Photos: Trio of chefs: Mr Hoàng – Mr Nam – Mr Duy
Mr.
Hoang introduces each of his team: Mr. Huynh Thanh Hoang, Mr.Nam Hoang Nguyen,
Mr. Duy Quang Dinh (Minh Long I Co.Ltd). They are food stylists at the Golden
Spoon contest.
Each person has his own
personality, but they understand each other very well so that they not only
create guidelines for the display, but also impart their wisdom. They put the
power of creativity within the hands of people who understand the need for such
within cuisine. They work so well with one another that the pictures created by
the contest’s dishes coordinated so well that they looked like a painting.
Chef
Hoang Thanh Huynh shared that many people think a profession as a Food Stylist as
crazy, because we eat only for sustenance. His story about his job awoke in his
listeners a feeling of leaving behind the old fashioned that only our stomach
cares about food.
Normally
Food Stylists must wait for an empty restaurant to play with ingredients, take
note the recipes and think of materials, light, shapes, etc. All of these will
be done by themselves to create their own features. Silently experimenting,
reading and discussing or exchanging with other colleagues, Chef Hoang, Nam and
Duy felt that they have met with the trend in modern cuisine, although the
concept of “eat to be full” is difficult to evolve into the concept of “eat for
its taste”.
They try to get out of
the influence of presenting more than the necessary food, but instead presenting
a reasonable amount in an elegant, luxurious style. Of more import is the use
of edible garnish. The thought of integrating European cuisine style into
Vietnamese cuisine is a style locally referred to as, “between us and the
world”. The trio's argument is, “if we want Vietnamese food to attract the
attention of the world, we have to understand their mind-set, understand what
they want before, during and after eating.
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To the trio of Hoang Nam and Duy their
creativity has a very simple objective, which is to make professional chefs ask
themselves, “how do I make this delicious?”
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The
Golden Spoon contest had new decoration style since the last season and the
leading creative team was from An Hoa restaurant, Ben Tre. Although they won
the first prize in the preliminary round in Can Tho, locals commented that it
is unacceptable when Vietnamese food is presented in Western style. This year
many restaurants attended the contest in Can Tho, and changed to a modern presentation
instead of, for example, displaying a whole chicken on the table. Last year
many chefs shared that the eating tools such as plates, bowl used to display
foods still lack of interesting form and shape. This year ideas of food
presentation initiated by these three chefs brought inspiration to Minh Long
Co. Ltd for production of new designs.
Until
now leading thoughts of the group Chef Hoang, Chef Nam and Chef Duy still face
challenges from conservative concepts, but the number of people who support has
also increased. Chef Hoang said that Saigon is only in the formalization stage
for restaurants reaching find dining standards. In Spain there is El Bulli
which is open only six months a year, and the other six months they spend
studying new dishes. Diners must reserve their seat about one year in advance.
Chef Hoang and his team have a practical point of view, so they are looking for
a way to create a restaurant with a Bistro-styled approach, then turn into
casual dining before reaching the apex of fine dining.
Being
a Food Stylist doesn’t mean you color and complicate the dish, but you increase
its attraction through its taste, ingredients and nutrition. This is especially
true for dishes that utilize local ingredients. One must first understand why
you use these ingredients. Chef Hoang said that Vietnam has many “incredible
ingredients” located along the country all the way from the north to the south,
so many great opportunities are available to practice and increase skill.
Kien
Giang province has many delicious dishes. Every time fishermen go out to sea it
can be dangerous, so if we don’t make good dishes from these ingredients it is
unacceptable. For the fishermen, chefs have to improve the quality of their
food. Both Chef Nam and Chef Duy also think the same as Chef Hoang. One of the
most delicious dishes in Rach Gia province is “Bún cá nước lèo” – a fresh rice
noodle soup with fish that diners prefer to have in a big bowl. The diners from
other countries normally prefer a smaller bowl because they want to taste
everything in including the broth. When the broth is prepared using different
levels of heat there is a change in the taste. The broth that Hoang cooks
reduces from five to one-half a liter under a small fire. The criteria for his
dishes are beautiful, delicious and nutritious.
The world enjoys healthy
cooking while barbecue restaurants utilize burning embers. It is a wonder how
much risk of cancer is increased simply by eating at these restaurants? These
young chefs are trying to show these ways of cooking, but it is just like
designing clothes for fashion; there will be compliments and also feedback. For
example, it will be more expensive to have enough embers or wood to cook this
way.
Most
of the work that the trio produces doesn’t exist in any book, so the group
wants to write a book about delicious dishes made at the Golden Spoon contest.
It is obvious that they understand the necessity of passing on knowledge and
trends for future generations. “The rest of the world studies first, then tests
its most unique and creative dishes. Once they receive compliments for this
they will be confident to take the next steps forward,” said Chef Hoang.
Acording to Hoang Lan
The Gioi Tiep Thi Newspaper