The contest aims to seek out and honour outstanding culinary talents. It is a professional playground that connects the domestic and international chef community. It is also an opportunity to promote and introduce high-quality agricultural products of Lam Dong.
Speaking at the event, Vu The Binh, President of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, acknowledged the efforts of the Viet Nam Chefs Federation in organising the honouring of talents in the culinary field. Vu The Binh emphasised that the contest enriched the combination of green, fresh and nutrient-rich ingredients.
“The contest acts as both a playground linking chefs’ associations across the country and a demonstration of the importance of Vietnamese cuisine in developing the culinary tourism brand in Lam Dong Province as well as Viet Nam in general. From this contest, chefs can create a brand for themselves,” Vu The Binh affirmed.
Nguyen Huu Huong, Head of the Organising Committee and Vice President of VCF, said: “With the criterion of ‘connecting, sharing, developing tourism together’, the Lam Dong Chefs’ Association has carried out many positive activities, contributing to the promotion of local cuisine and agricultural products. For the first time organising this contest, we are not only looking for talent but also hoping to gather the culinary culture of the ‘new Lam Dong Province’ (Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, Dak Nong), contributing to elevating the value of Vietnamese cuisine.”
The contest attracted the participation of 48 teams with nearly 150 contestants from 25 provinces and cities. The teams competed with 144 official dishes, using signature ingredients from the Lam Dong highlands combined with fresh seafood to create unique culinary works.
The contest’s judging panel consisted of leading reputable experts in the culinary field, who scored the entries based on various criteria such as creativity, cooking techniques, taste, and presentation.
One of the special highlights of the event was the nationwide Culinary Artisan Honour Ceremony organised by the VCF. To encourage the young generation of chefs, all contestants will receive a certificate of participation, recognised nationwide and internationally.
