Being successful in the US and so well known in Hollywood but with chef Jack Lee, Vietnam is the culinary paradise. “The chefs of celebrities” wishes that the whole world to notice Vietnamese cuisine.
Not
many Vietnamese chefs can succeed in US land or leave their imprints in the
culinary world, where is just for Hollywood super stars and celebrities, such
as Steve Jobs, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Baldwin, or Charlize
Theron. But Jack Lee (Vietnamese name is Ly Vinh Vien) is the one who has
archived that surprised honor.
Jack
Lee left Viet Nam at age 9 and he started up his career with bare hands. After
34 years working and struggling on the New World to get the best reputation, he
suddenly came back Viet Nam to work and to continue his dreams. TV audiences
always see Jack Lee on food show with all of his enthusiasm and happiness so
they named him “Mr. Happy”.
Below
is what chef Jack Lee shared about his career and his inspiration from
Vietnamese cuisine.
Vietnamese original chef Jack Lee. Photo: The Golden Spoon Awards
As
a chef who has honorably cooked for many celebrities and US V.I.P, which is not
a piece of cake, why did to decide to come back to Vietnam after 34 years away
from homeland?
Chef Jack Lee: Actually, I at first came to Viet
Nam to help one of my best friends to launch a restaurant then I would go back
to the US because both my work and my family are there. However, in the second
day in Vietnam, I had known of the professional contest called The Golden Spoon
with quite many interesting points to look at. In the contest, candidates well
presented their talents and somehow I started my faith in the development of
cooking career in Vietnam. That was a sudden turn that changed my mind.
After
having contact and digging deeper, I realized that Vietnam is not only a
beautiful country, where possesses a diverse culture, a warm heart, and a
wonderful history of cuisine. Besides, I seemed to be attracted by abundant
ingredients here as fresh fruits, vegetables, and fresh seafood as well.
You
just mentioned The Golden Spoon Awards. It’s almost 3 years since you attended
that contest and what did it relay on you till now?
Being
in the contest is a memorable event. Certainly it is!
I
had known the contest when the time was already so close and seemed like the
organization did not accept any more attendance. I had a small chat with Mr. Ly
Huy Sang (Deputy Director of the contest) and he offered me a chance to present
myself. At that time, my Vietnamese was not good at all so it’s hard to win the
contest. However, I think that getting into the final round was enough that
year.
Although
I was only in top 15 but the contest gave a foreign chef, like me, lots of
senses about Vietnamese food. Indeed, I felt happy when cooking Vietnamese food
from fresh ingredients here.
I’ve
been following The Golden Spoon contest for years and I think the organization
has offered an admirable investment to develop and elevate Vietnamese cuisine.
The contest has not only helped local chefs by creating a useful and
challenging playground to open their mind and to strengthen their confidence
but it has also introduced and advertised Vietnamese cuisine through diverse,
healthy, and delicious dishes.
At
my point of view, I think The Golden Spoon contest can totally invite 5 star
chefs from all over the continents so that our culinary culture would expand to
every corner of the world.
Jack Lee was in The Golden Spoon contest 2014, just 2 days after his arrival to Viet Nam.
Attending
in top 15 of a contest where all chefs from famous restaurants around the
country had gather is not easy. So what are your keys to subdue the jury?
I
always have an intense passion of cooking. I think you must cook with love and
respect if you want to succeed in this career.
It
also shows your respect to the culture, the national heritage, and the people
of the soil where you’re standing and cooking. We have to seriously learn every
single detail, from aroma to taste, of typical regional dishes so later you
could re-create the soul of the dishes.
In
Vietnamese culture, if you give love and respect to the honest local people,
they are willing to love you to the moon and back and they always welcome your
food with open hearts and impartial stomach.
It’s
been 3 years since you attended in The Golden Spoon contest and also 3 years
since you started develop your career in Vietnam. What do you think of the
differences of Vietnamese cuisine from other countries’, especially the US?
Vietnamese
cuisine is definitely diverse and colorful. From flavors, display, to styles is
harmonic and delicate. You know, let’s talk about tremendous choices you have
for breakfast; all kinds of fresh rice noodles, pho, bun, or hu tieu; all kinds
of rice and congee; and of course all kinds of breads and cakes. Unlike in the
US, we usually just have sandwich, egg, bacon, or harsh brown. We Vietnamese
are lucky because we easily have all delicious food every day. You know, in the
western culture, money sometimes can’t buy that much good food.
Chef Jack Lee and the cookbook “The Golden Spoon Awards & The Quintessence of Vietnamese Cuisine – First season”.
Both
chefs and diners in Vietnam started to pay attention to aesthetic value of a
dish. How do think of it? Are there any similarities between the cuisine of US
and Vietnamese in this issue?
Oh,
aesthetic aspect is very important!
When
I began my career journey at a 5-star kitchen, specifically Bel Air Hotel, I
spent the whole very first year to learn how to decorate and display dishes.
That’s vital if you want to walk this way. You must delicately and precisely
decorate your food because before tasting your food, diners have to look at it.
No matter what level you are, decoration is the first lesson you must take.
Vietnamese
food is already so good. If it is displayed on proper utensils, its value will
go up high.
Chef Jack Lee chose Minh Long I dining utensils at Food Festival 2017. Photo: Trung Dung
Seem
you have great impression of Vietnamese cuisine. So if you have opportunities
to cook in other countries, would you introduce Vietnamese cuisine to the
world?
Definitely!
I really want to let the entire world know the existence of Vietnamese culinary
culture, which has so many delicious, nutritious, and attractive dishes. I’m
always proud of it even though it took me 34 years to encounter it again.
I’m
going to be in a food show with Asian Food Channel in Indonesia. I will use all
Vietnamese ingredients for cooking Vietnamese food to introduce our cuisine.
Looking
back at your journey, what are your most impressive events? Have you ever
thought of doing something new, besides cooking?
My
most impressive event in my career so far is to come back Vietnam to work.
Vietnamese cuisine culture allows any types of improvising and creating. I’m
more famous from Vietnam and I appreciate that.
With
25-year cooking, I admitted that’s not simple journey. To become a chef, you
must work with your honesty and focus. You must believe that diners trust you
for their meals and they will eat whatever you serve them.
I
have been cooking since I was 6, and I will cook until whenever my body allows
me too because cooking is my life.
With Jack Lee, passion is not enough but cooking needs all passion and love, knowledge and respect to diners. Photo: Saigon’s Celeb Chef
Not
just cooking, you also play other roles in culinary work. Would you like to
share?
I
came to Vietnam exactly 2 years and half. During that time, I attended several
food shows, in which I was a judge of 15 events and 8 different TV programs,
such as Asian Food Channel, cooking for VIP at Parkview and Kool Club in Da
Nang city.
Youngsters
also told me that they want to follow my path but it’s quite hard to arrange
since my schedule is tight. If I can put aside a leisure time, I would open a
class to pass on my knowledge to cooking lovers.
A style of decoration of chef Jack Lee. Photo: chefjacklee.com
As
a judge of different contest, what is your most desire?
I’d
share my knowledge and experience to the candidates. With young cooks, I
specially emphasize on hygiene and food safety.
We
have to be aware of and understand why the Vietnamese has not had any Michelin
star although we have so much good food. The problems can lay on the way we
decorate, serve, hygiene and food safety, and chefs’ styles.
I
hope my opinions would contribute to age young cooks and help them to get more
success, more experiences, and more achievement.
Jack Lee believes that with existing strengths, Vietnamese food will go up high if it gets more attention on decoration. Photo: Oi Vietnam
Do
you have any message to young generation of Vietnamese cooks?
Young
generation nowadays is super smart and they learn things really quick from social
networks and from academy programs as well. My generation was totally
different! We have to study from books in libraries. So Vietnamese young cooks
must always create, learn, and encounter more to grow up.
You
should be proud of our culture and our heritages. Let’s learn more, work hard,
follow the rules of hygiene, and be ready for all occasions. All of those will
create a confident modern you and it should lead to success.
Thank
you for your sharing.
By TGSA