I love a good story about an entrepreneurial person who makes something out of nothing. That’s the story of Ms. Vy, whom I learned about years ago when we first visited Hoi An, a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town in the middle of Vietnam.

Of course, we couldn’t just up and leave Saigon after Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Food Tour, so we spent another day hitting a couple of our favorite restaurants before we headed back to Japan.

We spent the day in HCMC on our own, which was fun because we could wander aimlessly and discover the unexpected.

A day off — but not without its highlight: an exciting chef in Hoi An we couldn't wait to meet. We took a Grab into town to sit down with him at his restaurant on the river…

A few years ago, I went to the Sydney Fish Market in Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont. I love a good bustling fish market, but this one had seen better days.

Din Tai Fung may only be a dumpling joint at heart, but it is legendary.  It’s everywhere in Asia, popping up in America, and immensely popular wherever you can find one.

I’m a big fan of Jean-Georges. We’ve been to many of his restaurants in New York; they are all unique, and the food never lets you down.