Vietnamese female chef tells the story of bringing 'July fried spring rolls' to the State Banquet at the Italian Presidential Palace

Ravioli In Carta Di Riso "Nem ran Luglio" - Ravioli, a type of Vietnamese spring roll served on rice paper, was the first dish served at the State Dinner held at the Italian Presidential Palace in Rome on the evening of July 26 (local time), hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter.

Notably, this dish was prepared by a Vietnamese female chef, Ms. Dinh Thi Hue (28 years old, from Hanoi ) - the runner-up of the Masterchef Italia 2023 program.

The story behind "July spring rolls" is full of interesting and surprising details.

From the opening statement of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy

In a conversation with reporters while living and working in Milan, Ms. Hue still felt the emotions of two months of sleepless nights and loss of appetite as she fulfilled her role as chef at the recent important State Banquet.

Ms. Dinh Thi Hue worked with chefs at the Italian Presidential Palace, preparing for the State Banquet on July 26th.

Recalling the end of March and beginning of April, after gaining recognition among many Vietnamese and Italians with the title of runner-up in the 2023 Italian MasterChef competition, Ms. Hue had a cordial meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, in Rome.

"The embassy said that the Italian Presidential Palace might welcome a high-level Vietnamese delegation around September, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy."

"The embassy asked if I could cook a dish that symbolized the friendly relations between the two countries at the State Banquet at the Italian Presidential Palace. At that time, I felt incredibly honored to be able to play a role in such an important event and immediately agreed," the female chef recalled.

"July-themed fried spring rolls" appeared on the menu of the State Banquet.

In June, she was surprised to receive information that the meeting would take place sooner than expected, on July 26th. At this point, she knew she didn't have much time to prepare the dish. Because, for her, a dish that would be featured in such a significant event couldn't be prepared in a day or two.

Working with the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, as well as with the kitchen at the Italian Presidential Palace, Ms. Hue came up with the idea of ​​creating a completely new dish, one that, when eaten, would immediately reveal the fusion of Italian and Vietnamese cuisine.

From there, the idea of ​​spring rolls made with a Vietnamese-style rice paper wrapper on the outside and a Ravioli filling – a type of pasta embodying the essence of Italian cuisine – "popped into the mind" of the petite Vietnamese female chef.

This dish, conceived by Ms. Hue, represents a fusion of Vietnamese and Italian cuisine.

The filling didn't seem to be a big problem, as the typical ingredients could be found in Italy. The issue was the pastry crust; Ms. Hue searched supermarkets near her home in Italy but still couldn't find one she liked.

“Starting in June, I began experimenting with cooking this dish at home. The only rice paper wrappers I was satisfied with were the ones I brought from Vietnam, which weren't sold in supermarkets in Italy,” she said. At this point, Ms. Hue asked the embassy to find and purchase the ingredients in Vietnam and send them over.

Why is it called "July fried spring rolls"?

After numerous attempts at researching this dish at home, as well as two trips from Milan to Rome, and working with chefs at the Italian Presidential Palace, Ms. Hue finally finalized the idea and completed the recipe for this special cake.

The female chef describes Ravioli In Carta Di Riso as "Nem ran Luglio" - a name she herself coined when the menu-making unit at the Italian Presidential Palace mentioned it.

The reason it's called "July spring rolls" is because this dish has been on my mind and thoughts throughout July, as it's featured in a very important occasion. Those who enjoy it will also feel the "very summery" flavor of July, so I decided to order it.

Chef Dinh Thi Hue

Ms. Hue received assistance from eight other chefs at the Italian Presidential Palace when preparing this special dish.

According to Ms. Hue's description, "July fried spring rolls" consist of an outer rice paper wrapper encasing a filling made with a combination of ricotta, pecorino romano (cheese), oregano, basil, carrots, bean sprouts, etc., which are then deep-fried. When eaten with fresh vegetables, you can appreciate the crispy outer layer and the juicy filling inside.

What made the dish special, according to Ms. Hue, was that it featured the full colors of the national flags of both Vietnam and Italy, as if intentionally chosen by the chef to symbolize the friendly and enduring relationship between the two countries and peoples.

Ms. Hue said she works with 12 chefs at the Italian Presidential Palace. To entertain 150 guests on July 26th, she started preparing on July 25th, with the assistance of 8 chefs, to make 400 portions of "July fried spring rolls".

Stepping into the kitchen of the Presidential Palace, alongside talented colleagues, was an honor for Ms. Hue.

On the official day of the State Banquet, the first dish was served. The entire kitchen area at the Presidential Palace was on edge, and Ms. Hue hoped that everything would go smoothly and that the dish would receive a positive response.

Speaking on the sidelines of the State Banquet, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung shared that the presence of "July spring rolls" on the menu this time was a tribute from the Italian Presidential chefs to Vietnamese cuisine.

She described how, during the State Banquet that day, the kitchen was set up in a mobile location near the dining area for convenient service. "Even so, I remained focused on doing my job well, ensuring that no incident, however small, occurred," Ms. Hue shared.

After the State Banquet, the chef finally breathed a sigh of relief. For her, the journey of bringing the "July spring rolls" dish to the Italian Presidential Palace was perhaps a special journey she would never forget in her life.

The special trip to the Italian Presidential Palace was an unforgettable experience for the Vietnamese female chef.

There, she not only had the opportunity to visit, learn, and understand the operation of the kitchen at the Presidential Palace, a place not everyone can enter, but more importantly, she felt happy and proud to have contributed a little of her effort between the two countries, Vietnam and Italy…

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/nu-dau-bep-viet-ke-chuyen-mang-nem-ran-thang-bay-den-quoc-yen-o-phu-tong-thong-y-185230731195632772.htm