Chef Oliver Mette, director of Culinary at Hotel de la Coupole Sa Pa

At the crossroads of French culinary heritage and the agricultural richness of northern Việt Nam, this dish becomes a meeting point of cultures, ingredients and craftsmanship.

In the mist‑covered highlands around Sa Pa, tea has long been cultivated on terraced hillsides, carrying delicate aromas and a strong sense of place. For Chef Oliver Mette, this landscape offered the perfect inspiration to reinterpret one of his long‑standing signature creations.

His matcha and foie gras terrine, refined over more than six years, takes on a new identity in Việt Nam through the use of locally sourced green tea.

In this version, premium French foie gras is paired with the subtle bitterness and fragrance of northern Vietnamese tea, while a touch of matcha adds its vibrant colour and layered depth. A lightly tangy chutney brings brightness and contrast, cutting through the richness of the terrine, which is served with rustic sourdough for balance and texture.

A harmonious blend of East and West, tradition and innovation, the dish encapsulates Chef Mette’s culinary philosophy in a single, elegant composition.

Ingredients:

• 1kg foie-gras: 800g cut into cubes and 200g for farce (stuffing)
• 10ml white port wine
• 5g Prague powder (curing salt)
• 3g matcha powder
• 50ml green tea reduction
• 50ml green tea & yuzu jelly

For garnish:

• Fresh seedless grapes
• Chutney (plum or apple, to taste)
• Apple jelly (cut into small cubes)

Green tea & matcha foie gras

Preparation:

• Clean the foie gras and carefully remove the veins.
• Use 200g of foie gras to make the farce by passing it through a sieve until smooth.
• Combine the farce with Prague powder, white port wine, matcha powder, and green tea reduction.
• Gently fold the mixture together with the foie gras cubes by hand until evenly combined.
• Place the mixture onto cling film, shape into a tight roll, and wrap securely with cling film, followed by aluminum foil.
• Sous vide at 45°C for 20-25 minutes (depending on size).
• Once cooked, immediately cool in ice water, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• Slice the foie gras using a heated round metal ring for a clean finish, and lightly season with sea salt.
• To plate, add a quenelle of chutney on the side, arrange apple cubes and halved grapes, and place dots of green tea & yuzu jelly beneath the terrine.

Hotel de la Coupole Sapa – MGallery Collection is located at 1 Hoàng Liên Street, Sa Pa Ward, Lào Cai Province, Việt Nam. Tel: +84 214 3629 999. — VNS