Food fermentation is more than just a preservation technique. It’s a time-honored tradition that defines the soul of Vietnamese cuisine. At Chapter Dining, this practice is elevated into an art form, where age-old methods meet the modern culinary innovation of our chefs. By embracing fermentation, our chefs enhance flavor, texture, and craft dishes that tell rich cultural stories in Northern Vietnam while supporting sustainability and nutrition.
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What is food fermentation? Why does it matter?
Fermented food has appeared on dining tables around the world for thousands of years. Cheese, for instance, is essentially fermented and aged milk from cows, goats, buffalo, or sheep. Originally, fermentation was used as a method to preserve food over long periods. Over time, it evolved into a culinary technique that brings complex and distinctive flavors to dishes.
Many people still confuse fermentation with pickling. The key difference lies in the use of acid. Pickled foods typically involve vinegar, which introduces acidity directly. In contrast, food fermentation allows acidity to develop naturally through microbial activity, resulting in more subtle and layered flavors compared to vinegar-based pickling.
In Vietnamese culinary tradition, food fermentation is a deeply rooted technique used for centuries. Commonly known through terms like “muối chua” or “ủ”, fermentation refers to the transformation of carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms. This natural process not only preserves food but also enhances its flavor. This release intensifies the umami taste, enriching the sensory experience.
At Chapter Dining, our chefs invest countless hours developing recipes that balance flavor and nutrition. A wide variety of ingredients are salt-cured and fermented in-house. To our chefs, these fermentation jars are culinary treasures of our restaurant, proudly displayed on the Chapter’s Fermentation Wall.
One such example is chao, a fermented tofu aged for over a month using mold cultures. It is blended with garlic and lime juice to form a rich, tangy sauce. Then, it’s transformed into a creamy, umami-rich sauce paired with our main dish of the Chapter Menu. This traditional fermented tofu is inspired by the Nung ethnic group in Bac Ha, Sapa, Vietnam.
Why is food fermentation central to Chapter Dining’s philosophy?
At Chapter Dining, food fermentation is also a cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine, deeply woven into generations of traditional cooking methods. Many of our chefs learned these age-old techniques in their family kitchens. And today, chefs at Chapter Dining carry that knowledge forward by crafting their own fermentation jars, including house-made tofu, pineapple vinegar, rice wine, and more.
By fermenting in-house, our chefs maintain full control over the ingredients’ origins and hygiene, ensuring the highest quality. It’s a process that benefits both the diner’s health and the environment, aligning with our commitment to Chapter sustainability. Natural fermentation is an effective way to preserve seasonal ingredients, allowing us to extend their shelf life while retaining their peak flavors, even across different seasons.
This sustainable practice also reduces our dependency on short-term sourcing and helps minimize transportation frequency, ultimately lowering the carbon footprint of our kitchen operations.
Each fermentation jar is more than just a culinary component. It holds a story of care, craftsmanship, and creativity. Fermented ingredients are essential to every seasonal menu we design. Whether they serve as the hero of a dish or as a subtle flavor enhancer, they bring depth, nuance, and intention to every plate served in Chapter.
How do our chefs ferment ingredients?
At Chapter Dining, fermentation food is approached with precision and discipline. Our chefs carefully schedule and prepare ingredients first. Then label fermentation start dates, and monitor progress meticulously.
This attention to detail ensures that every product develops the desired flavor and safety profile before it makes its way into a dish. At the same time, it preserves the nutrition of the ingredients throughout each season of the menu.
What are some Chapter dishes featuring fermented ingredients?
Chef Quang Dung and his team bring together local Northern Vietnamese ingredients and environmentally conscious techniques to create visually stunning, delicious, and sustainable dishes. Each course comes with a narrative card. Each course comes with a narrative card. Our food cards will reveal to diners the cultural inspiration and story behind the meal, making every visit to Chapter Dining uniquely personal.
Food fermentation is a technique we elevate with every evolving Chapter Menu. One standout dish is our steamed grouper, delicately cooked with fermented bamboo shoots from Cao Bang, wild forest herbs, and regional spices. Wrapped in banana leaves and gently roasted to bring out a smoky aroma, the dish captures the soul of Vietnam’s northern mountains and the quiet strength of its ethnic traditions. The fermented bamboo offers a bold, distinctive flavor that leaves a lasting impression on diners in our Sunshine menu.
Another example is our house-fermented mẻ chí chương. It’s a chili-based paste aged for one week to intensify its heat and aromatic depth. It adds unexpected complexity to our refined version of Banh Mi, transforming a familiar street food into a luxurious fine-dining experience that surprises and delights.
Our chefs have also embraced bold creativity with beetroot, showcasing it in 3 unique forms: pickled, fermented, and a beetroot & hibiscus powder, topped with a rich, creamy tofu foam. This inventive ingredient trio is featured in our Ninh Binh venison dish, part of the Earth Call Menu, offering diners a multisensory tasting experience that highlights the depth and versatility of a single local ingredient.
Every fermented ingredient carries its own identity, yet all share a common thread: a long-lasting, balanced aftertaste that lingers in memory.
Food fermentation at Chapter Dining is more than a technique. It’s our philosophy, celebration of tradition, and commitment to sustainability. We aim to honor Vietnam’s rich culinary heritage through each carefully crafted fermentation jar while embracing innovation and responsibility. Each fermented ingredient delivers a unique, memorable flavor and plays a vital role in the identity of every Chapter menu.
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Chapter Dining
12C Chan Cam, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Mon – Sat from 18:00 – 23:00
Tel: +84 333 201 221 – Reserve a table
Email: reservation@chapter.vn
