Part 1 – Story 06 Food & Cooking Activation

What kind of food do you like?

Vietnamese food / familiar flavours / home-cooked | I generally gravitate towards Vietnamese food because I'm used to the flavours and I find it comforting. Home-cooked meals are probably my first choice.

What is your favourite dish?

pho / childhood / sentimental value | My all-time favourite is probably pho. Apart from the taste, it has sentimental value for me because it's closely connected with some of my childhood memories.

Do you prefer home-cooked food or eating out?

home-cooked / ingredients / healthier | I definitely prefer home-cooked food. I can choose the ingredients myself, I know what goes into the meal, and it usually feels healthier and more personal.

Do you often eat out?

not often / student / budget | Not that often, mainly because I'm a student and I try to stick to a reasonable budget. I normally eat out when I'm meeting friends or when I'm too busy to cook.

Can you cook?

basic meals / decent cook / independent | Yes, I can cook basic meals for myself. I wouldn't say I'm an amazing cook, but I'm decent enough to prepare simple dishes and live independently.

Who taught you to cook?

mother / basic skills / father cooks | Mainly my mother. She taught me some basic cooking skills, although my father is also quite a good cook, so I've picked up a few things from both of them.

Do you enjoy cooking?

sometimes / relaxing / practical | Yes, especially when I'm not in a hurry. I find cooking quite relaxing, and it's also a practical skill because I live away from my family.

How often do you cook?

fairly regularly / simple meals / schedule | Fairly regularly. I usually prepare simple meals when my schedule allows, although during really busy periods I sometimes choose something quicker.

What dishes can you cook?

simple Vietnamese dishes / straightforward | Mostly simple Vietnamese dishes. I usually stick to meals that are pretty straightforward because I don't have enough time to prepare anything too complicated.

Do you like cooking with other people?

family / together / enjoyable | Yes, especially with my family. Cooking together is more enjoyable because we can talk while preparing the food, so it feels more like a family activity.

Do you like trying foreign food?

open-minded / occasionally / Vietnamese preference | Yes, I'm quite open to trying foreign food from time to time. That said, if I had to choose, I'd still probably go for Vietnamese food.

Do you have a sweet tooth?

yes / desserts / moderation | Yes, definitely. I have quite a sweet tooth, so I enjoy desserts and sweet snacks, although I try to eat them in moderation.

Do you eat healthily?

mostly / balanced diet / not strict | For the most part, yes. I try to have proper meals and maintain a fairly balanced diet, but I'm not extremely strict about what I eat.

Do you think cooking is an important skill?

definitely / independence / healthier | Definitely. Being able to cook makes it easier to live independently, control what you eat and avoid relying too much on fast food.

Is there any food you would like to learn to cook?

more complex dishes / future / improve skills | Yes. I'd like to learn a few more complicated Vietnamese dishes in the future because at the moment I mainly cook fairly simple meals.