93 outstanding chefs
from the Mekong Delta, South East, South Central, Highlands and Ho Chi Minh
City brought their carefully selected signature menus to compete in the
Southern region semi-final round.
For
two days from October 27th-28th in Van Thanh Tourist, Ho
Chi Minh City, took place the second semi-final round. 31 teams with well-known
representatives of the South competed in this excitement. Some chefs chose to
cook with a mixture of styles from both Vietnamese and European methods. Others
chose a more classic route by promoting their local dishes through harmonizing
ingredients, and therefore upgrading these traditional and local dishes. Spices
from the highlands and seafood from the South Central region were heavily
utilized by Novotel Nha Trang and Yasaka Huong Sen Restaurant & Hotel, Phu
Yen; typical highland dishes came from Anh Duong Restaurant, Kon Tum and My Le
Tourist area, Binh Phuoc; and modified fruits of the Southeast region with
modernized ingredients from the garden and specialties of the wet season by
teams from Can Tho and An Giang.
The judges were very interested in a spice used during the Southern region semi-final.
There
was no shortage of passion in the dishes from the semi-final round, as they
went beyond harmonizing ingredients, creativity and convergence. Kim Do Hotel
explored spices of folklore and honor “trái
bình bát” (a wild fruit grown in countryside) and used it in a luxury party
table. Binh Quoi I Tourist area chose “cây
sọ chó” (a spice found in Ba To jungle, Quang Ngai) and brought it to
Saigon. The Southern Entertainment Co. Ltd brought a spice from a faraway
location in the northwest which is a spicy baby bamboo to serve with modern
dishes, an alternative of “lang rây”
leaves and old ambarella combined with main ingredients to make their
appetizers.
If the first semi-final
round is considered as a “contest” of chefs in the North then the second round
held in the South deserves to be the consideration for the best chef because of
the heat the round brought in terms of stress and best contestants. The dishes
produced in this Golden Spoon contest contained much enthusiasm, were full of
meaning, often breakthrough dishes, and were innovative in all kinds of spices,
such as wild vegetables: “cây nắp ấm”
tree; “trái siro” fruit; “lìm kìm” leaves; “củ xá kiến” (a kind of root) and more!
After
much deliberation, at 6:30 pm the judges announced the best representatives
from the Southern region to a general sound of relief.
Chef Le Vo Anh Duy and his team members received the victory of best team.
Top place went to the
Chefs in Binh Quoi I Tourist Area, with a menu that included rolling rice paper
with wild vegetable served with “mắm còng
lột Gò Công” sauce; mashed frog cake grilled with “trái sả” served with “trái sả”
spicy sauce; dragon prawn served with “hoa
sọ chó” sauce; “lá sọ chó” salad
with coconut root; capon cooked with “Củ
xá kiến”; taro cake with coconut and “trứng
cá” fruits. All the dishes showed providence with modern cooking techniques
and were beautifully presented.
The
second prizes went to Continental Hotel team, Kim Do Hotel, JSC Southern
Entertainment, HCM, Grand
Hotel, Vung Tau; My Le Resort, Binh Phuoc; Dong Xuyen Hotel, An Giang; Ngoan
Thao Wedding restaurant, Dong Nai; Amiana Resort, Nha Trang; and Phuong Nam Resorts, Binh Duong. Each
prize was worth VND 40 million.
A total of 15 spots were
given to the country’s most excellent chefs, and they will step into the final
round to compete for the grand prize of VND 1 billion and the honor of the Chef
Cup. The final round of the 2015 Golden Spoon Contest will take place on
December 2 at Minh Sang Plaza, Binh Duong province.
L.Thoa