On social media, Leslie shared snapshots of himself and his wife exploring the city’s markets, cafés, and tourist spots. Invited by local organizers for a culinary event, the couple arrived in HCMC on July 16 and spent five days mixing work with leisure.
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Leslie Gilliams (L) and his wife pose for photos at the Central Post Office in HCMC, July 2025. Photo courtesy of Leslie Gilliams |
The 67-year-old American chef rose to fame in 2014 on MasterChef U.S. season 5, where he became a favorite among Vietnamese viewers.
Fans nicknamed him “Liem”, a word that means “person of integrity” in Vietnamese.
In the semi-finals, Leslie was accused of using salt instead of sugar in a dessert. Though the dish looked good, the mistake cost him the competition. He insisted it was not his error, but still accepted the outcome and took responsibility, even as some viewers suspected it was a twist by the show.
Before the trip, Leslie shared a fan-made image with his nickname and said he was excited to visit Vietnam. On their first day, he and his wife explored famous spots and tried local dishes. They enjoyed a dinner downtown, tasting broken rice, pho, and egg coffee.
Besides the food, they visited well-known places in Ho Chi Minh City, including a koi café, the Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market, and Tan Dinh Church.
“A day in Ho Chi Minh City filled with food, fun, friends and fans!”, Leslie wrote on social media.
Vietnamese fans welcomed the chef in the comments, expressing hope that he would try making more Vietnamese dishes in the future. Some suggested he try bun thit nuong (rice vermicelli with grilled pork), or head to Hanoi for good I give mam tom (rice vermicelli with fried tofu and fermented shrimp paste).
Nearly a decade after his MasterChef season aired, Leslie continues to be remembered by Vietnamese audiences. He frequently shares Vietnamese-dubbed clips and content to the show, keeping the connection alive with his fans.
