The
celebration stage was displayed with the main topic, Journey of Vietnamese
spices, where had several kitchen kiosks to take photos, a garden of spices
which most of herbal fruits and leaves from the contest, and so on. In the
rural friendly yet luxury space of Gem Center, all 15 final teams couldn’t hide
their anxiety, waiting for the final result. However, our chefs still really
enjoy a rare chance being together. They smiles, took photos, shook hands,
pledged each other and tossed up just to prove that culinary world has no
border. These excellent chefs here and all 90 teams in 4th season are all
passionate chefs, who love to create and to progress. They have invested their
heart and soul to Vietnamese cuisine; they have wanted to introduce their
regional specialties and to boost Vietnamese cuisine onto international level.
Garden of spices.
A banquet table
during the Gala Dinner and prize presentation night.
“Chef of the Century” Eckart Witzigmann (center)
and Vu Hoang My – Miss Vietnam first runner-up (right) at the Gala Dinner.
Top 15 waiting
outside the Gala Dinner.
The judge panel of
the Golden Spoon Awards 2016 (clockwise): Dao Thi Yen Phi, Vu Kim Anh, Bui Thi
Suong, Ly Sanh, Chiem Thanh Long, Trieu Thi Choi, Meritorious Artist Kim Xuan,
Mrs Ly Sanh, Nguyen Phi Hung.
Mr.
Ngo Hoai Chung – Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Administration of
Tourism stated, “In the afternoon Dec
7th, Vietnam Airlines and Vietnamese Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM)
held a celebration of the 20 millionth passenger and the seven
hundred-thousandth flight in 2016, which are the pride of Vietnamese tourism.
These meaningful numbers have been contributed by effective programs as The
Golden Spoon contest, and Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is honored
to be sponsor of this reliable contest.” Mr. Ly Huy Sang – Deputy Director
of Minh Long I company – responded, “The
Golden Spoon contest hope to add its humble value to develop the culinary
potential of Viet Nam. We have been trying so hard and we’d love to be
supported by all of you. I also want to thank all teams attended The Golden
Spoon contest 2016. You are the one who have drawn culinary map of Vietnam
through the relentless journeys of Vietnamese spices.”
Besides
awesome modern dances, teams and guests had enjoyed 5-star dishes, which were
cooked by chef Tran Thai Bao and Vu Van Thanh – The Golden Spoon 2014 and
2015’s champions. The menu included 3 appetizers (Salad Roll with Crab Meat, Green Papaya and Cucumber
Pickles; Shrimp Cracker Crusted Escargot; Seared Foie Gras with Baked Apple and
Dracontomelon Jam), 3 main courses (Scallop Ravioli with Coconut Sauce; Anguilla
Fish with Special Rice Vinegar and Perilla Flavor; Grilled Lamb Loin Marinaed
with Ethnic Minority Spices, Steam Rice Paper Wrapped Wild Mushroom, Honey
Sauce), and a dessert (Strawberry Cream Puff Filling with Lemongrass
and Pepper Flavor, Lychee Jelly, Yogurt Ice Cream). This
delightful and delicate menu simply showed the investment of the Organization
to this season.
Salad Roll with Crab Meat, Green Papaya and Cucumber Pickles; Shrimp Cracker Crusted Escargot; Seared Foie Gras with Baked Apple and Dracontomelon Jam.
Anguilla Fish with Special Rice Vinegar and Perilla Flavor.
Grilled Lamb Loin Marinaed with Ethnic Minority Spices, Steam Rice Paper Wrapped Wild Mushroom, Honey Sauce.
Strawberry Cream Puff Filling with Lemongrass and Pepper Flavor, Lychee Jelly, Yogurt Ice Cream.
This
was an enthusiastic night for all teams and guests. After enjoying the art
performance and dainty meal, the moment of truth tensely squeezed the whole
auditorium. As its procedure, The Golden Spoon Awards honors 5 prizes,
including 1 championship for who meets 4 vital elements (Practical skills –
Quality of food – Display and Presentation – Nutrition and Hygiene) and 4
second-prizes (corresponding to 4 prizes as The Creative Dishes Prize, The Decoration Prize,
The Nutritious Dishes Prize, and The Remarkably Traditional Dishes Prize).
The
important prizes of the 4th Golden Spoon contest were handed to Indochine
Palace Hue (The Creative Dishes Prize), Naman Retreat Resort Danang (The Decoration Prize),
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort (The Nutritious Dishes Prize), and Nhi
restaurant of Can Tho province (The Remarkably Traditional Dishes Prize) with 100,000,000
vnd of each reward.
Second Prize - The Creative Dishes Prize: Indochine Palace Hue (Team no. 62)
Second Prize - The Decoration Prize: Naman Retreat Resort Danang (Team no. 77)
Second Prize - The Nutritious Dishes Prize: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort (Team no. 73)
Second Prize - The Remarkably Traditional Dishes Prize: Nhi restaurant of Can Tho province (Team no. 01)
Finally,
the auditorium burst out when a clip had announced that champion of The Golden
Spoon 2016 was Binh Quoi 1 resort (HCMC) with chef Le Vo Anh Duy and his
colleagues Le Thi Vi and Nguyen Minh Tri. The winning chefs with the cup held
high were emotionally speechless when receiving the “Oscar of Vietnamese cuisine” and one billion vnd reward. Happy
tears had come along their youthful faces. They had spent 4 years improving
themselves in many ways, accumulating valued experiences from failure, and
chasing their dream without hesitation. Their career has gradually ripened and
today was the right time to harvest.
Binh Quoi 1 Resort seized the championship of The Golden Spoon Contest 2016.
Many
chefs posted on Facebook to share their emotions at the end of season. Chef
Nguyen Duc Hoang – lead of Gia Bao 79 restaurant (team 45) shared his memorable
moments in the final night with a bit of pity, “Happy with tears. Overcome myself.” Nguyen Quang Thanh, member of
team 45, also posted, “The journey of
Vietnamese spices just well ended. Wishing all the chefs to go brighter with
great dishes. Wishing The Golden Spoon 2018 would be more successful.” Behind
all of gladness or sadness, bursting happiness or quiet tears, pledging or
sympathetic hand shake, great chefs of The Golden Spoon Awards 2016 should be
proud of what they did since they all put a hand to build a fresh and bright
culinary map of Viet Nam.
In summary, after 6 months taken
place in all Southern, Middle, and Northern areas with 9 zones (Mekong river
delta, Ho Chi Minh city, Southeast, Middle Highlands, Middle-South,
Middle-North, Northern Highlands, Red river delta, and Ha Noi capital), 2 tense
semi-final rounds, and a heated final, the Golden Spoon contest 2016 officially
ended. With the topic of “Homeland taste – Journey of Vietnamese spices”, the
contest recorded amazing numbers, which are 312 professional chefs, 104 teams
from 39 provinces and cities of Viet Nam. The total amount of rewards is more
than 3 billions vnd, which was co-hosted by Minh Long I company and Business
Studies & Assistance Center (BSA) and other sponsors as following: Ly’s
Horeca (main sponsor), Pernod Ricard Vietnam Corporation (golden sponsor), Tan
Hop Thanh company, Food and Hotel Vietnam, NewViet Dairy, and Viet Project
company. The national sponsors are Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
and the Chamber of Commerce - Industry of Vietnam (VCCI).
The Golden Spoon 2017
will be paused
At
the Press conference in Dec 7th 2016, at Minh Long I company headquarter, The
Golden Spoon Organization announced that The Journey of Vietnamese Spices 2017
would be paused. During the year, they will refresh and rebuild contains and rules
to rebirth a brand new contest, which should be more professional and
appealing. They also want to focus on existing projects, such as to publish
series of The Golden Spoon – Elite Vietnamese cuisine and to boost The Golden
Spoon club’s activities.
By The Golden Spoon Awards