Originally from Vietnam, Duncan Ly is on his way to becoming one of Canada’s greatest chefs with a string of medals, awards and recognitions under his belt, including representing Canada at the Bocuse d’Or in France. In 2015 he opened his own restaurant, Foreign Concept, in Calgary.

The smell of West Coast Chowder floating around the kitchens of the Relais & Chateaux designated Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino where a young Duncan Ly was washing dishes sealed his fate. After serving an apprenticeship with some of Canada’s greatest chefs and a 10-year stint at the Hotel Arts Group in Calgary as Executive Chef, Duncan joined forces with Chef Jinhee Lee to open Foreign Concept.

This stylish, pan-Asian restaurant features a design that straddles classic, colonial-inspired decor and a sleek modernist look. Two large, hand-painted murals of water lilies and Asian gardens evoke the ambience of old-school Chinese restaurants, while clean white tiles, pineapple-shaped lampshades and an open kitchen bring Foreign Concept into the 21st century.

The restaurant’s alternative Asian menu is an interesting blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean cuisines. The aim is to introduce more people to the variety of Asian cuisines and to tap into the breadth of tradition and culture within them.

Examples include trout cha ca la vong (a unique Hanoi speciality) with dill, persimmon and rice noodles and Vietnamese coffee parfait with dark chocolate and condensed milk.

In June 2018 the Bailliage of Calgary enjoyed a tasting menu created especially for the occasion by Officier Maître Rôtisseur Duncan Ly and Executive Chef Jinhee Lee. Each plate was identified by a small card with the name of the dish and a list of ingredients. The Bailliage was pleased to recognize Executive Chef Lee and Sous Chef Ryan Manlapat with Chaine plates at the conclusion of the dinner.

Amanda Roberts
Editor, Revue internationale de la Chaîne