Mother's Cuisine" touches viewers' hearts
Originating from a simple kitchen corner and familiar family dishes associated with the image of a hardworking mother, the YouTube channel "Mother's Cuisine" impresses with its closeness and familiarity. After nearly 7 years of operation, the channel currently has more than 1 million subscribers.
Those are meals of field crab, braised fish, boiled vegetables... cooked from field products, mother's garden. The image of a son quietly beside his industrious mother in the countryside kitchen evokes familiar memories that many people have gone through in difficult years.
Following "Mother's Cuisine", viewers not only watch for entertainment, but also to find memories of family meals, of cultural values associated with family customs. Right from the early days, the two faces that appeared most on the channel were Ms. Duong Thi Cuong and her son - Mr. Dong Van Hung. Ms. Cuong is the main character in most videos, directly cooking rustic dishes, while Mr. Hung is in charge of filming and editing. It is this simplicity and authenticity that has helped the channel attract a large number of viewers. The image of a mother in old clothes, a simple house, familiar dishes makes many people feel nostalgic for her hometown.
In September 2025, Mr. Dong Van Hung - the founder of the YouTube channel "Mother's Cuisine" was one of the young faces invited to attend the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Summit 2025, held in Bangkok (Thailand).
Sharing with Lao Dong Newspaper, Dong Van Hung (born in 1996, from Thai Nguyen) said that amidst the trend of modern cuisine, he chose to spread the image of his mother's kitchen because it is the place that preserves the most memories of childhood.
Among many luxurious and elaborate dishes, I believe that the dishes my mother cooks every day truly touch the emotions of many people. It's not just a meal, but also love, waiting, a part of my mother's life dedicated to family. I want to tell those simple stories so that everyone who watches can see the shadow of my house in them" - Hung shared.
When bringing images of his mother and family kitchen to digital space, Hung said that he always keeps his mother's living space, from the kitchen, old pot sets to how to season and chat. Everything happens naturally, without staging, without elaborate scripts. The camera only plays the role of observation, because according to him, it is trueness that is the factor that keeps the audience staying long, not effects or tricks.
In the modern pace of life, when many people are used to eating out and have little time to gather around family meals, the dishes cooked by mothers evoke a feeling of reunion, reminding everyone to slow down to return home and eat together. That is the value of cohesion, of filial piety and Vietnamese customs - things that if not told, may one day only exist in memory.
Sharing about his upcoming plans, Hung hopes the channel will continue to be a place to preserve rural dishes, everyday stories of his mother and villagers. He also plans to record more Tet meals, traditional feasts, and familiar customs, so that the younger generation understands and appreciates Vietnamese family culture more. For him, each video is not just a dish, but a story for viewers to remember home.
Spreading Northwest culinary culture in the digital environment
Hello everyone, I am Mai Tay Bac here" - the simple, friendly opening greeting of Ms. Pham Thi Phuong Mai (Tan Tien village, Trinh Tuong commune, Lao Cai province) has become familiar to viewers when she introduces and prepares typical dishes of the Northwest highlands.
Before sticking with the high mountains, Ms. Mai had 5 years of work in Singapore. Leaving the urban rhythm, she chose to return to her hometown, where people's lives are still associated with hills and markets, to build an economic direction with her husband based on the available resources of the locality.
Following the "Mai Tay Bac" channel, viewers have the opportunity to discover many unique features in the life and cuisine of the highland people. These are simple meals when going to the fields, with forest vegetables, sticky rice, stream fish, grilled banana flowers... Although rustic and rustic, this authenticity creates a unique attraction, making many people curious and wanting to experience the taste of the mountains and forests once.
Ms. Phuong Mai said that her current life is associated with the land and people of the Northwest. Right from the time of orienting the channel, she wanted to convey what is close, practical and she herself understands best. According to her, dishes following "trends" on social networks are not necessarily suitable, while the everyday stories of the highlands are her strength.
When introducing a dish, Ms. Mai usually starts from the stage of selecting ingredients, processing methods, then cooks and shares the flavor herself. If the dish is associated with a special story about national or regional identity, she will incorporate it into the cooking process so that viewers can easily visualize and feel more clearly the connection between the dish and the life of the highland people.
Many dishes introduced by her are still quite unfamiliar, especially to urban people. Therefore, she tries to simplify the way of expression, explain specifically about ingredients, spices, use common language and speak while making so that viewers can easily follow and understand.
Sharing about the principles of making content, Ms. Mai said that she does not allow herself to distort or "exaggerate" regional cuisine. Each dish is introduced in accordance with the processing and enjoyment in the daily life of local people. According to her, this is an important principle to maintain authenticity, while also showing respect for the value of local cuisine.
Through the journey of introducing Northwest cuisine, Ms. Mai realized that the videos are not only about food, but also open up many perspectives on the culture of the highlands for viewers. Cuisine is placed in the context of festivals, weddings, funerals... helping audiences better understand the core values of traditional life. From there, many people love the highlands more and want to experience and explore cuisine as well as local tourism.
In the coming time, especially in the New Year's atmosphere, Ms. Phuong Mai wishes to continue to bring more authentic videos, higher quality images, and deeper introductions of Northwest cuisine associated with natural beauty and traditional culture. Through this, she hopes to contribute to helping viewers understand and love the land and people of the Northwest more, and at the same time have more relaxing moments after stressful working days.
