The ingredients hunter of Phu Quoc Island

Noting his keen eye for selecting only the tastiest of morsels, the island’s vendors now call him,“thợ săn nguyên liệu”(literally, the Ingredients Hunter), but elsewhere he is known as Patrick Berenger, resident chef at M Gallery La Veranda Resort’s outstanding restaurant, The Peppertree.

Set in a lush tropical garden on a beautiful stretch of beach, M Gallery La Veranda Resort is a heavenly retreat in one of Vietnam’s most breathtaking locations. But every memorable holiday needs an unforgettable meal, which is why Patrick and his team go out of their way to source the freshest, richest, and most robust ingredients here on the island, and all around Vietnam.

When sourcing organic vegetables and fresh herbs, however, Patrick simply steps into M Gallery La Veranda Resort’s very own gardens and plucks whatever he needs.

“As a boy growing up in the French countryside, I was always told to use only the freshest and cleanest of ingredients,” said Patrick, who cut his teeth as a chef in Paris. “When I enter the kitchen, my philosophy is pretty simple: treat each ingredient like it’s the star of the show.”

For appetisers, such as the Trio of Fresh Spring Rolls (VND225,000) diners can not only taste the freshness in each and every mouthful, but also see that Patrick’s attention to detail extends to composition. Vietnam’s most classic rolls goi cuon, cha gio, and cai cuon thit nuong have never looked so beautiful. The latest addition to the menu, Crab Cake (VND265,000), is more of a global staple but is also elevated by the quality of ingredients mouth wateringly fresh spanner crab and organic micro-greens and Patrick’s meticulous serving plating. For Pan-seared King Prawns a la Provencale (VND695,000), which Patrick will flambé right by the table, diners will also appreciate that each and every ingredient the fresh fennel, the homemade tagliatelle, and the home grown vegetables has been truly treated like a star.

So here is the secret that’s fast becoming no secret at all: No trip to Phu Quoc is complete without coming to The Peppertree at M Gallery La Veranda Resort to experience a ‘culinary show’ produced and directed by a singular chef whose precious star performers each and every single ingredient always leave the crowd crying out for more.