Creative Counts, Volume 25

Interview by Milk Team | with Ferrato Théo

In conversation, Théo delves into how music can serve as a bridge between cultures, generations, and identities. Raised between France and Vietnam, he draws from bolero, Vina house, and European techno to craft sets that reflect his roots as a fusion of flavors. An expert community curator, Théo has crafted the perfect recipe for reimagining what it means to be a radio host in today’s modern soundscape.

How do you feel music interacts with memory?

When I was growing up, my Vietnamese grandmother who raised me always played bolero music. It was everywhere. During meals, in the car, at home. At the time, I couldn’t connect with it. I saw it as music for old people. I just wanted to listen to Major Lazer and everything that was fast, loud, and full of energy. As I got older, I started to understand that music and came back to it with a different ear. Now it brings me peace and reminds me of all the beautiful moments and amazing meals I shared with her. There’s a softness, a kind of blue feeling that I carry with me.

Do you have a favorite bolero song?

Two songs that shaped my childhood were Liên Khúc Bông Cỏ May by Tuấn Vũ and Vầng Trăng Khóc by Nguyễn Văn Chung. These are the ones my grandma loved the most. I used to hear them all the time in her car when I was little.

What role does culture play in your personal soundscape?

I grew up between France and Vietnam, and both countries shaped the way I listen to and make music. I’ve always had a deep love for bolero, it’s emotional, nostalgic, and full of soul. At the same time, I’m also drawn to Vina house, which is much faster and rooted in nightlife and energy. Then there’s my love for techno and trance, which comes from the French and European scene.

What I try to do now is mix all of these influences together. I blend the softness of bolero with the speed and rhythm of Vina house, layered with the pulse of electronic music. It’s my way of connecting everything I’ve lived, my family, my roots, and what I’ve grown into.

How have listeners reacted to your sets when hearing these multi-layered references?

Vietnamese audiences often tell me it reminds them of home, or their parents, and they’re surprised to hear these songs in a new light. French and international listeners are usually curious and touched, because it’s not something they hear often!

There aren’t many of us sharing Vietnamese sounds in this way, and if I can help introduce even a small part of that culture to the world, then I feel like I’m doing something meaningful.

I love Vietnam. I love France. And I really love music. Being able to bring them together in one place, and share it with others, feels like a true honor every single time!

I try to make people discover new tastes, some familiar, some totally new and show them that, even if it’s something they’ve never heard before, it can still touch them. That’s really what I love about music. It’s like cooking with memories, roots, and emotion.

Let Him Cook Radio has become such a vibrant space for cross culture collaboration, what draws you to those who come on the radio?

At Let Him Cook, we host artists from all over the world : Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, Italy, Spain, Estonia. We love it when people come as they are, without pressure, just like you would when sharing a good meal with friends. Here, it’s the same but with music. We all share a set together!

When an artist comes into the kitchen, it’s not just about playing tracks. It’s about enjoying a moment together. Let Him Cook isn’t just a radio show, it feels like family. And our kitchen is a real one, with real chefs. Some of them aren’t into electronic music at all. They might not like techno or trance. But when the artist brings that energy, that personality, often makes the chefs love genres they didn’t expect to enjoy, just because of the vibe and the feeling in the room!

If cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese coffee) had a soundtrack, what would it be?

It would definitely be “ghệ iu dấu của em ơi” by tlinh, 2pillz, and WOKE UP.

It just fits. That sweet, playful energy, a little addictive, super feel-good, exactly what I feel when I eat those two. It’s like a mini love story between the flavors and the sound!

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

See more from Théo on Instagram, as well as at Let Him Cook Radios.