Located on a quiet street in the heart of Saigon, Tales by Chapter offers a unique plant-based dining experience, where every dish tells a story of sustainability, mindful living and nourishment. Sitting at the open counter, guests can watch the chefs at work, transforming simple ingredients into thoughtful plates right before their eyes.
Led by Chef Truong Quang Dung, whose culinary path was shaped by his studies in the Sustainable Food: Production and Processing course of the University of Cambridge, Tales By Chapter embodies a vision where food is not only about flavor but also responsibility to nature. Each dish reflects a commitment to zero waste, plant-based cooking, using every part of the ingredient from root and stem to leaf and often-forgotten scraps.
A Philosophy Rooted in Responsibility
The journey begins in a peaceful valley in Da Lat, where our partner biodiverse farm grows vegetables naturally, without chemicals, relying on patient care for the soil. Three times a week, this fresh harvest is brought straight to Saigon, still fresh with morning dew. The restaurant’s first menu is ZERO, which makes a bold statement: nothing is wasted. Every part of the plant from root, stem, leaf, skin is invited to the plate. Corn is thoughtfully used with its kernels featured in the dish, while the core is repurposed as natural fuel for the kitchen’s charcoal fire. Meanwhile, carrot root is transformed through koji fermentation, creating new textures and flavors and the carrot tops become a fresh "chẩm chéo" dipping sauce inspired by the northern highlands. Last but not least, beetroot takes center stage in five different forms from root to peel, crafting dishes rich in texture and depth.
From Soil to Story
This menu is a celebration of mindful cooking and thoughtful use of ingredients, but the experience goes beyond taste. Guests are invited to ask questions, touch, taste and perhaps in the quiet moments, realize they are part of the story too. When the meal ends, each set menu contributes to planting a tree in the Kon Hà Nừng Biosphere Reserve, a simple, living promise that this story continues growing long after the last bite.
As ZERO draws to a close, Tales By Chapter leave you with a soft invitation: see you up on the farm. The next chapter awaits, rooted even deeper in the soil, with ingredients closer to the earth and stories that grow straight from the source.