7 Tips of The World First Chef

Eckart Witzigmann was born in Austria. He has become The World Greatest Chefs in 1994 as “Chef of the Century”, which was honored by Gault Milau (an influenced French restaurant guide).

From the tittle “Chef of the Century” to shining Michelin stars, Eckart Witzigmann has been succeeded in most of the fields as an authorized culinary Professor and gold medals for his books of life.

To prepare for his journey to Viet Nam as professional judge of The Golden Spoon contest 2016, we publish his 7 important advices to cooks and culinary career.

1. Choose abundant seasonal ingredients

I always spend time on grocery shopping before cooking, at least in my mind. I plan what I want to cook and what I can cook. After that, I follow my first tip “to choose abundant seasonal ingredients” to decide what should be in the meal.

We need to learn about seasonal products of the year because those ingredients will determine what happens next in your kitchen.

And there is a fact that every professional chef or household’s cook must understand: the star in kitchen is what we bring in and what will come out, not the cook or cooking tools.

I have another important experience that we have to trust the quality of certain food suppliers.

I’d love to buy ingredients from whom I’ve known and trusted. Having reliable suppliers means you have just completed the first stage of great meals.

2. Choose fresh ingredients

Many cooks prefer frozen ingredients because they’re standardized and safe but they would lose joyce and happiness of cooking fresh ingredients.

A good chef can elevate normal ingredients to a good dish but no one is able to save an expired frozen fish.

Personally, I only eat where uses fresh ingredients.

3. Respect every diner

I used to cook in a military barrack’s canteen then moved into a palace and cook for royal families.

I realized that I treated those 2 groups evenly because I had focused 100% on cooking for both of them.

After years of hard working, I’ve learned that maximum concentration to your jobs would bring the best results.

Moreover, playing different roles in different positions as well as serving diverse diners do inspire your passion because the biggest enemy of a cook is boring repetitive jobs.

A chef told me that he had drowsed when cooking with daily routine.

4. Shopping with your eyes open

I try to research different culinary cultures and never get satisfied with what I’ve known. Cooking means relentless working.

For examples, recently I still go to supermarkets or farm markets myself not only to buy things but also to see new products, trendy ingredients, and diverse spice bottles on shelves.

Always open your eyes to see and feel the market’s movement in order to catch what new trends.

5. Cook your cup of tea

I believe in unlimited creativity of culinary work. However, if you have to make a formal meal, I’d recommend you to cook your cup of tea.

Let’s choose something that we can totally control from ingredients, processing, to final dishes.

Do not be creative. Just follow your ordinary flow. Choose something easy to prepare because it’s nonsense if the host has to stick in kitchen the whole day just to cook a fancy strange dish.

6. Be a little bit better

Some cooks make to great chefs but not all. The reason lays on your practice.

To reach the perfection, you have to practice, adjust, experience from failures, and practice again.

You have to be strict to yourself. Believe that you can make it better in every time of practicing.

7. Keep your dining table clean

I have an important standard of a restaurant or a chef that how clean the dining table is. It’s simple a good start of everything.

* Eckart Witzigmann is one of the most famous chefs in the world. He had 13 years working in many countries before staying at Germany in 1971.

His legend restaurant Aubergine (Munich) was the very first restaurant in Germany, and he is one of the only 2 chefs in the world rewarded 3-star Michelin in 1979.

Chef Eckart Witzigmann had come in Viet Nam as professional judge of The Golden Spoon contest 2016, final round (5^th December). He will be also hand Champion cup and 1 billion Vietnam dongs to the winners.

** Integrative The Golden Spoon contest

Professional judge Bui Thi Suong stated that the tips from chef Eckart Witzigmann also were the contest’s expectation in the journey of finding and honoring Vietnamese cuisine.

5 targets of The Golden Spoon contest:

1. To discover traditional and feature dishes of each region in all over Viet Nam. The message is that “each dish introduces its origin.”

2. To find talents who have creativity, delicacy, and artistic styles. They will elevate Vietnamese food onto international level.

3. To emphasize existing values of Vietnamese cuisine, delicious and nutritious.

4. To honor chefs and restaurants that has contributed to develop and enrich culinary culture of Viet Nam.

5. To improve people’s health, to motivate national economy through culinary industry and to boost “Tourism and Cuisine” movement in Viet Nam.

By T.Nguyen/TTTG