About Didier Corlou

Didier Corlou is probably the most renowned chef in Viêt Nam.
He was the former chef at the prestigious Sofitel Metropole in
Hanoi, where he still holds a consultancy position. When the Apec
summit was held in Hanoi for 800 Heads of States and politicians,
the government called him, not a local chef, to prepare the gala
diner. He is currently the owner of La Verticale, Hanoi’s premier
restaurant.
Born in French Brittany, Didier Corlou is no armchair traveller. He
finished his training when he was seventeen, put in three years in
some French inns and restaurants then headed off to explore the
world, and in the process became enchanted with the exotic spices
and fruits of Africa, Asia and distant islands.
His travels saw him cooking for presidents in Africa, show biz stars
in Bora Bora, royalty in Malaysia, the king of Cambodia, and he has
now worked across the globe, including though Africa, Polynesia,
Indian ocean, the Caribbeans and Southeast Asia.
His pleasure resides in mixing French ingredients with Vietnamese
taste for creating new tastes. Examples: grilled duck foie gras with
lemongrass, spring roll with truffles, « banh cuon » with caviar and
salmon roes, braised « calang » in papillote with turmeric, crab
cannelloni with sea urchin nectar, rock lobster in fish bladder, pork
nougat with caramel, caramelised cream with young rice…
These creative dishes draw their inspiration from the tradition of
French and Vietnamese cuisines, by combining with new ingredients:
wild peppers from Phu Quoc, bees’ pollen, ambrette seeds, nuoc
mam salt flower, essential oils of Hanoi ’s herbs. This new concept
of Vietnamese cuisine has followed Didier Corlou’s steps to different
culinary promotions held abroad (Singapore, France, United
States, Thailand, Mexico and Australia).