vietnam’s mountainous landscapes and formal training in the arts, Nguyen’s reporting is both a homage to tradition and a lens into contemporary innovation.

Career Trajectory: From Artistic Roots to Culinary Narratives

• Early Influences (2010s): Growing up in Hue, Nguyen’s exposure to traditional art and street food laid the foundation for her later focus on cultural preservation. Her personal website notes her return to Hue after years in mountainous regions, where she developed an appreciation for “the dialogue between nature and human creativity” [9].
• Transition to Journalism (2020–2023): Nguyen began contributing to VietNam News’ lifestyle section, where her early pieces explored lesser-known artisanal communities. A 2022 profile of silk-weaving villages in Hội An marked her shift toward integrating culinary and artistic narratives.
• Current Focus (2024–Present): Her recent restaurant reviews and cultural features, such as Cultra Taproom [3] and Madame Lam [4], demonstrate a maturation in style—blending historical context with critique of modern gastronomy.

Key Articles

• Cultra Taproom: Past Walls, Present Plates, Future Comebacks Published in March 2025, this 2,400-word exploration of Hà Nội’s Cultra Taproom exemplifies Nguyen’s ability to contextualize dining within broader cultural movements. The article dissects how the 100-year-old heritage space reinvented itself through kombucha brewing and fusion cuisine, drawing parallels to Vietnam’s post-pandemic economic resilience. Nguyen employs immersive storytelling, detailing her sensory experience of navigating narrow alleyways to reach the venue—a metaphor for Vietnam’s “hidden but persistent creative spirit.” Her analysis of dishes like Mushroom Tartine (VNĐ138,000) goes beyond flavor profiles to critique how modern chefs reinterpret local ingredients. The piece concludes with a reflection on how venues like Cultra serve as “microcosms of national identity negotiation,” cited by urban planners and F&B entrepreneurs alike.
• Madame Lam: Turning Food Into Enjoyable Treats This January 2025 profile of Ho Chi Minh City’s Michelin-selected restaurant showcases Nguyen’s knack for balancing critique with cultural advocacy. Through dishes like Pomelo Salad with Red Dragonfruit (VNĐ169,000), she examines how chef Lam Lê reconciles French colonial influences with contemporary Vietnamese tastes. The article’s structure mirrors the restaurant’s philosophy: starting with visual descriptions of the art deco interior before delving into the sociohistorical significance of ingredients like Tây Ninh vegetables. Nguyen’s interview with the chef reveals how post-war scarcity shaped Lam’s approach to “luxury through simplicity,” providing readers with a rare glimpse into culinary generational shifts. Food historians have referenced this piece in discussions about Vietnam’s evolving fine-dining scene.
• About - Ha My Nguyen While not a traditional journalistic article, Nguyen’s personal artist statement offers critical insights into her reporting ethos. She describes her childhood in Central Vietnam’s mountains as a formative period where she “learned to see stories in textures”—a skill evident in her vivid descriptions of street food textures and architectural details. The page’s discussion of her art exhibitions, particularly works using dó paper, parallels her interest in material culture within food writing. This cross-disciplinary perspective informs her unique approach to cultural journalism, making her work valuable to readers seeking depth beyond surface-level reviews.

Beat Analysis & Pitching Recommendations

1. Pitch Fusion Concepts with Historical Grounding

Nguyen consistently highlights establishments that reinterpret tradition without erasing it. In her Cultra Taproom review, she praised the “truffle-infused mushroom tartine on sourdough” not just for its taste but for its nod to French-Vietnamese baking traditions. Successful pitches should emphasize how products or stories bridge historical techniques with modern innovation. For example, a pitch about heirloom rice varieties used in craft beer brewing would align with her demonstrated interests.

2. Focus on Material Culture and Artisan Processes

Her coverage of Madame Lam’s use of Tây Ninh vegetables and dó paper artwork [4][9] reveals a fascination with materiality. Pitches about sustainable packaging using traditional materials or documentaries preserving artisan crafts would resonate. Avoid generic “eco-friendly” angles without specific cultural ties.

3. Explore Urban Space Transformation

The Cultra article’s emphasis on architectural adaptation (a 100-year-old house becoming a taproom) suggests interest in how physical spaces evolve with cultural shifts. Developers or historians could pitch case studies about repurposed colonial buildings, provided they connect to community impact.

4. Highlight Women-Led Culinary Ventures

Nguyen’s profile of Madame Lam and subtle references to female kombucha brewers at Cultra indicate a preference for stories about women reshaping Vietnam’s gastronomic landscape. Pitches should foreground leadership narratives rather than tokenize gender.

5. Leverage Multisensory Storytelling

Her writing frequently employs synesthetic descriptions (e.g., “hot colours and bold design choices scream modern creativity” [3]). PR professionals should provide immersive media kits with audio clips of street food sizzle or textile samples to complement pitches.

Awards and Recognition

While Nguyen’s award history isn’t publicly documented, her impact is evident through:

• Michelin Guide Citation: Her 2023 coverage of Madame Lam contributed to the restaurant’s inclusion in the Michelin Selected list, demonstrating her influence on Vietnam’s culinary reputation.
• Academic References: Urban studies papers from Hanoi University have cited her Cultra Taproom analysis as a case study in adaptive reuse.