Within the framework of the Vietnam - Japan Cultural and Trade Exchange Program 2026 taking place from September 11-13, chef Ogarane Tsuyoshi (Head of Sushi Kizuna Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City) directly processed and guided how to marinate eel and skewer grilled duck in the style of Yakitori from familiar ingredients in Vietnam.
The activity attracted the attention of people and tourists when familiar ingredients such as eel and duck were processed in Japanese style, creating a crossover between the cuisine of the two countries.
Sharing about using Vietnamese ingredients to prepare Japanese dishes, Mr. Ogarane Tsuyoshi said that it is important for chefs to clearly understand the characteristics of each type of ingredient to have appropriate uses.
I have been doing this job for about 30 years, so for each type of fish or raw material, if I understand its characteristics, I can use it appropriately. The important thing is to have understanding to apply it correctly. More importantly, how customers accept it," Mr. Ogarane Tsuyoshi shared.
According to chef Ogarane Tsuyoshi, combining Japanese dish cooking experience with Vietnamese ingredients is a potential direction.
I want to use my experience combined with Vietnamese ingredients to create dishes for everyone to enjoy. Vietnamese vegetables and ingredients also appear quite a lot in cuisine, so they can be completely researched and used in cooking," the chef said.
Not only attracting attention by the way they are prepared, the dishes also receive positive feedback from those who directly enjoy them.
Ms. Hoang Ngoc Tho (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City), said that this is the first time she has experienced Japanese cuisine but it is prepared from main ingredients of Vietnamese origin.
The feeling is very impressive and the flavor of the dish is very explosive. I think Vietnamese ingredients have a lot of potential to be processed into such delicious dishes," Ms. Tho shared.
Meanwhile, according to Mr. Trong Phuong (resident of Can Tho City), eel and duck are familiar ingredients to people in the Mekong Delta, often processed into dishes such as eel stir-fried with lemongrass, sour eel hotpot or duck porridge.
However, at the program, these familiar ingredients are processed in a new way, with Japanese flavor.
Through experience, I find the flavor quite suitable for Vietnamese people. In the future, I think these two dishes will have more development potential, helping Vietnamese people better understand the cuisine of Japan," Mr. Phuong shared.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diep, Vice Chairwoman of Can Tho City People's Committee, said that through the Vietnam - Japan Cultural and Trade Exchange Program 2026, the city wishes to strengthen and tighten cultural and trade relations with Japanese partners.
In the past time, Can Tho City has identified Japan as an important strategic partner of the city. On this occasion, we want to promote and introduce the image of Can Tho to Japanese partners, thereby strengthening people-to-people and trade exchanges between the two countries," Ms. Diep emphasized.
