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In the world of Vietnamese pastry art, especially with fondant (a pliable material made from sugar, used to cover cakes and create decorative shapes), Nguyen Huu Thien An (1999) is not only a meticulous pastry artist but also a storyteller. Through each seemingly inanimate cake, he preserves and recreates Vietnamese cultural memories with all his subtlety and emotion.
The journey of artisan Thien An began in 2017, when he studied at the Saigontourist Tourism and Hotel Vocational School. Initially, An didn't think he would pursue a career in baking. But one day, while passing by the school's bakery, the aroma of butter, sugar, and sweet flavors touched a deep emotion within him. From that moment of inspiration, An decided to shift from the kitchen to the pastry kitchen, beginning his journey to becoming a professional pastry chef.
Thien An's journey to becoming a baker.
“Vietnamese culture is very diverse and rich, and I want to bring those familiar beautiful aspects into my fondant-sculpted cakes as a way to preserve and spread Vietnamese tradition in a modern form. I want international friends to be surprised by the beauty of the artworks from Vietnam, just as we often admire the beautiful creations from our international friends,” Thien An shared.
Unlike many who choose popular cake types like mousse or fresh cream cakes, Thien An found a special passion in fondant, a baking material considered "fussy" but capable of vividly recreating intricate details, like modeling clay for adults. For him, a fondant cake not only needs to be beautiful but also must possess a soul, tell its own story, and inspire the viewer, and even the person enjoying it.
Thien An alongside her work Memories
The essence of Vietnamese classical opera (Hát Bội) in the form of a pastry.
Thien An has won numerous prestigious awards both domestically and internationally, including the Gold Medal for Best Wedding Cake at the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2025; Champion of The Vietnam Bakery Cup, along with two additional awards for Best Dessert and Best Display Model; Gold Medal for Artistic Cake Display and Silver Medal for Teamwork in Guangzhou, China (2024); Gold Medal for Modern Style Wedding Cake and a medal at Battle of The Chefs 2024; Gold Medal for Best Team Spirit at ShenZhen Asian Pastry Youngchef 2023; Best Media Award and Best Art Award in professional culinary competitions… but what Thien An is most proud of is not the number of medals, but the moment of seeing others smile at the cakes he makes – when people not only see the beauty, but also feel the national spirit and love for their homeland from each layer of soft candy.
The wedding cake is named "The Joyful Performance of Traditional Opera".
One of the most iconic creations in Thien An's baking journey is the wedding cake titled "The Wedding of Traditional Opera," which won the Gold Medal for Best Wedding Cake at the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2025. Inspired by traditional opera – a long-standing theatrical art form – the cake is a declaration in sugar and color about love, tradition, and identity.
The first tier of the cake is shaped like a traditional Vietnamese opera drum, like a resounding heartbeat, heralding a new beginning. The middle tier is a hexagon, symbolizing the harmony between tradition and modernity, between past and present. The top tier depicts the bride and groom embodying characters from traditional opera – a general and a shrewd woman, adversaries on stage but close friends in real life. “This cake is not just a wish, but also a promise: let your love be like an eternal flower – blooming from its roots, radiating its fragrance, and never fading in the years to come.”
Thien An's cakes all have a unique and attractive design.
A beautiful fondant cake doesn't come from spontaneity. For Thien An, every creation is made through a serious and rigorous process. The first step is to determine the theme and occasion for the cake – birthday, wedding, anniversary, or simply an artistic message to be conveyed.
Then, An begins sketching by hand, a drawing that helps him adjust the layout, height, color, and proportions of the details. Next comes the preparation of the cake base and filling. Despite its striking appearance, Thien An still prioritizes the quality of the inside of each cake. The basic ingredients usually include butter, sugar, flour, and cocoa powder, combined according to the recipe for each type of cake. After the cake base is shaped, he then begins the detailed shaping, the most time-consuming and labor-intensive part.
Thien An incorporates Vietnamese culture into each of her works.
When traditional art takes to the fondant "stage".
What sets Thien An apart is not just his pastry-making skills, but his choice to incorporate Vietnamese culture into each of his creations. Instead of familiar themes like European castles, Disney characters, or Western landscapes, Thien An passionately incorporates old conical hats, lotus flowers, storks, bamboo chairs in his grandmother's kitchen, or even family meals.
Each competition is a memorable experience for Thien An. He often faces the challenge of creating a cake that is both aesthetically pleasing and edible, while also being easy to transport and preserve in a tropical climate. Ideas can soar, but realizing them on a cake becomes a complex equation between art and reality. However, it is these challenges that have helped Thien An mature, become calmer, and more insightful in each of his creations.
For Thien An, art doesn't need to seek out extravagance or complexity. Sometimes, inspiration begins with the most familiar things. And from the diligent hands of this young man, Vietnamese culture is gradually being recreated vividly, modernly, and proudly in each fondant cake.
