Vietnamese Cuisine in New Orleans documentary, written and produced by Where Y’at writer Suzanne Pfefferle, discusses the recent explosive growth of the Vietnamese food scene in the Crescent City. Pfefferle shared insight into the documentary cuisine topic in Where Y’at’s August 2012 issue. The fi lm explores further into some of the historical infl uences, dating back to French colonialism in Vietnam, that have shaped the course of Vietnamese culinary practices, in addition to the traditions of New Orleanian Vietnamese life such as the weekly farmers market in Village de l’est, the community’s use of backyard farms, and the shrimping industry. The documentary also gives an in-depth view of Vietnamese religious practices and their heavy emphasis on family traditions, including the annual Tet Lunar New Year celebration.
Formerly, Vietnamese food fans had to travel to outside of New Orleans in order satisfy their craving for bahn mi sandwiches, sometimes called a Vietnamese po-boy, or a hot bowl of pho. The more established Vietenamese restaurants have recently been joined by a host of eateries in New Orleans proper. The fi lm also features interviews with several local personalities, such as Chef John Besh, the owner of several restaurants around the city; Ian McNulty, food writer for Gambit; Poppy Tooker, host of “Louisiana Eats!” on WWNO radio; Ahn Joseph Cao, former Congressman for New Orleans; and Father Vien Nguyen, Catholic priest and member of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, among others. Vietnamese Cuisine in New Orleans premieres Sunday, Oct. 14 at 7:00 p.m. on WYES.
