Taking over the family shop, Cu Chi boy shed tears receiving gold medal for baking

Thai Thinh is decorating leaves on the cake - Photo: HOANG LE

This contest is part of the workshop on "100 types of Vietnamese jams and candies" organized by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association and the World Master Chef Association, taking place on May 10 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cake decorating fun

During the 60-minute baking competition, Thinh seemed to never rest. His face and hands were smeared with cream.

Thai Thinh's peony-decorated wedding cake - Photo: HOANG LE

On stage, Thinh covered his face and shed tears of unexpected happiness. This was Thai Thinh's first professional award since taking over the family bakery.

Thinh's competition cake was a wedding cake, decorated with peony flowers that were meticulously piped with cream and looked like real flowers.

The peony flower blooms in the morning, its large petals symbolizing the happiness of newlyweds.

Thai Thinh was born in 2000 and is an active youth in the Youth Union.

He was an outstanding student of Ho Chi Minh City in 2018 and is currently the Secretary of the Youth Union of Trung Hoa Hamlet, Trung Lap Ha Commune, Cu Chi.

Thinh said he has been passionate about art since he was a child. He used to be a dancer at the Cu Chi District Cultural Center and dreamed of becoming a drama artist.

After a period of studying media in Korea, Thai Thinh put his results on hold and returned to Vietnam. At the same time, because his parents changed their business direction, he took over the family bakery.

Thai Thinh (second from left) burst into tears when receiving the award - Photo: HOANG LE

Thinh used his knowledge of the media industry to turn his family's bakery into a place that not only sells cakes, but also makes customers feel relaxed and comfortable when entering the shop.

Being busy baking and worrying about finances to maintain and develop the shop put his dream of becoming an artist on hold.

But Thinh said: "I still feel like an artist when I freely decorate the cakes I create."

He said that after this competition, he will participate in three baking competitions in Malaysia and the Philippines. "I want to bring the Vietnamese flag to the international stage," Thinh said.

Every cake starts with a story.

The first International Food & Cake Challenge - 2024 has the participation of 54 individual contestants and 3 teams. Each team of 5 members completes the presentation according to each competition topic within 60 minutes.

The Indonesian contestant's cake won the silver prize in the category of Handmade Bread - Photo: HOANG LE

The 10 judges for this competition include chefs from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. There are 9 categories awarded to the contestants.

In his opening remarks, the head judge - Mr. Ho Chen Hsiung, from Taiwan, said:

"In this baking competition, every contestant is a talented and unique chef.

Don't be nervous or scared, show off your creativity, confidently present your baking skills. Every cake has a story, and you are the author of that story."

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tiep-quan-tiem-gia-dinh-chang-trai-cu-chi-roi-nuoc-mat-nhan-huy-chuong-vang-lam-banh-2024051017370781.htm