In 1997, Mr. Cum and his family left their hometown and moved to Vung Tau to make a living. There, he learned to cook and worked in restaurants. After many years of wandering, his family gradually settled down in their new home. However, wanting to develop his career in his hometown, he decided to return to Thanh Dong and start over as a chef in restaurants.
By 2003, recognizing the growing demand for catering services, Mr. Cum opened a cooking service and supplied pre-processed squid products. Mr. Cum shared: “I realized that a cooking service saves customers time and effort in preparation and cleanup, while still ensuring delicious and palatable food, so I decided to pursue it.” Although Thanh Dong is not a favorable area for this type of service, as many families are still accustomed to cooking themselves or hiring cooks, Mr. Cum chose to stay in the area to create jobs for his relatives. In the early days, cooking and kitchen work were mainly handled by his three brothers.
Mr. Huynh Hong Cum (second from the right) serves as a judge at the Vinh Phong Commune Cultural, Sports and Food Festival. Photo: VY HOA
In 2009, Mr. Cum registered the Huynh Gia Kien Giang Culinary Arts business. Starting with just a few employees, the business now employs around 20 regular workers, mostly relatives and neighbors. According to Mr. Cum, during wedding seasons or holidays, the business mobilizes up to 130 workers, prioritizing local residents.
In recent years, with the fast-paced lifestyle and changing perceptions of party planning, many families have opted to order catering services instead of cooking themselves. Catering services have become a convenient solution, contributing to the formation of a seasonal but highly profitable service market. Mr. Cum offers basic catering sets priced from 1.9 to 2.5 million VND per set, depending on the menu and ingredients. High-end sets can cost up to 4.7 million VND per set, using specialty foods or designed according to the customer's specific requirements.
In addition to expanding its scale, Mr. Cum's establishment also focuses on improving service quality. Previously primarily serving small family gatherings, Huynh Gia Kien Giang has now built its brand, perfected its hygiene and food safety procedures, and implemented an online ordering system. The menu is also more diverse, ranging from traditional wedding banquets to modern parties, vegetarian options, or customized menus to meet nutritional needs.
A memorable achievement for the unit was participating in the Exhibition of Socio -Economic Achievements commemorating the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025) in Hanoi. Huynh Gia Kien Giang represented An Giang province with many signature dishes such as Chau Doc fish noodle soup, Kien Giang fish noodle soup, Ha Tien fish noodle soup, Long Xuyen broken rice, and Phu Quoc basa fish and mushroom rice with fish sauce.
During the 9 days of the exhibition, the unit prepared and distributed approximately 900 free meals to visitors. The event attracted about 4,000 visitors who directly viewed and enjoyed the food, while the An Giang food booth welcomed over 12,000 visitors. Revenue from food and beverage services at the booth reached nearly 450 million VND. Based on these results, Huynh Gia Kien Giang Culinary Arts was awarded a commendation by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for outstanding achievements in organizing and participating in the exhibition. Mr. Cum received a certificate of merit from the Department of Tourism for actively promoting An Giang cuisine.
According to Mr. Cum, the new market trend is menu personalization. Customers can choose banquets according to their taste, region, or nutritional needs. Vegetarian banquets, low-fat menus, suitable for the elderly or those on diets are increasingly popular. “Customers today not only ask about prices but also pay close attention to the origin of ingredients, preparation methods, calorie count, and even request reduced salt and fat. This forces us to adapt to meet the trend of healthy eating,” Mr. Cum said.
Behind the growth of Huynh Gia Kien Giang lies the story of the dedication of many local workers. Mr. Trinh Hoang Den, who apprenticed with Mr. Cum from the age of 14, is now the sous chef, and together with his wife and relatives, continues to build the brand.
The catering service is projected to continue its strong growth in the coming years. Pre-ordered, home-delivered, and thoughtfully presented banquet meals not only reflect adaptation to modern life but also retain the warm, comforting flavor of family meals. From his humble rural kitchen, Mr. Cum's journey contributes to creating a promising community service model.
MOC TRA
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/can-bep-que-den-cau-chuyen-khoi-nghiep-a483583.html
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