Nguyen Ba Phuong received the award of NVCC

This is a qualification exam for foreign chefs to cook traditional Japanese dishes organised by the Traditional Japanese Culinary Academy, under the Department of Traditional Cuisine Conservation and Development and Organized by the Japanese Government.

Desirable title

Nguyen Ba Phuoc (29 years old) comes from Son Tay, Hanoi. In 2021, Phuoc graduated from the culinary department of the College of Commerce and Tourism and obtained a chef's degree in Vietnam. In 2016, Phuoc received a full scholarship from the Hokuto Bunka Culinary Academy and entered the culinary science. In 2017, Phuoc was selected as one of the 10 typical citizens of Muroran city because of his many efforts to pursue traditional Japanese cuisine and promote Vietnamese cuisine in this city.

Ba Phuong is processing the food- N.P

After 2 year study, Phuoc graduated and obtained a Japanese chef degree. For many consecutive years, this young man who loves the kitchen has reached a lot of achievements since receiving a certificate of merit from the President of the Hokkaidou Chef Association for his efforts to pursue traditional Japanese cuisine, and receiving the honorary badge for active member of the Hokkaidou Traditional Japanese Culinary Research Society. Phuoc also became a guest of Television program NHK World-Japan Vietnamese to share his passion.

In 2020, Phuoc received a certificate of merit from the Ambassador Vietnam to Japan for his dedication to the Vietnamese community in Hokkaidou and became a coordinator in the Traditional Japanese Cuisine Research Association.

Grilled fish to congratulate a party prepared by Phuoc at the Grand hotel, Hokkaidou – Ba Phuoc

After many years of following the passion for traditional Japanese food, recently, Phuoc really "shines" when he passed the exam to recognize and rank the level of traditional Japanese cooking in the ancient capital of Kyoto and received the gold medal Taste Of Japan and became the 9th in the world to obtain a gold medal rating.

"For chefs pursuing traditional Japanese cuisine, this is the most noble and desirable title from the the Japanese Government and Chefs Association", shared Ba Phuoc.

Return to Vietnam to open a restaurant with Japanese cuisine

Since this is an accreditation and ranking exam organized by the Government and Traditional Japanese Chefs Association, there are many chefs from all over the world participating with the goal of winning the highest ranking, the gold medal.

“In order to earn the gold medal, participants must have a national chef degree issued by the Japanese government, and have worked in a traditional Japanese restaurant for at least 2 years from the date of obtaining a license,” Phuoc said. Regarding the content of the competition for gold medal ranking, candidates must achieve more than 80% of the total score for their test. I made the menus for Shoukado bento and suimono soup for 2 people by myself within 3 hours”.

It is well known that the shoukadou rice box is a 23.5 x 23.5 cm square box, with 4 compartments in high quality wooden or plastic boxes, converging all the dishes (10 or more dishes) from raw fish sashimi, tempura fried dishes, stews, baked dishes, rice dishes ... To complete the lunch box, chefs can use all the simple techniques to the most complex in cooking traditional Japanese dishes.

After this exam, the whole world has a total of 11 people with gold medal - highest ranking. And Phuoc is the 9th person to receive this award, also the first Southeast Asian.

Phuoc's stewed meat and vegetable –Ba Phuoc

Talking about his fate as a chef, Phuoc said that his father taught him to cook with a cast iron pot since the 3rd grade and a few years later, Phuoc was able to own his own kitchen. “I was oriented to cook by my father because he thought that this job would not worry about hunger. Having both the influence of my father and my personal love, I decided to learn to cook and pursue until today ”, Phuoc expressed.

Another eye-catching Japanese dish made by Phuoc – Ba Phuoc

Recently, Phuoc is holding two jobs, a chef at Sushi restaurant in Tokyo and a special advisor for the brand name Xin Chao Banh Mi, a very famous brand of Vietnamese youth in Japan. Phuoc said he will continue to study in depth about traditional Japanese cuisine, and at the same time wishes to connect Vietnamese chefs in Japan to build a Vietnamese Chef Association in Japan, to support the introduction of Vietnamese dishes to the next. Japanese people and continue to look for young people who want to learn to cook, want to become chefs in Japan to recommend and support them to apply for scholarships.  

“I am going to return my country this year. In the near future, I wish to develop traditional Japanese cuisine in Vietnam, share my experiences and my knowledge with young chefs and bring traditional Japanese dishes to Vietnamese - fans of Japanese cuisine - for them to have a great culinary experience with all 5 senses. Finally, I will open my own high-class traditional Japanese restaurant.”, said the talented chef about his upcoming plans.

My Quyen/thanhnien.vn