Artisan Ton Nu Thi Ha is introducing some kinds of spice. (Credit: dulich.baothuathienhue.vn)
Passion for cuisine
Ton
Nu Thi Ha is well-known as the only successor of the royal Hue cuisine and was
listed in the Guinness Vietnam book. She has appeared in numerous newspapers
with her warm smile and beautiful Ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress).
Despite
her old age, she travelled everywhere to learn about many different dishes.
Notably, she visited a chili growing area in Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam
province to find out more information on this spice for her last book. At the
age of 74, under the hot sun, she waded barefoot through the field and
explained the use of each type of chili. She said: “While cooking food, I taste
when the water boils. I taste again after turning off the fire and taste one
more time after putting the food on the plate. I feel the flavour of the food
combined with my passion whenever I taste the food. Wading through the field to
learn about the chili is also my passion”.
When
she was very young, Ton Nu Thi Ha studied the royal cooking techniques from her
aunts who were wives of imperial mandarins. She shared that cooking is her
unending passion and she has preserved many secrets of traditional cuisine. “I
am very proud of being a traditional woman, both in appearance and thought”,
she added.
Over
recent years, many universities on tourism in Spain, France and Iraq have
constantly invited the artisan to teach their chefs the cooking techniques used
in producing royal dishes. She has been a jurywoman at international cooking
contests in numerous European countries. Over 20 of her books on cooking have
been ordered and archived by Vietnam Institute of Cultural Studies and Japanese
and Chinese universities.
Ton
Nu Thi Ha opened Tinh Gia Vien restaurant in Hue city in order to preserve and
promote Hue royal cuisine. Coming to the restaurant, visitors can enjoy royal
meals in a royal space. She said that Tinh Gia Vien 2 restaurant will be opened
in Kim Long ward in the next year. In addition, she will form three
universities of Culinary Arts, Bonsai Care and Human Care Arts.
For the last project
She
visited Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province in order to learn more about the
chili, in preparation for her last project of publishing a book on cuisine. She
shared: “The book, which consists of over 1,000 pages, will be published later
this year. It took two years to write and contains all the knowledge that I
have collected since I was a child”.
The
book will be the result of her journeys around the country to learn about
Vietnamese dishes, years of hard work in European countries, long days of
wading through beds of farm produce, and sleepless nights spent reading
Vietnamese and English documents.
In
her opinion, for Vietnamese people, cuisine is a virtue of life and a social
rule. The word ‘eat’ is associated with the judgment of moral values. The
dishes, from their creation to their flavor and their display, are infused with
the community and the cultural identities of Vietnamese people. Each food is a
cultural metaphor. Analysing the special food of a region, in its display or
the way it is enjoyed, can help diners understand the personality of local
people.
“Despite
my old age, my passion is infinite. All the typical dishes of Vietnam as well
as European and Asian countries will be presented in detail, from the materials
needed to the recipes. I have compared the differences and similarities between
Vietnamese and other countries’ food in order to find the uniqueness of
Vietnamese cuisine. Regarding Hue royal cuisine, I have always believed that the
authentic royal dishes will remain popular. With my knowledge, I will write
down all of the recipes and ways to display Vietnamese royal dishes, in words,
photos and video, in order to pass it on to younger generations,” noted artisan
Ton Nu Thi Ha.
By Mai Thanh
Dung/ NDO