Kim Fay is the author of Communion: A Culinary Journey through Vietnam and the editor of To Vietnam With Love. Kim has lived in Vietnam for four years, and the years in Vietnam launched her travel writing career. Kim also has written for Vietnam Investment Review, Vietnam Today, and Destination: Vietnam.
For the readers who don’t know you yet, can you tell a bit about yourself?
I was born in Seattle and raised in the Pacific Northwest. After university I spent five years working at a bookstore. During that time I traveled to Thailand, Borneo, Singapore, and Bali, and I fell in love with Asia. In 1995 I decided to leave the store and teach English overseas. The first place where I was offered a job was Vietnam. I had never considered Vietnam as a place to travel, and I was intrigued. I went to Ho Chi Minh City on a six-month teaching contract and stayed for four years. My job quickly evolved from teaching to writing. Since then I have created the To Asia With Love guidebook series. Along with being the volume editor for the Vietnam edition, I have been the managing editor for Myanmar, Japan, Cambodia, and North India. More countries are forthcoming. I also wrote Communion, and I am just completing a novel about temple robbing in Cambodia in the 1920s. I live in Los Angeles.
What inspired you to write Communion; a culinary journey through Vietnam?
I love food, I love Vietnam, and I love the way cuisine reflects culture. Essentially, writing (and researching) Communion was a way of learning more about my favorite country. I had no idea how rich the project would become, and how much deeper my feelings for the country would grow as a result. But working on Communion and being able to share it with readers is one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.
What is the best advice you could give to someone about to step out of the comfort of their own city, state or country for the first time?
Be open and be brave, and at the same time don’t feel badly if you don’t like everything (this is especially true when it comes to food) or if at times you need something familiar (a latte, perhaps!) to make you feel more comfortable. I believe that we all experience a country uniquely, and the depth of the experience is not always in what or how much we do, but rather in our attitude toward the things we choose to do.
You have traveled around the world and have lived in Vietnam for four years. When do you think you really became passionate about Vietnam? Or better yet, when do you think you realized it?
I realized it the second I stepped off the airplane the morning I first arrived in Vietnam. Something about the country spoke directly to me—the weight of the air, the color of the light, the energy of the people I first encountered. I could feel Vietnam entering my heart as I walked across the tarmac. Perhaps this was because it was the first adventure in my life that I could truly call my own. At the same time, I simply love everything I have experienced about Vietnam, most notably the lifelong friends I made. I felt comfortable there from the start, and I knew immediately that Vietnam would be “my” country.
Unlike French cuisine, for example, which relies heavily on an exactness of technique, Vietnamese cuisine inspires playfulness. Everyone we met made a dish differently. Take clay pot fish. We made this dish three times on our trip, and every time there were different nuances based on the region or the chef making the dish. What this means to me is that I can feel free to play with a dish and come up with a balance of flavors that feels right to me.
If there were just one concept of Vietnamese cooking you would like Americans to come away with, what would that be?
If it’s not fresh, it’s not Vietnamese cuisine. Vietnamese food relies so much on freshness, especially when it comes to produce. And it’s not just the ingredients that are fresh. This also has to do with preparation. Food does not sit around in refrigerators for days like it does in America. It is made and soon after it is served. This is why you can taste the sea and the fields in a dish. They are directly connected to a meal, rather than kept at a distance, as is the case with most food in the West.
You are also the author of To Vietnam With Love ; A travel guide for the Connoisseur. What makes this guide different than other travel guides for Vietnam?
To Vietnam With Love is selective. Rather than give a comprehensive overview of necessary facts, this guidebook presents personal essays from people who know Vietnam well, to provide inspiration. And if a reader is so inspired to follow in one of the writer’s footsteps, they can use the practical information at the end of each essay to undertake the same experience. To Vietnam With Love is as much about capturing the mood of the country as it is about imparting information. It is like having a conversation with a good friend who has just returned from a fabulous trip.
When I started To Vietnam With Love, I knew some of the writers, but many were strangers. It was so satisfying to get to know people whose love for the country is as passionate as mine. Even more, they taught me about places and experiences I did not know, so I felt that as well as being the book’s editor, I was also a typical reader. My desire to return to Vietnam and discover the country anew grew with each page I edited.
Are there any local customs that a newcomer to Vietnam should be aware of?
My feeling is that a traveler should always be polite and respectful, no matter the country. Follow the lead of the locals around you, and if in doubt, ask. Asking is always appreciated. The most notable customs in Vietnam to be aware of have to do with temple etiquette—typical for Buddhist temples. Don’t wear your shoes inside, cover yourself modestly, etc. Otherwise, nothing stands out for me.
Many thanks Kim. For more about Kim and her books, visit http://www.kimfay.net/.
