Nguyen Thi Ngan from Phu Tho Province settled in Cao Bang Province nearly 30 years ago. Ngan joined the Dong Dang-Tra Linh project as a construction cook after hearing about job openings in early 2024.
The decision to take this job was not easy for her, especially since it requires her to live more than 80 kilometres away from her family. Therefore, her family was initially concerned about her well-being, fearing that it would be too difficult for a woman.
However, witnessing her daily enthusiasm at work and realising that the living conditions at the project were much better than they had imagined, they gradually grew to support her decision.
In the early days at the construction site, Ngan was the only woman among a team of eight cooks. Her daily routine begins at 4 AM, preparing meals for hundreds of workers.
Together with her kitchen team members, Ngan often experiments with seasoning recipes to create diverse dishes that enrich the workers' meals.
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In the early days at the construction site, Nguyen Thi Ngan was the only woman among a team of eight cooks. |
“Our joy comes from cooking delicious and nutritious meals every day to ensure our colleagues have enough energy for their work. Just seeing them finish their meals and praise the food makes all tiredness disappear. Making even small contributions to such a major project makes us very proud!” Ngan shared.
Reflecting on her first days at work, she recounted that the construction site was over 20 kilometres from the central market. The distance made her even more appreciative of the significance of this highway connecting to Cao Bang, and also more aware of the vital role her kitchen plays in supporting those constructing this crucial road — a road that families like hers have long hoped for.
“Workers from various regions across the country, so they have different tastes. We always strive to prepare meals that are palatable for as many people as possible and offer a variety of dishes so everyone has choices,” Ngan said, noting with pride that even now, she knows most of their food preferences by heart.
During peak construction periods when work continued through the night, the kitchen team remained busy around the clock to ensure workers were well-fed. The atmosphere was bustling both on-site and in the kitchen; despite heavy workloads, everyone diligently performed their tasks.
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The daily routine of the kitchen team begins at 4 AM, preparing meals for hundreds of workers. |
Like Ngan, Le Thi Tai, 57, from Thanh Hoa, has worked as a construction cook for the project for three years.
Before joining the Dong Dang-Tra Linh project team, she spent nearly two years working at the construction site of Nghi Son-Dien Chau Expressway project.
“By taking this job, I've met many colleagues and learned about different regional cultures and new cooking methods,” Tai said.
Notably, three out of five members of Tai's family work at Deo Ca Group; her husband and second son are construction workers on tunnels.
The job provides her family with stable income, a friendly working environment, and other benefits. Although she works far from home, she always feels cared for by management and colleagues at every project site.
Since joining Deo Ca's projects, she has received regular health check-ups as part of her employee benefits.
“I am proud to contribute to our company's collective effort in creating new roads for different regions, by preparing good nutritious meals for everyone. I never thought my kitchen work could hold such significance,” Tai shared.
With cooking skills and heartfelt dedication to their work, these construction cooks have been making quiet but significant contributions to the overall progress and success of the projects.
