"Conductor" of the kitchen

(Baonghean) - During his school days, Nguyen Bao Nguyen dreamed of becoming an economics bachelor and a business administrator. But the reality of life and his difficult family circumstances did not allow him to realize that dream: his father died early, his mother was sick, and his younger sister was still young; after graduating from high school in 2002, Bao Nguyen went to work to share the burden of making a living with his mother and to take care of his younger sister's education.

Nguyen's first job was as a kitchen assistant at Viet Duc restaurant in Vinh city. He said he was a kitchen assistant but in reality he did odd jobs, like washing dishes, picking vegetables... Being dedicated to his work, Nguyen found himself loving the job he was doing. Nguyen started to pay attention and notice the ways to prepare the restaurant's dishes: from boiling vegetables to making them cooked, keeping them green, to handling the fishy smell of fish, and preparing seafood dishes. If he didn't know anything, he would directly ask the chef.

Chef Nguyen Bao Nguyen.

Looking at the restaurant chefs who are constantly working, Nguyen has set a goal for himself: Becoming a restaurant chef - earning more than a kitchen assistant. This means helping his mother raise his younger siblings better and being a good cook means having more opportunities to perform, without worrying about unemployment. In addition to studying at the restaurant, Nguyen buys more cookbooks, teaches specialty dishes to silently study and memorize the recipes. That's the theory, but to be able to practice is not easy: At the restaurant, Nguyen tries to complete the assigned tasks as quickly and as well as possible to volunteer to help the main chefs with simple steps such as cutting, chopping food, stirring dishes, mixing dipping sauces, etc. From there, he accumulates experience and at the end of the day, uses leftover ingredients to practice. At home, family meals are the stage for Nguyen to try and hone his skills.

“If you work hard, you will succeed” – Nguyen cannot remember what chance helped him “get promoted”, he only remembers that after 3 years, he went from being a kitchen assistant to becoming the main chef of the restaurant. A stable job, good income, and more free time allowed Nguyen to continue pursuing his dream, he enrolled in a distance learning course at the Danang College of Economics and Planning. After 3 years of studying and working, chef Nguyen Bao Nguyen had a degree in economics, but he still kept his job. For him, being a chef is not just a way to make a living but a passion. After 4 years working as a chef at Viet Duc restaurant, Nguyen sought a new challenge by becoming the head chef of Dai Hue restaurant, in 2011, he opened his own restaurant with his friends. Being the owner, chef, and accountant of the restaurant helped Nguyen gain many valuable experiences – some successes, some failures. In 2013, Nguyen sold the restaurant and focused on his career as a chef by becoming the head chef of Dai Ngan restaurant. Nguyen Bao Nguyen shared: To cook a delicious dish, a chef not only needs skills and creativity but also must put all his heart into serving...

Unlike chef Nguyen Bao Nguyen, chef Tuan “trang” has clearly determined to pursue the cooking profession from the beginning. After graduating from high school in 1999, Nguyen Quoc Tuan registered to study at Nghe An Culinary College. In 2001, he graduated and worked as a kitchen technician at Huynh De restaurant. His initial job was to participate in the preparation of specialty dishes. After about half a year, getting used to the job and proving his special skills, Tuan officially became the restaurant's chef. The dishes cooked by chef Quoc Tuan are always highly appreciated by diners. Therefore, it is not surprising that this chef was invited by Huong Giang restaurant to be the head chef here. After 10 years as the head chef at Huong Giang restaurant, Tuan “trang” is no longer a nickname but has become a brand. Among the chefs in Nghe An, he is considered to have the most solid and excellent skills and is often invited to cook at important parties from the South to the North. Tuan shared: To be good at the profession, you need to practice, constantly improve and practice hard to become talented. A chef not only needs to be delicate, but also needs to be attentive and dedicated. Because each person has a different taste.

Thanks to their passion and choosing the right direction, Tuan Trang and chef Nguyen Bao Nguyen have had and are having careers and incomes that many people dream of, and more importantly, they are "free" in their work.

Article and photos:Thanh Son