Chicken feet in Sa Pa, Vietnam.
During my trip to northern Vietnam, I came across a scene that might feel unusual for many of us: a table filled with different cuts of meat ready to be chosen and grilled. Among them, chicken feet were certainly one of the most curious and, for me, slightly surprising items.
Chicken feet in Sa Pa, Vietnam, are a type of food commonly found across much of Asia, where no part of the animal is wasted and every element has its place in the kitchen. In this case, they were displayed together with other cuts, some already prepared on skewers and ready to be cooked over the grill.
I have to admit that visually they still make quite an impression on me. We are no longer used to seeing this kind of food on our tables, even though in the past, chicken feet were also used in Italy, especially for making broths and soups. In some places, this tradition still exists today, although it is less common.
The scene I photographed says a lot about the way food is experienced in these areas. It is not just about eating, but also about sharing a moment: you choose what you want, watch it being prepared and often take part in the cooking process. It becomes a social and sensory experience that brings you closer to a different food culture.
Sa Pa, a town located in the mountains of northern Vietnam, is known for this kind of street food and small local eateries. Tables full of ingredients act almost like displays, allowing each person to select exactly what they want to eat and create a personalised meal.
Even if these dishes may seem unusual at first glance, they are part of a rich culinary tradition that values simple ingredients and direct cooking methods like grilling. Often, moving beyond the initial impression can lead to discovering new and interesting flavours.
This photograph is part of a wider collection dedicated to food around the world, where I try to tell stories not only about well-known dishes but also about those that surprise and spark curiosity.
Have you ever found yourself in front of a dish that made you hesitate just because of how it looked? Add a comment or go to the bottom of the site to read what other visitors have written.
Photo taken with Canon EOS M100 and lens Canon EF-M 22.
The rights on images, videos, choruses, text and all other material on the LUCADEA.com website are governed as per Copyright page.
