It's unbelievable what you can do with carrots, daikon and melons. These are no ordinary garnishes. This is artistic carving the Vietnamese way.

Decorative food is a very important part of Vietnamese food culture - as presentation is all-important. It's no easy feat to learn how to carve fruits and vegetables to adorn a plate, but it's certainly worth the effort.

Mrs Thom Bui is a trained Vietnamese cook who teaches cooking in Sydney's Cabramatta, particularly through the Vietnamese Women's Association.