The Golden Spoon Awards 2016’s Imprint

For the very first time, “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigman – one of the most famous four chefs in the world – accepted the invitation and came to Viet Nam to be a judge in a national-scale culinary contest. For the very first time, reporters from The New York Times's T Brand Studio (The United States) had come to Viet Nam to write about The Golden Spoon contest. This is an extremely rare event of Vietnamese culinary field, and even of the world. Once again, it isn’t unreasonable to compare The Golden Spoon awards as “Oscar awards in Vietnamese culinary field”.

Binh Quoi 1 resort became the champion of 4th The Golden Spoon.

After 6 competitive months of 312 chefs of 104 units from 30 provinces and cities from the whole country with over 600 good dishes, the new champion of The Golden Spoon contest 2016 was team Binh Quoi 1 Resort (HCMC), receiving 1 billion Vietnam dong award and a vividly potential future.

Expressive Golden Spoon

A menu with touching names of dishes belonging to Gia Bao 79 restaurant (Kon Tum province) impressed not only the jury but also the audiences as called “The bitterness of life”, “Loving kitchen”, “Dreams”, and “team work”. Those 3 chefs were called “men under circumstances” team because all of them have been gone through losses and many difficulties. It might be a reason that their menu was so emotional and espressive.

“Mom and daughters team” from Nhi restaurant – Can Tho province.

Team 01 – Nhi restaurant (Can Tho province) or joking called “Mom and daughters team” included the mother, her daughter, and her daughter in law. Judge Bui Thi Minh Thuy - Associate Dean of Technology and Food Chemistry Nguyen Tat Thanh University – thought it was so brave and admirable seeing 3 women chefs together going straight to the final round. This “mom and daughters team” participated all 4 seasons of The Golden Spoon and the later one always got better then the previous. Moreover, “the mom” – also the lead chef – loves folk music so much that she sweetly performed “cai luong” several times to the audiences. The image of those 3 mother and daughters holding hands and receiving the 2nd prize was an impressive moment for all fans of The Golden Spoon.

In the final round, when all candidates nervously lined up to wait for the signal, there was a boy yelling out loud, “Daddy come on! Daddy come on!” Lead chef Tran Huy Cuong from team 62 – Indochine Palace (Hue city) – brightly smiled and waved back to his son. The whole stand applauded almost at the same time, the atmosphere immediately got robust, and the chefs felt a big relief. Next, a biker club in red and white uniform shouted, “Nhi, come on! Nhi, come on!” Fans of Nhi restaurant from Can Tho rocked the stand and heat up the beginning of final contest. Were because of those special motivations, Nhi restaurant and Indochine Palace hotel both won the 2nd prizes with one hundred million Vietnam dongs per team?

For the very first time, “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigman – one of the most famous four chefs in the world –came to Viet Nam to be a judge in a national-scale culinary contest.

A rare opportunity to studying abroad for chefs who shouting fire

Runner Vu Hoang My – guest judge and The Golden Spoon 2016 ambassador – made a metaphor that this famous culinary contest was a stage of people who shouting fire. “They are men who shouting fire in their own kitchen. They’re like a king in their kingdom with unlimited creation. However, when attending in The Golden Spoon contest, those king men suddenly have become shy and bashful as freshman students with the anxiety of being judged and being a loser”, said runner Vu Hoang My.

Mr. Ly Huy Sang, Deputy General Director of Minh Long I Co., Ltd, Deputy Organizing Committee said that the Organization have invested a lot of money, time, effort and enthusiasm for the contest. Furthermore, they also tried their best to invite dependable domestic and international judges and did bring “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigmann to the final round this year. Going along with that very big honor, The New York Times had published news and photos about this contest, making the very first time Vietnamese cuisine being on famous American newspaper.

Chef Nguyen Duc Hoang from Gia Bao 79 restaurant was performing his cooking skill in the final round.

A must-be-told story was about Gia Bao 79 team from highland Kon Tum province, a small restaurant with capacity only 100 diners but it had passed hundreds of higher-level teams to enter the final round of The Golden Spoon contest 2016. That was a triumph in the journey of “studying abroad” of “men under circumstances” team.

Another story is about Binh Quoi 1 resort team with lead chef Le Vo Anh Duy and his colleagues, who won the championship of The Golden Spoon contest 2016 after 3 years continuously participating in the final competitions. That was a vivid proof of inquisitive and constant spirit of those young talented chefs. As well as Nhi restaurant team, they had been getting better and better after each failure and the final result did pay off their long journey of “studying abroad”.

Up-lifting The Golden Spoon Awards’ scale and Vietnamese cuisine in general

The Golden Spoon contest 2016 left a deep impression behind with the appearance of “Chef of the century” Eckart Witzigmann as one of professional judges. Another bright star in the final days - reporters from The New York Times's T Brand Studio (The US) – just made the existing imprint bolder. According to experts’ statements, Mr. Eckart Witzigmann and New York Times reporters were not subjects that you can pay them to come over. Therefore, The Golden Spoon 2016 was considered as a rare event in culinary field of Viet Nam, and even of the world.

The New York Times's T Brand Studio reporter was sharing at the press conference of The Golden Spoon 2016 summary.

Speaking at the final contest Award, Mr. Ngo Hoai Chung - Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported the impressive numbers of international tourists to our country this year, in which he affirmed that The Golden Spoon contest had contributed to introduce the images of the Vietnamese and Vietnamese culture to the world, and through those activities, to appeal more tourists.

However, Mr. Ly Huy Sang thought it was still a pity because the number of candidates was not close to his expectation. “There are still good chefs who pay too much attention on winning or losing so that they’re afraid to be in the contest. Indeed, they just lost one of rare opportunities to step up in their career, or simply just to be more professional”, shared Mr. Sang.

It was official announcement that The Golden Spoon 2017 would be paused so the organization would have time to go through analyses, survey, statistical reports to make proper adjustment for the next season. Mr. Sang also revealed new plans and strategies to bring Vietnamese cuisine to the world and to seek chances for The Golden Spoon champions to be in regional and international professionally culinary contests. Those are obvious proves to show the organization’s efforts and desire to elevate Vietnamese cuisine.

By Thu Pham