Viet Hong

Chef and Owner, CieL; Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Viet Hong began his culinary studies in Paris, France, in 2015. In 2019, he reached an important milestone when he co-founded The Monkey Gallery on Mạc Thị Bưởi, District 1, together with three friends, including Liem, who would later become his partner at CieL.
After that, Viet Hong spent time working in some of the world’s leading kitchens, such as Noma Copenhagen, Sezanne Tokyo, and Disfrutar Barcelona. In 2023, he returned to Vietnam to build a kitchen of his own.
Two key inspirations behind the culinary style of both CieL and Viet Hong are the land and the ocean. When choosing ingredients, he seeks to explore the finest expressions from both earth and sea. CieL does not aim to confine itself within any single cuisine.
Guests often ask whether a dish is Japanese, French, or something else. For us, this restaurant is a personal reflection of both Liem and Viet Hong, we cook what we love.
The menu represents a meeting point between Eastern and Western culinary cultures, from France to Japan, from Vietnam to India, all reinterpreted through the foundation of French technique. (Instagram: @hong.levie)