Did you know that carnivorous pitcher plants can be used as one among 30 spices to make local dishes in the Golden Spoon Award 2016 competition, organized by Minh Long I?
Chefs from 4-star and 5-star hotel restaurants will be creatively using fascinating spices in the upcoming national Golden Spoon culinary competition. Themed as “an adventure to seek hometown flavors”, Golden Spoon 2016 offers a great chance for the public to learn more about the spices around Vietnam, most of which still stay hidden and unknown to everyone except locals.
The list of allowed spices consists of rare and hard-to-find spices all over Vietnam, coming from thick forests in mountainous Northern and Central provinces, down to the flat Red River and Mekong Deltas – the two rice bowls of Vietnam.
“I think every spice is like a sleeping beauty”, said Mr. Long Thanh Chiem, who is among the panel of esteemed judges for the competition. “They need to be awakened by charming princes”. These spices can be beneficial to health and have a potential to bring out greatness in the food and beverage industry. In terms of creativity, the contest also helps talented chefs in Vietnam discover new ways of combining local and traditional ingredients and modern cooking technique.
Mr. Long added that “this competition will raise the bar in connecting Vietnamese local cuisines throughout the regions, then it will pave our way to protect and develop the whole country’s cuisine values.”
Mr Long Thanh Chiem
The five core values of Golden Spoon 2016 remain unchanged from the competition’s inception. First, the competition aims to preserve, protect and develop local specialties and particular spices. Second, it is to honor individuals and businesses who have dedicated themselves to enriching and promoting Vietnamese cuisine. Third, it encourages the cross relation and connection between local cuisine and raises local contribution to a higher level. Fourth, it delivers a strong message to the world that Vietnamese food is not only healthy but also safe and fresh. Finally, it is aimed to promote Vietnamese cuisine in a friendly and welcome way to travellers around the world.
“All dishes in this competition must follow the strict criteria that they have to be not only delicious and fresh but eye-catching. Those who are creative and talented should know how to present his or her works by the golden factor of aestheticism. Those are certainly the key points to shine and succeed in this challenging competition,” said Mr. Sang Huy Ly, deputy general director of Minh Long I.
The competition runs from June to December 2016 with the total value of rewards reaching VND 3 billion. The Golden Spoon contest will be filmed in a professional studio in HCMC, Hanoi and Danang, and provide contestants with 5-star standard culinary equipment.
Previous champions of Golden Sponn Contests
Who will be in the jury of Golden Spoon 2016? Mr. Eckart Witzigmann – known worldwide as one of the four chefs to receive the “Chef of the Century” award by French restaurant guide “Gault Millau” – will join the panel from the preliminary rounds to the final round.
There are a lot of things to say about this talented chef. In 1978, he became the first German-speaking chef to receive three Michelin stars. Since then, he has led his career upwards and is now recognized as a highly successful cookbook author.
Mr Thanh Van Vu, champion of Golden Spoon 2015, shared in a press conference that “it’s time for us to make great attempts to forget about the prize. Consider this game as a test of your personal skill and an opportunity to promote not only yourself but Vietnamese cuisine to the world”.
The first preliminary round will be held between 7 and 9 June in HCMC for teams from Mekong Delta, HCMC and Southeastern provinces. Citypassguide.com will keep you updated with the detail until the final round in December 2016. Who will take the crown in December 2016? Which spices will shine in the final competition? Let’s find out.
For more information of the contest, please find the official website of Golden Spoon Awards
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