“Flying” chicken and more in the Golden Spoon 2014 -

The most delicious part of the “Tien Yen” chicken dish is the meat placed lower down in the fat used to make the special green onion sauce. This is served with “banh gat gu” a kind of fresh rice paper like “Pho” and it is formed into small rolls.

The most interesting thing in the preliminary round in Red River Delta region of the Golden Spoon this year was the use of nicknames for the dishes. It took place in Quang Ninh province which is famous for its seafood and local specialities. We also had a chance to listen to the interesting stories behind this delicious food that was beautifully presented on the party table.

Chef Luat Xuan Nguyen, a chef with more than 10 years experience in Ha Long City, referring to the shiny yellow, turmeric chicken asked, “Do you want to try a chicken thigh served with “banh gat gu” (kind of fresh rice paper roll)?” Nobody answer negatively; even from just a small sample, everyone agreed that this was an interesting and tasty dish.

The Vietnamese food expert Long Thanh Chiem, one of the key Judges in the Golden Spoon Contest explained that “Tien Yen” chicken is raised free-range in the garden or local hills and eats worms, ants or termites etc. In the afternoon when the chickens return, they usually fly up into trees to roost. “Tien Yen” chicken meat can be prepared for many dishes but never loses its unique flavor. According to local people the best way to cook them is still the simplest way, just boiling them.

“Banh gat gu” are rolls that are eaten in the hand. The tops of these rolls often break and fall to one side or the other, whilst being eaten. It is said that this resembles someone nodding their head, and thus they picked up the name “gat gu” which mean “nodding”.

The more Judge Chiem Thanh Long, a food expert, explained about the dish the more the guests attending the foods festival tried “Home taste”. The 2014 Golden Spoon Contest is to search for great dishes as well as leading chefs, who are working to preserve these flavors. The contest hasn’t opened yet but we all feel excited in anticipation of the moment when we can see rustic and traditional dishes such as fresh rice noodle, sticky rice and squid cake. Squid Cake is a specialty of Ha Long City and crab stuffed spring-roll are from Hai Phong City. These are normal everyday dishes but today are reborn as “Princess and Queen”.

The preliminary round of the Golden Spoon in Red River Delta region will take place at Saigon-Halong Hotel on August 27^th . However the food festival “Home taste” organized, alongside the main contest will be on August 26^th. The venue is well known by chefs from Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Lai Chau who come to demonstrate their skill at preparing dishes with a countryside taste. A hundred diners filled the hall and were excited to taste each spring-roll, squid cake and then cast their vote for the winner.

Two hours later and from the 7 teams attending the organizers found three teams to put through to the next round. These are Hai Dang Plaza Hai Phong, Saigon-Halong and Novotel hotels.

Mr Long Thanh Chiem, won the competition with dishes such as the soup made of Sipunculus nudus ( a kind of marine worm; “Tien Yen” chicken soup; oyster cooked with pepper lolot; and grilled Bombay Duck, a Quang Ninh specialty. This keeps its original traditional taste, they are delicious but also very nutritious. Its presentation isn’t complicated or elegant but still addressed refined characteristics of the chefs. This is true cuisine.

For further information please access the website:http://chiecthiavang.com