The program was designed to be a professional and serious culinary program, right from the beginning, carrying as it does, the highest value of prize money ever given in the history of Vietnamese cuisine. It also carries the greatest prestige, meaning that all chefs and restaurants covet the award. The size of the Prize money is simple evidence of the quality of the cuisine brand.

The Golden Spoon Contest is sponsored and organized by Minh Long I Company in coordination with the center of business study and assistant (BSA). The contest organization has gained an excellent reputation: this is a quality contest that is held in high regard throughout the country.

The Golden Spoon is an on-going journey, improved over time; expectation has grown in all of the chefs, diners, restaurants and hotels involved in the competition. The winning team will certainly be honored to win the Chef Cup!


A program called the “Home-taste festival” has been organized since the second year of the Golden Spoon Contest. It addresses the dream of building a Map of Vietnam cuisine, exploring Vietnam traditional cuisine treasures and also being a background for a professional and academic cuisine, raising it to the same level as other top international cuisines. The program is organized in association with the official contest of professional chefs, bringing huge excitement and creating a resource for professional experts, in addition to inspiring the status and development of Vietnamese culinary heritage within Vietnamese families.

The Vietnamese culinary heritage is preserved and created by professional chefs and is brought to the Golden Spoon to be recorded and preserved for posterity in the book "The Golden Spoons & Vietnam Culinary Essence" which is published alongside the program. The Golden Spoon is attempting to build bridges for culinary exchanges, not only in the domestic market but also at an international level. It contributes in lifting Vietnamese cuisine-tourism to becoming an important economic sector, and also as improves physical health.

1. Searching, preserving and promoting the folk and rustic dishes that embody traditional regional culture

In the realm of culinary heritage, Vietnam offers many delicious and rustic dishes based on legends and served to royalty on precious and colorful and festive dishes. Each dish has its own unique appearance and individual features from within its region. It will tell a story of the culture and creative spirit found within the work of its culinary grandparents.

However, traditional dishes have become less commonplace, and often forgotten, due to the nation’s diverse geography, unstable history and economy. The mission of the Golden Spoon contest is to lead a search of such rustic and typical traditional dishes from all over the country, and draw up a veritable map of Vietnam’s cuisine. It seeks to create a departure from the exquisite and diverse food, and turn it professional and full of identity; all the while bringing great national pride to the world.

One of tables entered at the 2015 Golden Spoon Contest was inspired by the countryside of the Southwest region

One of tables entered at the 2015 Golden Spoon Contest was inspired by the countryside of the Southwest region.


Finding traditional and rustic dishes at risk of being lost is difficult, but to be able to understand and tell its story is even harder. It is a compulsory task and a condition for professional chefs who attend the journey of the Golden Spoon contest.

2. Dishes must be “delicious and nutritious” as the first criteria, while also remaining true to the trend of the times. It must demonstrate that we are all health-minded, living a more “green” lifestyle and calculating our eating and living habits based on positivity for the human health condition.

For over a thousand years Vietnamese cuisine has followed the principles of five elements, and the balance between yin and yang. Even during family meals, our ancestors required using only the freshest ingredients. Commonly meals should be included many vegetables, grains, herbs, meat and fish. All dishes should be a great combination of all flavors: sour and spicy; salty and sweet; crunchy and clammy; hard and soft.

Luckily, Vietnamese cuisine has always taken its roots in nature and kept the balance between the delicious and nutritious. The challenge for chefs today is whether to fuse Vietnamese cuisine with the elites of the culinary world, or keep its traditional makeup as passed down through its ancestors.

This important decision requires each chef of the Golden Spoon contest to possess knowledge about nutrition and the capacity to select fresh and natural ingredients grown without additives or chemicals that may alter the taste and harm our health. The chef must also provide a balanced menu without overuse of oil and frying, so that the dishes retain their health benefits. They should think of creating menus with dishes that can increase overall awareness for eating wholesome.

Jellyfish salad with pennywort made by Lotte Hotel Hanoi in the semi-final round - northern region, 2015 Golden Spoon contest

Jellyfish salad with pennywort made by Lotte Hotel Hanoi in the semi-final round - northern region, 2015 Golden Spoon contes.


All the dishes that achieve these criteria will contribute to improve general health conditions for the public. Humanity is a resource and the talent of its people is national spirit. This strength must be fostered and built up. In order to become a rich and sustainable country, we must take care of the health of our people, especially by building a young generation full of energy to take this forward.

The Golden Spoon contest not only takes requires delicious flavors as the key to a great Vietnamese dish, but also expects its nutrition to be taken seriously and represented in modernizing the cuisine. As our country develops, our society is more and more concerned with the development of its cuisine, and attention must be paid to the long-standing healthy feel it has always possessed. This important mission is put on the shoulders of professional chefs.

3. Internationalize Vietnamese dishes through decoration, and present them with luxurious appeal.

In August 2007 outstanding marketer Mr. Philip Kotler came to Vietnam he held a seminar titled New Marketing for the New Era. Here, he imparted that, “Each country should exploit its own strengths to market its image. China is considered as the world's factory. India as global offices. Why can’t Vietnam, with its reputation for a diverse culinary art with abundant food sources, become a food kitchen or warehouse of the world?" This most excellent suggestion inspired an idea of integrating with the rest of the world through transforming the power of culinary culture into economic potential.

To implement this idea is not easy. It requires a professional development strategy and human resources with chefs who have sufficient knowledge and talent at level of artisans. Chefs must not only have the ability to design a purely Vietnamese menu using only all-natural ingredients, they must do so in-line with world food trends and then present it in such a refined and elegant was.

The presentation skills of Binh Quoi I Tourist Area’s chefs (semi-final round in the 2015 Golden Spoon contest)

The presentation skills of Binh Quoi I Tourist Area’s chefs (semi-final round in the 2015 Golden Spoon contest).


Applying decoration or presentation techniques for dishes or party table by using color, shape, highlighted spot and refined details or creating a harmonious combination actually have a big impact on the taste of both national and international diners. These skills will help the Chef contribute to make Vietnam Cuisine blooming and appear in the menus of international party table and be more perfect in national party that containing both country spirit and beyond national borders. In line with the purpose of internalizing Vietnam Cuisine, Golden Spoon with luxury Ly 's Horeca porcelain products are really building a solid foundation for a long journey.

4. Honor the talent of chefs, restaurants and hotels that contribute to the enrichment of Vietnamese cuisine.

To transform cuisine into an art we need chefs and experts that understand about nutrition, know how to identify naturally raised ingredients, prepare and cook authentic dishes that retain their tradition know how to process foods but still remain true to the roots of the recipe. On top of this, the chefs must also possess the talent to present such authentic dishes in a style that is modernized; single serving and enticing to all international palates.

The champion and runner-up stand on the victory platform at the Golden Spoon contest with the coveted Chef’s Cup and many valuable prizes. However, it is of more import that the competition also honors the gathering of all its contestants. They are the ones who with the right passion and heart that will lift up Vietnam’s cuisine to be on par with the rest of the world’s greatest food destinations.

Awards ceremony of the 2015 Golden Spoon contest

Awards ceremony of the 2015 Golden Spoon contest.


5. Develop a brand for Vietnam’s cuisine and turn it into a national source of tourism that increases economic development and enhances general welfare.

Over the years Vietnamese dishes appear continuously in the ranking of Asian delicacies and throughout the world. Dozens of well-known Vietnamese restaurants in Saigon, Da Nang and Hanoi are ranked in the list of the top luxury restaurants in Asia. The list grows longer with more and higher positions. With such advantages, Vietnam can choose to target the emotions of its travelers through its food, as national pride and spirit shines through.

There are already several parts of country’s tourism in development, such as its geography, landscape, history, culture and spirituality, but the value of food culture can and should be enhanced immediately. It has the capacity to create immediate memories and bring emotional hospitality to tourists. Once foreign visitors love a dish - whether it's a dish in a luxury restaurant or a tasty bowl of Pho from a shop in an alley - it has the great potential to make tourists return.

Turning traditional and rustic delicacies in Vietnamese cuisine into a national brand is not only a dream, but it must become reality. In order to do so, we must have a targeted plan of action. First of all, standardize foods in both quality and form so that any foreign visitors coming to Vietnam or elsewhere around the world, while enjoying the fried spring rolls, raw spring rolls, snakehead fish sour soup, “bánh bèo” cake, “bánh khọt” cake can feel all delicious, healthy and exquisite in Vietnam cuisine. This isn’t the work of any single chef, but a uniform alignment with a macro management at the national level. The most important part is to have an industry of modern cuisine, in tune with the development trends of the world. It is a total development plan from the physical, cultural and spiritual qualities of Vietnamese cuisine. Alongside, the nation’s budding chefs and talent will be the driving force of one of Vietnam’s best attributes: its food.

By The Golden Spoon Award

Mr. Minh Ngoc Ly

They call him "the Edison of Vietnam ", "King of Vietnamese ceramics", or someone who turns “dust” into “gold". This is the summary of Mr. Ly Ngoc Minh, Founder of Minh Long I Co. Ltd.

The story of Minh Long I is a journey of a small speck of dust which was born out of the marriage between sky and earth, formed, embedded in glaze and baked in a holy fire of 1,380 oC, then decorated and finally brightened with the Vietnamese soul. This is the particular story of Mr. Li, who is the third generation of his family who successfully developed his career in the tried and true family business.

Mr. Minh Ngoc Ly

Mr. Minh Ngoc Ly


Pioneer
Mr Sang Huy Ly

“This quiet time helps me to review what I have done so far, but it doesn’t mean losing the dynamic and the fire of youth. I love technology and art. I often talk with employees and also remind myself that when I do anything I also wonder why I do it? Is there a way to do it better? Surely there must be an optimal method to do the job in the best way. I see it as my management philosophy. The best quality of products to help businesses survive,” shared Mr. Sang Huy Ly

Mr Sang Huy Ly

Mr Sang Huy Ly


ADVISORY & PROFESSIONAL JURY

1. Judge Suong Thi Bui
2. Judge Long Thanh Chiem

The judges of the Golden Spoon contest, season 3

The judges of the Golden Spoon contest, season 3.


PROFESSIONAL JURY

1. Judge Chau Ba Dinh
2. Judge Choi Thi Trieu
3. Judge Sanh Ly
4. Judge Anh Thi Hoang Ho
5. Judge Long Quang Do
6. Judge Tuong Thien Quach
7. Judge Norbert Ehrbar
8. Judge David Thái
9. Judge Robert Danhi

SUPPORTING INSTITUTES

● Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

● Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Vietnam

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

● Minh Long I Co.Ltd

● Center of Business Study and Assistance (BSA)

MAIN DONOR
LY’S HORECA PRODUCTS- Minh Long I Co. Ltd

ATTENDING MEDIA AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION

● Vietnam Television

● Television Hanoi

● Hochiminh Television

● Binh Duong Television

● Tuoi Tre Newspaper

● Thanh Nien Magazine

● The Laborer Newspaper

● World Marketing Magazine

● Urban Newspaper

● VnExpress

● Dan Tri Newspaper

● HCM Radio (FM 99.9Mhz)

● Others

Exciting times at the 2015 Golden Spoon contest, Mekong Delta

Exciting times at the 2015 Golden Spoon contest, Mekong Delta.


All contestants must complete a profile including the following items:
+ 1 Registration form with candidate’s signature
+ 1 The personal capacity assessment
+ 3 Three copies of ID (notarized)
+ Authorized letter signed and sealed by your company
+ Copyright agreement for images and information (of individuals and companies)

+ Business registration license of the outlets that attend the contest (with local authentication)

- Please send your profile to the Organizing Committee at the following address:

Project office of Golden Spoon contest
Minh Long I Co.Ltd
333 Hung Loc, Hung Dinh, Thuan An, Binh Dương.
Tel: (0650) 3.66.88.99 – Fax: (0650) 3724173

Mobile: 0947.039.206
Email: support@chiecthiavang.com; info@chiecthiavang.com


Any individual chef or selected representative of any outlet that would like to attend the contest please click here for quick registration.

The Organizing Committee will contact candidates following review of all information.

Download profile here

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Golden Spoon Awards