Together keep the dream warm

(GLO)- From the small kitchen at home to the lecture hall and large culinary stages, the couple Pham Le Anh Vu (35 years old) and Nguyen Thanh Le (31 years old), in Quy Nhon Tay ward, always walk side by side on the journey to pursue a culinary career.

Having just returned from a culinary record-setting event in Ho Chi Minh City, they brought with them the pride of young people who dare to dream, dare to learn and together keep the passion burning.

Life partner is also classmate, colleague

Having just participated in the event of preparing and performing dishes from the most fish in Vietnam (100 types of fish) - a program that VietKings set a record for on October 23 - Vu and Le were still filled with emotion when they saw their carved miniatures appear in the brilliant space of hundreds of domestic and foreign chefs. Invited to join the decoration team, they called it an "unforgettable experience", a milestone that they always cherish when looking back on the past journey.

Pham Le Anh Vu and Nguyen Thanh Le couple in a trimming class of the Culinary Arts major at Quy Nhon College of Technology. Photo: Nguyen Muoi

Before setting foot on that big stage, both of them had accompanied many large-scale culinary events in the province and region: The Quintessence of Binh Dinh Land and Sea (2024), Delicious Dishes from Bazan Land and Sea (2025), The First Provincial Culinary Festival (2024) and the Second (2025)...

The programs not only give them the opportunity to try their hand, but also open up an environment to learn from experienced chefs. What impresses them most is the spirit of solidarity and professionalism from the organization to the preparation, elevating their passion with each participation.

The two people's fates to come to the culinary profession are different. For Nguyen Thanh Le, the passion for the profession comes from the family: Father was a good chef, mother is a good cook, the kitchen is always full of warmth and the flavors of the countryside. Le loved trimming and decorating since childhood, believing that dishes must be beautiful before they are delicious.

Pham Le Anh Vu started his culinary career after getting married. Once by chance, he learned about the culinary field on the internet and learned about Quy Nhon College of Technology. They decided to go back to school together, both were students of the Culinary Arts program from the 16th intermediate level to the 18th college level of Quy Nhon College of Technology. They started with the most basic lessons on knife techniques, trimming, preparing Vietnamese and Asian dishes, baking, and culinary arts.

Since then, the house, the lecture hall, and the kitchen have become three “touch points” connecting their journey. There were late nights studying, late nights practicing pruning, and times of pressure and exhaustion, but they always had each other to encourage them. “For us, cooking is not just a job, but also a “second thread” connecting the couple, after the bond of marriage. That is also what makes us always cherish this journey,” said Vu.

One for each person

When your spouse is also your classmate and colleague, life becomes more interesting. From family meals to grocery shopping trips, you can always talk about food, recipes, and presentation. Sometimes, going to the kitchen becomes a… practical session.

Although they share the same passion, their styles create two distinct “flavors”. Le is meticulous, thorough, and loves sophistication in every decorative detail. Vu is quick, practical, and good at organizing work. That difference does not create a distance but helps them complement each other. “Each person has a different taste, so no dish is boring,” Vu said jokingly.

Vu and Le (center) were awarded certificates for participating in the event of preparing and performing dishes from the most types of fish in Vietnam at the same time. Photo: NVCC

Cooking is sometimes very hard, especially during the holidays, when you have to stand in the kitchen for dozens of hours. But because they work in the same profession, they understand each other's pressure, and know when the other needs to share and when they need to rest. To them, that is a valuable thing that not every couple has.

Among the countless dishes they have made, there is a special dish that is associated with love: Sweet and sour pickled pig ears. It was the first dish they made together to give to relatives and friends during Tet, and was praised so much that they had to make more to sell. To this day, every Tet season, their kitchen is red hot for this dish, both to sell and to preserve memories. "If we don't make that dish, we will miss Tet immediately" - Le laughed.

Le compared Vu to a salty, steady, and solid spice. Vu called Le a sweet, gentle spice that makes life warmer. “Without one of the two, life would be bland. Love and cooking both require patience and attention to detail. You must have feelings, be sincere, and know how to keep the “fire” burning not only in the kitchen, but also in life,” they said.

Currently, the couple is working freelance in the culinary field: Preparing traditional seasonal dishes, accepting trimming and decorating for events and continuing to learn to improve their skills in Vietnamese dishes and trimming and decorating food. They are nurturing a new direction: Sharing and spreading hometown dishes in a more familiar and real way, so that each dish is not only delicious, but also tells the story of the homeland.

At a very young age, Pham Le Anh Vu and Nguyen Thanh Le are contributing to creating a new image for those working in the kitchen: Enthusiastic, serious, progressive and always wanting to spread Vietnamese culinary culture in the most creative and sincere way.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cung-nhau-giu-am-uoc-mo-post572328.html