Vietnam Salt Bae dinner

The World

If you have the chance — and the cash — to experience an ultra-exclusive meal prepared by celebrity London chef Salt Bae, there’s a good chance you’ll end up on his Instagram feed. That might sound cool. But not if you’re a high-level government official from Vietnam, which is in the midst of an anti-corruption campaign. One such official is facing scrutiny after appearing in a Salt Bae video eating a gold-encrusted steak. The World’s Southeast Asia correspondent Patrick Winn has the story.

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?