Macron, who was on a state visit to Vietnam from May 25 to 27 with his wife, visited Madame Hien restaurant.

French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd, L) and his wife shake hands with chef Didier Corlou (L) in Hanoi on May 27, 2025.

Frenchman and chef Didier Corlou, 72, who runs the restaurant and has served more than 60 heads of state in Vietnam, said the French embassy had informed him a month in advance about "a high-ranking delegation from France."

It was only two weeks later that he learned the guest would be Macron.

"Lunch lasted about an hour and a half, and so I prepared a four-course meal with an appetizer, main course and dessert, all using fresh, seasonal local ingredients to honor Vietnamese culinary traditions."

The menu was curated based on Macron's dietary preferences.

After two rounds of evaluation by officials from the Élysée Palace, the final menu was confirmed. It included a bowl of vermicelli with crab and Vietnamese coriander (bun rieu), a platter of appetizers featuring rice rolls, fried spring rolls and grapefruit salad, a main course of cod, shrimp and squid steamed in lotus leaves, stir-fried morning glory with Ly Son garlic and a tangy soup, and a dessert of chocolate cake and black sesame ice cream.

The highlight of the meal was a special dish created for the president: seafood steamed in fresh lotus leaves sourced from Hanoi's West Lake.

It has never featured on the restaurant's menu before and was a personal gift to Macron.

At 1:20 p.m. on May 27 the French delegation arrived at the restaurant.

Corlou said the service team had 10 employees, a general supervisor and two people serving drinks.

Before Macron arrived the Guard Command came to check the food safety and hygiene at the restaurant. Security was tight for nearly two hours.

Though the French embassy did not request closure of the restaurant, Corlou decided to briefly stop receiving guests to ensure everything went smoothly.

The staff had to put away their phones and no one was allowed to take pictures or videos.

Appetizers that President Emmanuel Macron enjoyed at Madame Hien restaurant in Hanoi on May 27, 2025.

The Élysée Palace sent its own presidential chef to oversee the entire meal preparation in the kitchen. A butler for the official entourage was stationed upstairs to monitor the service flow, coordinate the presentation of each course and ensure dishes were served in the correct order.

"Even though I'm used to serving heads of state, I still felt a bit nervous," Corlou said, admitting he was "relieved" once the lunch was over.

He said Macron personally complimented the meal, calling it "delicious and full of flavor."

After the meal he signed the menu and took photos with the restaurant team.

Corlou also gave him a book on Vietnamese cuisine and a lacquer box containing a mixture of five Vietnamese spices.

"President Macron got into his car and left, greeted by people who had been waiting outside the restaurant, and they stayed to greet him until the motorcade drove away from Hang Be Street," the chef added.

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