Meet the Ho Chi Minh City ENT doctor who wins high prize at World Food Photography Awards

Dr. Dang Hoai Anh from Thu Duc Hospital claimed first place in the Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration category with his photo showcasing the traditional craft of making banh hoi, a fine rice vermicelli dish from Vietnam.

According to the award’s website caption, banh hoi is a specialty dish found in many places in Vietnam.

The dish is made from rice flour, undergoing an elaborate and meticulous preparation process.

Banh hoi is often served with scallion oil, roasted meat, grilled meat, and pork offal.

This is an indispensable dish for holidays, weddings, funerals, and ceremonies at communal houses and pagodas.

A journey inward, through the lens  

Eight years ago, while still working in the intensive care unit, Anh turned to photography as a way to relax after long, stressful shifts.

He began by taking casual phone shots of scenery in Da Lat, a popular upland destination in central Vietnam.

As his interest grew, he upgraded to a professional camera, taught himself photography, and began taking solo trips to sharpen his skills and artistic eye.

The winning photo is part of his series titled 'Sunlight and Smoke,' which revisits childhood memories with his grandmother.

“I don’t recollect milestones like graduating from university or getting my master’s degree but clearly remember peaceful days sitting by my grandmother as she lit the fire for cooking, watching sunlight filter through the smoke,” Anh said. 

“That’s what inspired this photo series.”

Every year, Anh picks a concept to reflect on and turns it into a photographic story.

Once an idea takes shape, he mentally visualizes the scenes, then sets out to find the right location and moment to bring it to life.

He has completed around nine such series, each representing a personal insight drawn from life.

During public holidays or vacation days from the hospital, instead of resting, Anh often hits the road alone on his motorbike to chase images, sometimes riding hundreds of kilometers for just a few meaningful shots and a sense of inner fulfillment.

For him, it is also a journey of self-discovery.

“To me, art is a way to reflect on life,” he shared. 

“Through photography, I explore parts of myself I once thought I understood.”

“Photography is like an adventure.

"It takes place inward and challenges me to discover what sets things apart.

"I always try to be honest with my emotions when taking photos, simply because beauty can’t come from dishonesty.”

According to the doctor and photographer, honesty is the common thread between his two careers.

Wearing the white coat, he always tries to keep a pure heart and be truthful to his patients, just as he remains honest with himself in photography.

An anchor to regain life balance

Balancing the two very different paths is not easy, though, as medicine demands precision and strict standards while art calls for creativity and originality.

“Photography is an anchor that helps me regain balance in life,” Anh shared. 

“It frees me from constantly questioning how I should live and reminds me to live a meaningful, beautiful life.

“Thanks to that, I no longer feel lost. 

"Every decision I make as a doctor falls into place with one clear goal: doing what’s best for my patients.”

Besides photography, Dr. Anh also has a passion for literature, once winning online fiction awards when he was a student, and now continuing his storytelling through a photo-novel titled 'Khu Rung Bi An (The Mysterious Forest).'

Anh's works often carry a gentle sense of magic, sometimes with a touch of sadness, featuring scenes like a street vendor under dim city lights or a lone figure in a pine forest bathed in morning sunlight.