On August 12, in celebration of Vu Lan, Madame Lam, a four-time Michelin-selected restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, introduced Thap Vi Mua On – A Taste of Gratitude, the second chapter of its A Oi, Chuyen Vi Chuyen Mua culinary series.

Created by culinary artisan Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van and Executive Chef Nhu Cuong, the seven-course vegetarian menu explores time-honored Vietnamese flavors through a contemporary lens, pairing traditional plant-based dishes with California walnuts.

From California walnut milk transformed into delicate, glass-like noodles and served with aloe vera and passion fruit sauce to a slow-simmered soup layered with California walnuts, shiitake mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms and lotus root, each course offers a different expression of connection and gratitude, reflecting the spirit of Vu Lan.

A steamed egg dish enriched with California walnut milk offers another unexpected interpretation. Meanwhile, the traditional canh kiem, a dish closely associated with family meals and sharing, is reimagined with California walnuts alongside sweet potato, cassava and coconut milk.

Together, the dishes create a menu that feels familiar yet refreshingly new, demonstrating how Vietnamese plant-based cuisine can evolve creatively while remaining rooted in tradition. California walnuts add richness and texture, opening new possibilities for a cuisine shaped by seasonality, memory and togetherness.

From heart health to a gesture of care

Beyond their culinary versatility, walnuts have been the subject of more than two decades of nutrition research. They are certified under the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check program, which helps consumers identify foods that meet established heart-healthy nutrition criteria.

The relationship between walnuts and cardiovascular health has been studied for decades. Research published in 1993 found that walnut consumption could reduce total cholesterol and LDL, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, in men by as much as 12% and 16%, respectively.

More than 25 years of subsequent research has continued to investigate the potential cardiovascular benefits of walnuts, including their effects on blood pressure, inflammation and plaque formation.

These culinary and nutritional qualities make walnuts a natural fit for a menu centered on mindful eating and the gratitude associated with Vu Lan.

For Vietnamese families gathering during the festival to honor their parents, the nutritional qualities of California walnuts add another dimension to the meal. A dish made with a heart-healthy ingredient can become more than a culinary experience: it can serve as a quiet expression of care, nourishment and gratitude shared around the family table.

That spirit also reflects the five pillars guiding California’s walnut industry: environmental stewardship, sustainable nutrition, human health, community and economic vitality. Together, these principles connect what arrives on the table with a broader commitment to people, communities and a more sustainable future.

A nutrient-rich ingredient for plant-based cuisine

A one-ounce, or 28-gram, serving of California walnuts provides 4 grams of plant-based protein, 2 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of ALA, or alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid found in particularly high amounts in walnuts compared with other tree nuts.

Walnuts are naturally gluten-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free. They also contain magnesium, which supports normal muscle, nerve and bone function, along with melatonin and antioxidant compounds including polyphenols and gamma-tocopherol.

For Cam Van, these qualities make walnuts particularly relevant to vegetarian cooking. She notes that for Vietnam’s vegetarian community, walnuts can provide a useful source of plant-based protein, while their nutritional profile makes them well suited to dishes designed to nourish both body and mind.

California walnuts find a new place in Vietnamese cuisine

Behind the walnuts featured on the menu is an industry built over generations. The California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission represent nearly 100 handlers and more than 4,800 growers, including many multigenerational family farms, working collectively to support research into walnut nutrition, production and international export markets.

The collaboration with Madame Lam also marks another step in the growing presence of California walnuts in Vietnam’s culinary landscape.

Once best known locally as a snack or a familiar addition to Tet gift boxes, walnuts are increasingly being explored as an ingredient in everyday cooking. From plant-based milks, soups and sauces to inventive main courses, they are finding their way into home kitchens as well as contemporary fine-dining menus, creating new possibilities for Vietnamese cuisine.

California’s walnut orchards cover roughly 375,000 acres and benefit from more than 300 days of sunshine each year. From cultivation through processing, California walnuts are produced under agricultural and food-safety standards that include Good Agricultural Practices and USDA-verified quality checks through the California Dried Fruit Association.

The A Taste of Gratitude menu is available at Madame Lam Restaurant throughout the Vu Lan season, from August 12 to September 11, 2026, at 10 Tran Ngoc Dien Street, An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

More information is available from the California Walnut Commission.

PV