Hot on the heels of his top seven finish in Channel Ten’s MasterChef 2021 series, aspiring chef Tommy Pham has collaborated with Australia’s first social enterprise bakery, The Bread & Butter Project, to launch an exclusive ‘bánh mì danish’—with pre-orders selling out in just seven minutes!

Recreating one of the iconic moments from this season’s show, which saw Tommy present his interpretation of the Vietnamese street food classic to MasterChef judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, as well as special guest judge, pastry chef Kate Reid, the special fusion dish will now be made available to the masses.

The exciting bánh mì danish combines iconic Vietnamese flavours with The Bread & Butter Project’s golden, flaky danish pastries to create a new taste sensation that will be available for pre-order on Wednesday evening, 21 July 2021.

Inside the danish will be a layer of Swiss brown mushroom pâté, a rich Vietnamese-style butter infused with truffle oil, rare roast beef tenderloin slices, pickled carrot and daikon, and ribbons of cucumber, with a garnish of fresh chilli, coriander and spring onion, topped off with a secret bánh mì sauce. Vegetarians will also have the choice of a lemongrass-infused oyster mushroom version.

According to Tommy, the response to the dish has been overwhelming since he announced his plans to offer the bánh mì danish to the public.

“We have had exceptional interest in the bánh mì danish since I posted about it on Instagram three days ago, with over 21,000 views of my post,” he explained.

“As such, we will initially be making the bánh mì danish available via a lottery system, with people able to sign up to express their interest and provide their address for pre-orders.

“The link can be found on @tommyphameats and will launch this evening, with those who are selected to be emailed an invoice for payment, after which their order will be confirmed for delivery this Friday.

“We will be selling the bánh mì danish in boxes of four, with two beef and two mushroom versions in each box, and a limit of one box per person.”

Deliveries will be made by Cake Hero (@cakehero_au), and will be delivered in two batches to ensure freshness. Deliveries will also be contactless to ensure COVID safety.

Tommy says the bánh mì danish offer is the natural result of the interest generated in the dish following its appearance on MasterChef, where it was developed in the Melbourne kitchens of Kate Reid’s Lune Croissanterie.

“I had always planned to bring the bánh mì danish to Sydney since it had done so well at Lune in Melbourne,” he explained.

“I came across The Bread & Butter Project on a visit to Carriageworks Market in Eveleigh, and after speaking to one of the team members I was able to learn more about the great work they do and the amazing products they create.

“The Bread & Butter Project’s mission really spoke to me, and I love that they work with refugees to provide training that empowers them to build a great life in Australia, especially since each of them has experienced either financial or emotional hardships, just as my family did when they settled in Australia, having left Vietnam after the war.

“My mum and I actually both worked in a bakery when I was younger so you can say it’s come full circle! I knew that I definitely wanted to work with a brand that not only had delicious products, but that I also personally connected with as well.”

With interest in the bánh mì danish continuing to grow, Tommy says he will be running a pop-up at Carriageworks once Sydney’s COVID lockdown is lifted, with the stall set to offer not only the bánh mì danish, but a number of other food items that viewers may have seen on this year’s MasterChef series.

“It’s really exciting, as an Aussie with Vietnamese heritage, to not only be showcasing my food traditions, but to also be a role model for people across Australia who may be from different backgrounds.

“This is why my partnership with The Bread & Butter Project is so important, because they bring together people from all over the world and give them the skills to start a new life in food, just as I’m seeking to do.”