Captain Tuan Van Nguyen was born in 1984 in Ha Tay. After finishing food processing industry at Hanoi Tourism College, he gained rich experience in regional cuisines of Vietnam, while working in top restaurants in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh and Danang. With 10 years experiences in the profession, he is currently vice chef at Flamingo Dai Lai kitchen.
Menu presented to the contest: Tam Dao chayote soup with pork buns; “Dong De” eel rolled and grilled with “Tam Duong” pineapple sauce; “Dai Lai” chicken soup seasoned with apple wine and served with stir-fried noodles; Fried banana with three colors served with stewed plum and fish egg flavored bread.
Once they learned the information and contest rules, chefs discussed with each other to prepare a unique menu displaying the northern mountainous colors in order to convince the artisans and culinary professionals of The Gold Spoon Contest. It resulted in a four course menu with impressive names.
One of appetizers is a delicious soup made from well-known agricultural
products from Tam Dao - chayote. Fruits and tops are selected, chopped then
drained. When chicken broth is boiled, chayote is placed in the pot, then
potato is added and seasoned. Besides soups, appetizers they also had a unique
variation of Italian ravioli. To prepare this, first make a crust of flour, egg
yolk and olive oil. What is unique is the mixture in the middle, which is made
from pork, spices and mozzarella. Next, the mixed of pork is stuffed into the
crust and then it is steamed or boiled
“Dong De” eel rolled and grilled and served with “Tam Duong” pineapple sauce is a dish
that introduces two local specialties. Eels from the highlands area have firm
texture and typically a yellow color. After the eels are washed take out the
bone and slice , marinate with spices and roll. The mixture in the middle
consists of meat, black fungi, mushrooms and magenta mediocris Dandy. The eel
when rolled is tied using green onion; the rolls are then sautéd quickly to
allow the meat to firm before grilling over charcoal fire. Sauces are made from
all the pineapple, a little burned caramel is used to decorate the base of each
eel roll, the rest are marinated and pureed before boiling on a small fire
until the sauce thickens.
Chicken soup like Dailai chicken (wild chicken living in the hill)
demonstrated the necessary expertise as well as skillful processing techniques.
Chicken was prepared briefly and the thighs boned and separated. The rest is
used for cooking broth. The broth has Assam apple wine also fresh Assam apples,
a little Chinese dates for medicinal purposes, wolfberry, lotus seeds
andCampanumoea javanica blossom. The pot of broth is boiled on a small
fire to imbue the sweetness of the chicken as well as the flavor of the
spices. Now the chicken thighs are
marinated with spices and a little Chinese medicine before being rolled and
steamed. To eat the chicken the thighs are sliced and put into the broth.
What is unique and also very complicated of this dish is processing the
noodles that are served with it. All stages are completely handmade. It is
called “Mì lao xao” because one of
its components is a leaf called lao xao. The creator of this noodle dish is
from an ethnic minority group named Sán
Dìu. The young leaf of “Lao xao”;
a wild tree with purplish red leaves. These are dried on a pan then immersed in
water for 5 to 6 days. The water is boiled until its color is changed to black,
then it is ready for use. The liquid is used to mix with flour and egg whites
before rolling out the dough quite thickly. The chef then slices the dough
into noodles and boils them. The noodles are pure black in color and look very attractive.
Dessert dishes include fried plantains with three colors, and stewed
plum and Japanese cherry cake. Bananas, dragon fruit, and mangoes are coated in
flour and fried. When chopped they will highlight three colors. Plums are
stewed with wine and the sugar creates a mix between sour and sweet tastes.
Meanwhile the Japanese cherries are blended and drained to get the juice, then
added to ice cream to bring an rich aroma and natural sweetness.
In order to create the menu to win over the judges, Flamingo Dai Lai’s
chefs experienced moments of high stress and concentration. Here are photos of
those moments:
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Name of contestant team:Flamingo Đai Lai Resort
Address: Đong De, Ngoc Thanh, Phuc Yen, Vinh Phuc;
Website:http://flamingodailai.com
Flamingo Dai Lai Resort is located in the middle of the majestic
mountains and lakes, which is well known as a romantic sightseeing location. It
has been honored as one of top 10 world's most beautiful resorts.
Coming to Flamingo Dai Lai Resort, visitors will enjoy the green spaces
and being close to nature. Visitors also have the opportunity to enjoy special
dishes. In particular, Wings Bamboo Restaurant and the Opera Hall Conference
Center with its unique bamboo architecture and open space overlooking the Thien
Yen Lake. With a capacity of up to 250 guests, the Charm Palace restaurant is
located in the middle of the Keo Hill area and enjoys a quiet natural space.
The Beach Restaurant is located in the woods has a vast lawn and on the
artificial beach you’ll find the Flamingo Beach Club. This offers a large space
and fresh, unique dishes. The Forest restaurant located in the service center
of Forest Resort is a new attraction for tourists who want to enjoy the quiet
elegance of pine forest. Located in the heart of the green grass covered hills,
the cellar and bar employs chic architecture, allowing guests to enjoy the blue
skies and a full view of the lake and surrounding scenery of the Thiền Hills.
Bamboo Wings’ cellar stores, preserves and displays hundreds of wines from many
countries. The Hilltop Bar, located in the most beautiful part of the resort,
provides guests with stunning views of Thien Yen Lake. The outdoor bar at the Flamingo
Beach Club has the easiest going atmosphere. Customers can chat and enjoy the
scenery over Dai Lai lake at any time of the day.