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Co Dam – Vegetarian Fine Dining Restaurant
I came to photograph the food. But I stayed — to be still.
We had the pleasure of photographing a summer food story at Co Dam – Vegetarian Fine Dining Restaurant, where every dish felt like a quiet meditation.
Located in the heart of Hanoi, Co Dam offers a refined and soulful plant-based dining experience.
🪷 On a gentle summer day...
I arrived at Co Dam on a quiet morning, carrying my camera and the mindset of a "photographer". But just a few steps into that space, I found myself leaving all sense of urgency at the door.
Here, everything moves slowly — and in that slowness, there is depth.
Soft light like mist, the scent of aged wood, the delicate clink of porcelain, and plant-based dishes treated with reverence — like offerings.
I stopped thinking about "shooting", and began simply… to feel.
📷 When photography becomes a form of mindfulness
Photographing at Co Dam was unlike any restaurant I’ve ever worked with. Each dish wasn’t just beautiful — it had soul.
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The deep green of banana leaves, the soft purple of beets, the warm earth tones of brown rice
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Handcrafted ceramic bowls
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Afternoon light spilling softly across a bowl of seaweed soup
Everything invited me to set the camera down… and observe first, with quiet presence.
I chose natural light, avoided heavy edits — because everything was already enough. I framed from low angles to honor the structure of each dish. I left space in the frame — because stillness deserves room to breathe.
🍃 The food experience wordless, but rich with meaning
After the shoot, I was offered a few dishes to enjoy. And in that moment, I understood why I had wanted to capture them so gently.
The food at Co Dam is not extravagant, nor dramatic. But in the crispness of silken tofu, the gentle scent of steamed lotus, or the light sweetness of mushroom broth, each bite whispers a quiet message:
“Slow down. Be kind. Listen inward.”
Photographing Silence
The shoot ended. But what I took with me wasn’t just a gallery.It was something far more rare — a sense of calm, reflection, and quiet gratitude.Thank you, Cô Dàm, for being not just a beautiful place to work, but a space to breathe — even just for a day.