In the world of artistic cake making in Vietnam, especially with fondant (a flexible material made from sugar, used to cover cakes and create decorative shapes), Nguyen Huu Thien An (1999) is not only a meticulous artist but also a storyteller. Through each seemingly lifeless cake, he preserves and recreates Vietnamese cultural memories with all the subtlety and emotion.
The journey of artisan Thien An began in 2017, when he studied at Saigontourist School of Tourism and Hospitality. Initially, An did not think he would stick with the art of baking. But one day, by chance, passing by the bakery in the school, the smell of butter, sugar and sweet flavors touched his innermost feelings. From that touching moment, An decided to change direction from the hot kitchen to the bakery, starting the journey to become a professional pastry chef.
Thien An's journey to the baking profession
“Vietnamese culture is very diverse and rich, I want to bring that familiar beauty into fondant cakes as a way to preserve and spread Vietnamese traditions in a modern form. I want international friends to be surprised by the beauty of works from Vietnam as well as the way we often admire beautiful works from international friends”, Thien An shared.
Unlike many people who choose popular cakes such as mousse or fresh cream cakes, Thien An found a special passion for fondant, a cake-making material that is considered “difficult” but has the ability to recreate the details of the shape vividly, like clay for adults. For him, a fondant cake not only needs to be beautiful but also needs to have a soul, its own story and know how to inspire the viewer, even the person enjoying it.
Thien An with her work Memories
The essence of Hat Boi in the form of cakes
Thien An has won many prestigious domestic and international awards such as the Best Gold Medal - Wedding Cake - Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2025; Champion of The Viet Nam Bakery Cup, with 2 subsidiary awards for Best Dessert Cake & Best Display Model; Gold Medal - Artistic Display Cake and Silver Medal for Team in Guangzhou, China (2024); Gold Medal - Modern Style Wedding Cake and medal at Battle of The Chefs 2024; Gold Medal for Best Team Spirit at ShenZhen Asian Pastry Youngchef 2023; Best Media Award and Best Artistic Award in professional culinary competitions... but what Thien An is most proud of is not the number of medals, but the moment when he sees others smile at the cake he makes - when people not only see the beauty, but also feel the national spirit, love for the homeland from each layer of fondant.
Wedding cake named "Hanh Boi Joy"
One of the most representative works in Thien An's baking journey is the wedding cake named "Hỷ sự hát bội" which won the Gold Medal for Best Wedding Cake category at the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2025. Inspired by hát bội - a long-standing traditional theatrical art form, the cake is a declaration in sugar and color about love, tradition and identity.
The first layer of the cake is shaped like a resounding heartbeat, opening a new beginning. The middle layer is a hexagon symbolizing the harmony between tradition and modernity, between past and present. The top layer is the image of the bride and groom transformed into opera characters - a general and a sharp woman, although they are opponents on stage but are soul mates in real life. "The cake is not only a wish, but also a promise: let your love be like an eternal flower - blooming from the roots, spreading its fragrance and never fading in the coming years."
Thien An's cakes all have a particularly attractive image.
A beautiful fondant cake does not come from improvisation. For Thien An, every work is made through a serious and strict process. The first step is to determine the theme and occasion of the cake - birthday, wedding, anniversary or simply an artistic message that wants to be expressed.
After that, An started sketching by hand, which helped him to adjust the layout, height, color and proportions. Next was the preparation of the cake base and filling. Despite its impressive appearance, Thien An still valued the quality inside each cake. The basic ingredients usually include butter, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, combined depending on the recipe for each type of cake. After the cake was shaped, he started to work on the details, the part that took the most time and effort.
Thien An brings Vietnamese culture into each work
When traditional art steps onto the fondant "stage"
What makes Thien An different is not only his cake-making skills, but also his choice to incorporate Vietnamese culture into each of his works. Instead of familiar themes such as European castles, Disney characters or Western landscapes, Thien An is passionate about incorporating old conical hats, lotus flowers, storks, a bamboo chair in his grandmother's kitchen, or even family meals.
Each competition is a memorable memory for Thien An, many times he has to face the difficulty of making a cake that is both aesthetic, edible, easy to transport and preserve in tropical climate conditions. Ideas can fly high, but when realized on a cake, it is a complex problem between art and reality. However, it is these challenges that have helped Thien An mature, calm and sharper in each work.
For Thien An, art does not need to seek anything luxurious or sophisticated. Sometimes, inspiration begins from the closest things. And from the diligent hands of that young man, Vietnamese culture is gradually being recreated vividly, modernly and proudly in each fondant cake.
