Food is emotion. One bite of a specific dish can bring to life homesick memories of childhood, community and an entire city from across the sea. This excerpt from the community radio program and podcast All the Best explores the connections between food, culture and storytelling.

Producer Carly-Anne Kenneally speaks with Melbourne-based artist Kway Nguyen and his Sydney collaborator My Le Thi about Vietnamese cultural celebrations and family traditions. The conversation unfolds within the immersive soundscape of a kitchen, where the clangs and rhythms of cooking intermingle with personal reflections, creating an evocative portrait of how recipes can carry memory and identity across generations. A plate of salty fish can bring up the smell of firecrackers, the memory of walking down arterial streets, and the experience of war. Layered conversations during on-location recording enhance the clip's warmth, showing how cooking creates community and sharing between cultures.

All the Best began at Sydney community station FBi Radio, and champions new and emerging audio storytellers. The piece demonstrates All the Best's hallmark style of intimate documentary audio, blending rich environmental sound with thoughtful storytelling.