Chefs who grew up in the village

(GLO)- In Jrai and Bahnar villages in the Gia Lai highlands, there are people who have not attended formal schools but are knowledgeable about traditional cuisine and prepare many delicious dishes. They are trusted to cook at village parties, and also attend events, restaurants, and eateries in many places.

Promoting Jrai cuisine outside the village

Mr. Yaih (Jrai, 59 years old) in Chuet Ngol village (An Phu ward) is always passionate about preserving and promoting the traditional cuisine of his people. He is often the "head chef" at important village parties.

Mr. Yaih (right) prepares traditional bamboo rice dish of the Jrai people. Photo: Tran Dung

Since childhood, Mr. Yaih loved preparing food and learned how to cook traditional dishes for his family and villagers to enjoy. Later, thanks to his ability to organize work properly and prepare many delicious dishes, he was invited to cook for weddings, birthdays, housewarmings, filial piety ceremonies, etc. in many wards and communes.

“I started cooking for the villagers in 1998. Before, whenever the village had a party, the host usually took care of it himself, so there were often shortages or excess dishes, causing waste. Since taking on the job, I have always agreed on a way to make everything more complete, economical and reasonable, worthy of the villagers' trust when they entrusted me with the responsibility of hosting the party,” Mr. Yaih shared.

In 2019, after attending a community tourism training course, Mr. Yaih started building the H'bya grilled chicken and bamboo rice brand to serve at events and festivals.

He said: To prepare grilled chicken with bamboo rice in the right Jrai flavor, one needs to accumulate experience and have one's own secret. Actively promoting the grilled chicken with bamboo rice in H'bya has helped many people know about it, and at the same time contributed to the consumption of free-range chicken of ethnic minorities. He also passed on the secret to his children, continuing the journey of preserving the traditional flavor of his people.

Grilled chicken with bamboo rice H'bya has been present at many culinary festivals in and outside the province. In May 2025, Mr. Yaih was awarded a Certificate by the Director of the Vietnam Exhibition Center for Culture and Arts for "Grilled chicken with bamboo rice H'bya" to participate in the exhibition "The most beautiful Ho Chi Minh in his name" within the framework of the 2025 Lotus Village Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture - Sports and Tourism in coordination with the People's Committee of Nghe An province.

From preserving identity to pursuing a culinary career

In Breng 1 village (Ia Hrung commune), Ms. Siu H'Myan (42 years old, Jrai ethnic group) is considered the village chef. Her childhood spent on the fields and following her mother to pick vegetables, catch crabs, and pick bamboo shoots has helped her understand the ingredients, master the processing techniques, and know how to combine flavors to create rustic dishes with rich traditional identity. Thanks to her delicious cooking, since 2007, she has often been invited to cook at parties of people in the area.

Ms. H'Myan said: "Many families often choose to hold parties at restaurants, but when they need traditional Jrai dishes, they still prioritize inviting me. Usually, they like hot pot dishes, salads, sticky rice and typical dishes such as bamboo rice, grilled chicken, bamboo tube grilled meat, banana leaf braised meat, rice soup..."

At the age of 23, Ms. May has affirmed her skills at the Play Gong Chieng shop. Photo: R'Ô HOK

Ms. May (Bahnar, 23 years old, living in Klot village, Kon Gang commune) has been passionate about cooking since her school days, often preparing meals for her family. After that, she followed her aunts and grandmothers to join in cooking on important occasions, from there learning how to prepare traditional Bahnar dishes.

After graduating from high school, Ms. May studied Culinary Technology at Gia Lai College. After graduating in 2022, she worked at the Play Gong Chieng restaurant (Op village, Pleiku ward), a famous culinary address in the mountain town.

Ms. May confided: “The restaurant mainly serves typical dishes of ethnic minorities such as bamboo rice, grilled chicken, stir-fried noodles with bitter eggplant and chicken gizzards, and jar wine. I am very happy to prepare these dishes every day. Although my job is stable, I still cherish the future of being able to open my own restaurant specializing in serving traditional dishes of the Central Highlands, meeting the enjoyment needs of a large number of diners.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung - Owner of Play Cong Chieng restaurant - said: The restaurant's staff are mainly Jrai, Bahnar, and Xe Dang people. Among them, May stands out for her passion and proactive learning spirit; her cooking skills are increasingly improving, contributing to attracting customers to the restaurant.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/nhung-dau-bep-truong-thanh-tu-buon-lang-post566802.html