The First Northern Representatives Reach Semi-final Round

In which:

•     Northern highlands:

-     Dung Tan restaurant - Thai Nguyen province: 1st prize

-     Sapaly hotel - Lao Cai province: 2nd prize

•     Red river delta area:

-     Emerald resort & Spa, Ninh Binh province: 1st prize

-     JSC International Ha Long Wonder Travel company, Quang Ninh province: 2nd prize

These 4 chosen team will directly compete with each other.

Northern highland teams impressed judges and audiences by regional ingredients, such as salmon, highland chickens and O Day vegetables (Sa Pa), Ta Van wild eels, Bac Ha plums, Nepal gingseng, Doi seeds (Yen Bai mountains), and many wild leaves. Every team has particular cooking styles but they all crowned northwest specialties by their dishes’ savor.

Among those teams, the only representative from Thai Nguyen, land of tea, and also the first time being in The Golden Spoon contest, Dung Tan restaurant (team 80) scored by many new interesting ingredients, such as Ngoc Cau wild mushroom, cogon grass root, Cistanche root, Ba Kich root, Dam Duong Hoac leaves, Da Hien leaves, mugwort, and Himalayan salt.

With all special ingredients above, chef Dinh Trong Giang introduced a vigorous menu, including Shrimps in Himalayan salt fire and Da Hien salad, Eels rolled guava leaves in Moc Uy Tu sauce, Stewed pheasant and Ba Kich root, and Mugwort cake. Even though there were some mistakes in decoration and display, 32 year olds chef subdued the judges by the enterprising coordination that placed all healthy ingredients and remarkable spices in harmony and symbolized northwest highlands’ culinary.

Lead Dinh Trong Giang was thrilled when giving comments about his surprising prize, “We might be luckier than other teams. We did participate other contests, we have known about The Golden Spoon contests for years but we thought this competition was too big for us. However, we were much more confident this year because of our well-prepared menu and decided to sign up in order to meet and learn from colleges. This surprising result belongs to the whole team, with our hearty passion and best efforts. We are being proud of our journey for spices.”

Meanwhile, cooking teams from Red river delta area introduces plenty of famous seafood, such as Nghe An eels, Cu Ky crabs, sea cucumbers, peanut worms, Tong Truong tilapia, and other fish from Tra Co, Mong Cai, Quang Ninh fishing grounds. The familiar ingredients were cleverly made up with pretty names, creative process, and catching decorations which made party tables much more attractive.

Emeralda Resort & Spa Ninh Binh won over the judges by their 4 “Taste of Home” dishes menu: rare goat meat in lime juice and Tong Truong tilapia soup, eels in bamboo tube served with fresh rice noodles and pineapple, BBQ goat meat served with potato cake and soya paste sauce, sweet-rice balls stuffed bird’s nest.

On September 28th, the Northern preliminary is still taking place with the rest 11 teams from Ha Noi at Architecture & Construction Exhibition Center.

By The Golden Spoon Awards