Previously, Ms. Hue was known as the first Vietnamese person to finish second in the prestigious MasterChef Italia 2023 competition.
Win
That's how RaiNews , the news site of Italy's national broadcaster (RAI), described Ms. Hue's victory at the QOCO 2024 international culinary competition (held at Villa Carafa, Andria) for chefs working in many famous (Michelin-starred) restaurants from around the world .
Ms. Hue was the only Asian contestant to participate in the competition and she won, receiving coverage from Italy's national television station.
With her dish made from vegetables and fruits called "Basta due fili," Ms. Hue, the only young Asian female chef in the competition, beat nine other chefs selected by the European Association of Young Restaurant Owners (Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europ, JRE) to be named the winner on March 24th.
The competition featured a total of 10 chefs from various countries including Italy, France, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, and Switzerland.
According to the organizers, QOCO is an international culinary competition held in 1999 in Andria (the region with the most olive trees in Europe). The competition is for talented young chefs from many countries around the world who have the best understanding of the quality of extra virgin olive oil and demonstrate this through the dishes they prepare.
Ms. Hue shared experiences with many other colleagues at the competition.
"It wouldn't be me without Vietnam in my dishes…"
In an exclusive interview with Thanh Nien newspaper , Ms. Dinh Thi Hue said that when she received the invitation from the organizers, she hesitated because she was very busy with her work at the Trattoria Trippa restaurant (a renowned restaurant in Milan). However, with the approval of the restaurant's head chef, Mr. Diego Rossi, she came to Andria to participate in the competition with a relaxed attitude, seeing it as an opportunity to learn, explore, and have new culinary experiences.
Upon learning about her competitors, Ms. Hue said she was truly surprised, as they were all skilled chefs with many more years of experience than she was.
Vegetarian dish helps Vietnamese girl win.
With the challenge of creating a dish that elevates local olive oil, Ms. Hue decided to cook a vegetarian dish called Basta due fili , a name referring to the flow of olive oil on the plate.
She uses mashed purple potatoes as the main ingredient, along with a little roasted peanuts, mustard seeds, vinegar, salt, and pepper. On top, it's decorated like a colorful flower garden with pickled radishes, red radishes, blanched scallions, onions boiled in red wine, and shallots boiled in vinegar and sugar… The dish also features two distinctly Vietnamese ingredients: rice paper wrappers and a mixture of coconut milk thickened with salt, scallions, and cornstarch. Drizzles of extra virgin olive oil are added to this mixture.
Throughout the dish, Ms. Hue primarily boiled the ingredients and used only one type of olive oil to highlight the "main character," as requested in the assignment. The dish, seemingly simple, was meticulously prepared and researched in every detail, offering a purely plant-based culinary experience, which Ms. Hue described as:
Chef Dinh Thi Hue lives and works in Italy. 
Ms. Hue is meticulous in her cooking.
She has a special memory of the person who presented her dish to the judges when he praised her "Basta due fili" dish, saying it was colorful, harmonious like a garden, and gave him a pleasant feeling.
"In all my dishes, there will always be some Vietnamese ingredients. It wouldn't be me without them. There has to be a little bit of Vietnam in my food; otherwise, I can't stand it, and this dish is no different," the female chef shared.
An unexpected victory
Upon learning she had won, the Vietnamese chef couldn't hide her surprise. She said that, for her, cuisine isn't about competition or winning. It's a place where she and others can freely express their love and passion, and showcase their individuality through their dishes.
The experiences at the competition will be special memories in the culinary journey of this talented female chef.
However, this achievement is also a great joy and a motivation for Hue to continue pursuing its culinary dream in Italy.
After finishing as runner-up in the 2023 Italian MasterChef competition, Ms. Hue continues to pursue her passion and love for culinary arts. She describes cooking as a pure love, where she finds happiness and meaning in her life.
Source link
Comment (0)