Chef Dan: "Michellin Guide coming to Vietnam is a good sign"

LOOK AT FOOD FROM MANY PERSPECTIVES

Working in the culinary industry, Chef Dan as well as other F&B industry personnel were delighted when Michellin Guide recently "awarded" 1 star to 4 restaurants, 29 Bib Gourmand restaurants, and 70 restaurants recommended by Michellin.

"Michellin Guide coming to Vietnam is a good sign - an impressive stepping stone to bring Vietnamese cuisine to a new level. Many international tourists will also visit Vietnam in the near future to have the opportunity to experience Vietnamese cuisine, especially restaurants recommended by Michelin Guide," Chef Dan commented.

However, the above event also caused a lot of controversy in public opinion, from some culinary experts to many local diners. They said that Michelin Guide did not really reflect the real experience of Vietnamese people.

"In fact, the Michelin Guide is like a culinary handbook introduced to international tourists. The culinary experts participating in the process of experiencing and evaluating restaurants from December 2022 are foreigners. Therefore, it is understandable that restaurants that suit the taste, meet all the criteria and are highly appreciated by international culinary experts are not necessarily delicious restaurants for locals," he expressed his opinion.

He added that, in addition to the feeling of good or bad, restaurants must meet five criteria that are common standards worldwide: food quality, cooking skills, flavor harmony, the chef's personality expressed through the food, and the consistency of the food over time and across the entire menu. According to Chef Dan, the stability of the restaurant's quality can be considered the most important.

"Perhaps we should consider this a common joy for the country's culinary scene, and also a push for restaurants and eateries in Vietnam to constantly strive to develop, attract more diners and possibly be recognized by Michelin in the future," he concluded.

VIETNAMESE CUISINE NEEDS CONSTANT CREATIVITY

As life improves, people's culinary needs change. "Currently, customers pay more attention to 'being served'. They care about feeling comfortable with the staff's style, comfortable in the space; enjoy the food story; focus on perceived value based on visual and olfactory stimulation before reaching the taste," Chef Dan shared.

He brings this spirit to every dish he creates. The highlight is "Doi Seed Ice Cream", a sweet ice cream combined with spices typical of the savory dishes of the Northwest region. He boldly used Doi seeds boiled with milk to get the characteristic flavor, then used it to make ice cream. It sounds strange, but this unique combination creates the unforgettable, seductive flavor of Doi seeds in a layer of fragrant, fatty, and flavorful ice cream.

Or the famous traditional dish of Hue, Eel Wrapped in Rice, usually combines eel fillet with many ingredients such as: black fungus, onion, green onion, carrot, cilantro, egg yolk. After seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar, the mixture is wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed, usually served with rice paper. Still using the same ingredients, Chef Dan puts the steamed mixture into a soft, cone-shaped rice paper. "Eel Wrapped in Rice Paper" was born, an attractive dish with a creative and more convenient arrangement than the original but still retains its characteristic flavor.

When approaching the La Vong Fish Cake, Chef Dan does not slice the fish into thick pieces, but cuts the fish into bars, marinates it with shrimp paste, garlic and some other spices and then grills it. Uses ground dill to coat the fish, then splits green onions to wrap around the fish bars into a cylinder, then grills it one more time to reduce the spiciness. "Modern La Vong Fish Cake" no longer appears with the image of golden pieces of fish in a pan, with lots of green onions and dill as usual.

PERSISTENTLY PURSUING YOUR CULINARY DREAM

During the years of "scratching and peeling" pursuing his passion without support, he still remained steadfast in his dream - working hard 15 hours a day when he first started his career. After 11 years in the profession, Dan truly understands the strict, meticulous and high-pressure requirements when deciding to become a professional chef. He believes that, regardless of the profession, especially cooking, one must have a firm grasp of the most basic foundation before advancing.

"Many young people who study systematically at culinary schools, when they graduate, still have to do the simplest tasks before taking on a higher position. The culinary profession requires a lot of practical experience, understanding and mastering the most basic steps, from choosing ingredients, to processing and preserving goods... I just want to tell young people, if you intend to pursue a professional culinary career, start with the most basic tasks, work persistently, and constantly innovate to affirm the cuisine you make," he confided.

In the near future, Chef Dan will bring many cooking classes to share industry knowledge with those who are passionate about the culinary industry. He wants to spread his love of cuisine, along with the knowledge, skills and experience he has accumulated during his time working as a chef. The more he shares, the more he is motivated to continue learning, accumulating and constantly creating to bring customers new dishes. "For me, cuisine is constantly creating," he shared.

But no matter how creative, according to him, it is still necessary to ensure the quality of delicious dishes, beautiful presentation with clean and meticulous processing. The source of ingredients must also be guaranteed to be fresh and safe. When a chef puts his heart and soul into his creation, with meticulousness and meticulousness, he will certainly bring delicious dishes. That is not only Chef Dan's guiding principle in his career, but also the "chef's mission" - to bring Vietnamese cuisine to the world!

Bileo