Recently held in Bangkok, the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge 2026 is one of Asia’s most prestigious professional culinary competitions. The competition was organised by the Thailand Chefs Association under the patronage of the World Association of Chefs' Societies (Worldchefs), within the framework of Thaifex-Anuga Asia 2026 - one of the continent’s leading food and beverage trade exhibitions.
The Vietnamese team - the Saigon Professional Chefs Guild under the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association - consisted of 19 members, led by Doan Truong Son. Accompanying the delegation were Pham Van Thuan and Huynh Thanh Huy as coaches for fruit and vegetable carving, Tran Cuong Thinh as technical assistant, and Ly Kim Long serving as a judge.
Concluding their competition journey in Bangkok, the Team Championship Trophy in the three-chef category was awarded to Nguyen Duc Quyen, Tran Thi Kieu, and Le Van Tan. This achievement was the result of thorough preparation and intensive training over a long period to meet the rigorous standards of the international competition system.
Many Vietnamese chefs further demonstrated their professional capabilities through impressive individual achievements. Chefs Huynh Thanh Huy, Nguyen Duong Thanh, Tran Thi Kieu, Le Van Tan, and Phan Thi Yen Vi each won two gold medals.
Chef Nguyen Minh Nhi achieved an outstanding overall result with one gold medal, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. In addition, chefs Nguyen Truong Huynh, Phan Phuc Hau, Tran Thi Nhu Y, Khuat Manh Thang, Nguyen Duc Quyen, Nguyen Tran Quoc Dat, Doan Truong Son, Tran Quang Thinh, Dang Duoc Thao, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy also made significant contributions to the delegation’s overall achievements.
At a time when cuisine is recognised as one of the key factors driving tourism development, providing training and opportunities for young chefs to participate in international competitions is an important element in enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese cuisine.
Congratulating the chefs on their outstanding achievements, Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, shared: “The chefs have helped affirm the position of Vietnamese cuisine in the region and around the world. At the same time, they have demonstrated their talent and deserve recognition within the tourism industry and across the country.”
Having won numerous prestigious medals, chef Nguyen Minh Nhi expressed: “What I hope for is that vocational training institutions will create more opportunities for students to participate in reputable domestic and international competitions. This is an opportunity for young people to improve their skills and gain exposure to international culinary cultures.”
“At the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge 2026, many universities and vocational schools from Thailand, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, and other countries invested systematically in preparing their students for the competition, enabling them to achieve many high results,” chef Nguyen Minh Nhi added.
