The aspiration to reach further from culinary "resources" - Part 1
The value that the "Excellent Chef - Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine" competition in 2024 brings is not simply a culinary contest – a place to showcase local produce and chef talent. It is also a forum full of love and pride that the people have for their coastal hometown.
Lesson 1:
Cua Lo cuisine viewed from a competition.
The value that the "Excellent Chef - Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine" competition in 2024 brings is not simply a culinary contest – a place to showcase local produce and chef talent. It is also a forum full of love and pride that the people have for their coastal hometown.
"Each of us is an ambassador."
In his presentation at the "Excellent Chef - Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine" competition in 2024, the chef representing Nghi Hoa ward said: “On our table today, we not only have fresh seafood and famous fish sauce, but also local agricultural products and OCOP-certified grains… Tourists coming to Cua Lo always have many choices of local products, restaurants, and cooking methods; each dish has its own unique flavor, and each place has its own appeal. Coming to this competition today, we hope to convey the message that each of us should be an ambassador spreading Cua Lo's beach tourism to the world…”
The presentation wasn't overly long for such a lavish and beautifully arranged meal, yet it received enthusiastic applause from everyone. This lively atmosphere lasted throughout the two hours of judging by the panel. Indeed, with 19 competing teams, the judges had a difficult time selecting the best teams based on the freshest ingredients, most standardized processing methods, creativity, beautiful presentation, delicious taste, and excellent presentation. Ultimately, with fairness, seriousness, and transparency, the judges announced results that were unanimously accepted by all the competing teams and the public. This has also been the basis for the competition's continued success and continued participation for the past three years.
Participating for the first time, Ms. Hoang Thi Hien, representing Thu Thuy ward, brought to the competition the famous fresh squid dish, prepared in two ways: as a salad and grilled over charcoal. “Cua Lo fresh squid is ranked among the top 10 best seafood dishes in Vietnam. I want to take this opportunity to introduce our specialty dish to everyone so they can have the chance to enjoy our fresh squid salad with its most authentic flavor,” shared chef Hoang Thi Hien.
With the participation of professional chefs from prestigious restaurants and hotels, the "Excellent Chef - Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine" competition in 2024 is considered a colorful and flavorful exhibition of local seafood cuisine. It showcases Cua Lo's major landmarks such as the Cua Hoi Bridge, Binh Minh Square, Lan Chau Island… and familiar mascots like dragons, peacocks, phoenixes, and fish… all exquisitely crafted from local agricultural products. Beautiful images and meaningful messages related to President Ho Chi Minh, lotus flowers, sea daisies, and the lives of fishermen… are meticulously carved. Preparing for this presentation required significant time and effort from the participating units. Even before tasting, the presentation alone was enough to impress and captivate visitors.
Positive signs from local cuisine.
Held annually, the "Excellent Chef - Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine" competition is receiving increasing attention from the public and local authorities. From a tourism perspective, this is a positive sign.
Sharing her thoughts on the competition, Ms. Phung Thi Hanh, President of the Cua Lo Town Labor Union and Head of the Organizing Committee, said: “The competition aims to honor the culinary profession, affirm the role of chefs in bringing the beauty of Cua Lo cuisine and Nghe An cuisine to domestic and international tourists, contributing to the promotion and advertising of Cua Lo coastal tourism. At the same time, it is an opportunity for teams to interact, learn, and hone their knowledge and experience, thereby helping them demonstrate the motto of "Confidence, Proactiveness, Creativity, and Positiveness" in serving customers and in life.”
Cheering on the competing teams, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoa (Nghi Thuy ward) shared: “Besides familiar specialty dishes, this year's competition is even more attractive with the appearance of more Western, luxurious, elaborate, and nutritious cooking methods. In particular, the freshwater eel dish has been revamped by the participating teams in both appearance and recipe, contributing to promoting the province's specialty.”
As one of the teams with the most elaborate presentations and the largest number of supporters, the Green Hotel Cua Lo unit invested wholeheartedly in participating in the competition. Mr. Trinh Le Hoang - Hotel Manager, said: “From the very first years of the competition, we have strongly supported it and seen it as an opportunity to learn from other units. Although we have never achieved the highest ranking, we always approach the competition with the utmost seriousness. To prepare for the competition, we have been developing the dish idea and assigning tasks well in advance, investing in the finest ingredients. If the competition were expanded and held more frequently, I believe that the skills and expertise of those working in the restaurant and hotel service industry would improve significantly.”
As a culinary expert with extensive travel experience, Mr. Bui Van Duc, Head of the Culinary Arts Department at Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce, is often trusted to serve as the head judge of the competition. Evaluating the quality of the competition, this fair and meticulous judge remarked: “In recent years, especially this year, the competition has shown significant progress, becoming much more serious and professional, from the preparation and organization to the professional quality. From 4- and 5-star hotels to small-scale private restaurants, everyone is willing to invest in the competition, both to promote their image and to contribute to improving the culinary aspect of Cua Lo tourism. This is a positive sign!”
