Open Doors and Open Hearts: Quán Chay Phước Duyên
As you stroll down the quiet streets of the An Thuong 16 neighbourhood, you could easily pass the small but colourful sign planted outside of a relatively tucked in the shopfront. Here you will find the hidden gem, and Da Nang’s best-kept secret- Quán Chay Phuoc Duyên. The food here is original and wholesome, the atmosphere is calming and friendly and the price is little to nothing. Quán Chay Phuoc Duyên was first on my list when I decided to try and learn more about the culture of veganism in Vietnam and what makes it so significant and commonplace for the people who live here.
When Mỹ came to sit down for the interview, her presence radiated a self-assured calmness and confidence. She began to share her story straight away, sharing that she was born in the Quang Nam Province, is 32 and the sole owner of Quán Chay Phuoc Duyên. I asked Mỹ to tell me a little about her relationship with vegan food. She explained through gesticulation and animated facial expressions that her whole family has been vegans for over 10 years, she is a Buddhist who interweaves with her daily life, saying “I often go to the pagoda and pray for blessings from Buddha”. Mỹ believes that a vegetarian diet is implied in the Buddha's teachings- one should not eat the flesh of any sentient being.
Mỹ always wanted to do charitable work as her sole career, but her income is very little, so she decided to find a happy medium. She quit her job as a hairdresser and decided to open a vegan restaurant in her community, and has been open for three years now. Mỹ explained that at times, “People come to my restaurant and they cannot afford to pay for the meal but I am willing to give it to them for free”, she wants the restaurant to be known as a place where anyone is welcome. Her focus isn't aimed at profit and when people order a plate of food, she asks how much they wish to spend, with the price ranging up to 25k ($1), she will fill the plate accordingly to how much they pay. She expressed, ‘I don't like when people see foreigners and decide to increase the price of the service’ (which is very commonplace in Vietnam), she said she refuses to engage in this selective inflation. She explained that for her when it comes to being vegan, “It needs to start from the heart and soul.” Her neighbours have asked her often why she doesn't have different prices for the Vietnamese and foreigners, but she has put her foot down, expressing that she refuses to go against her morals of treating people equally.
I asked Mỹ about the wonderful food she serves and where she found the unique recipes. She told me, “I make food based on the way I cook every day for my own family.” She said that after 10 years of eating vegan she decided to experiment with the recipes she was brought up on and modifying them herself. Mỹ also believes that eating a vegan diet is healthier and can protect us from getting sick. Her produce is healthy and wholesome, she purposely does not add too much colour, strong flavours, or too many ingredients. She uses basic products and simple ingredients to flavour her food, such as brown sugar or chili jam. Mỹ's family grows a variety of chilis in their home which she uses for the jam. There are many different kinds of chilis in the mixture, which creates a rich and intense flavour. The food plate is made up of a mixture of fresh vegetables such as pumpkin, aubergine, green beans, coconut shavings, and Morning Glory- Mỹ cooks all of the food herself. Mỹ also serves a selection of drinks such as fresh fruit juice, a specific kiwi seed drink (which is popular in Vietnam), and bottles of red rice vegan milk.
When I take a seat at the restaurant, a sense of calmness always comes over me. I asked Mỹ about the decor in the space and what her inspiration was for creating the atmosphere. My believes that when it comes to a space that sells vegan food, the customers want to feel peaceful and serene and due to her veganism being directly related to buddha, she decided to create an atmosphere “Similar to a pagoda or a place of prayer”, with scriptures and Buddhist images placed on the walls, and a welcomed silence.
There is one particularly large shrine in the middle of the restaurant, which can be seen recreated in many shops and restaurants in Vietnam. Mỹ said that she places offerings at the shrine to ask for blessings of prosperity from ancestors for the business. The ancestors must be answering Mỹ's prayers, as she expressed that the restaurant has been increasingly busy, with her seeing a steady increase in both western and Vietnamese people coming to her restaurant to dine over the past three years. Mỹ is old school, the restaurant doesn't do advertising on Facebook or Instagram but works through a word of mouth system. She believes that “If customers enjoy the meal and experience, then they will return themselves and spread the message.”
I asked Mỹ if she had any specific message she would like to spread, she immediately answered, saying that she wishes to ask people to consider a vegan lifestyle because its main message is one of equality, a diet that treats all walks of life with the same respect. Thanks, Mỹ for the humbling and inspiring interview and thank you to my fantastic translator Linhh for helping me share Mỹ's story and making this interview happen.
*Mỹ's quotes were paraphrased due to the nature of translation and to make them more coherent to a broader audience.
Comentarios