BANGKOK — The Hà Nội culinary team won two bronze medals at the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge 2026 in Bangkok, marking an encouraging debut for the capital’s chefs at an international professional cooking contest.

The competition, held from May 26 to 30 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, brought together chefs, culinary experts, international judges and teams from several countries and territories.

The two bronze medals were won by Chef Lưu Huỳnh Châu and Chef Nguyễn Thành Hiếu, giving the Hà Nội team its first international honours at the event.

The Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge is regarded as one of Asia’s leading professional culinary competitions. It is endorsed by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, also known as Worldchefs.

The 2026 edition was organised as part of THAIFEX - Anuga Asia 2026, one of the region’s major food and beverage trade events. The contest offered chefs a platform to demonstrate culinary techniques, creativity, presentation skills and professional discipline under international judging standards.

The Hà Nội team joined the competition with five members. It was led by team captain Nguyễn Văn Tú, known as Iron Chef, and supported by a five-member coaching board headed by Nguyễn Công Chung, executive chef of Sheraton Hanoi Hotel.

Ahead of the event, the young chefs spent months preparing for their categories, from improving cooking techniques and dish structure to practising plating, time management and the working style required in a professional competition environment.

The coaching team also focused on helping the contestants understand international judging criteria, including taste, presentation, hygiene, kitchen organisation and the ability to complete dishes within a limited time.

A representative of the team said the result was not only about medals but also about creating opportunities for young chefs to learn from international standards.

“Our objective is not merely to achieve strong results at individual events, but to develop a generation of highly skilled young chefs capable of integrating into and competing within the international culinary industry,” the representative said.

The team said professional competitions help young chefs gain experience, sharpen their skills and gradually build the reputation of Hà Nội’s culinary community on regional and international stages.

The two bronze medals are expected to motivate the team and its coaches to continue investing in training young culinary talent.

For the Hà Nội culinary team, the achievement also carries wider meaning as it reflects the effort to bring the image of Vietnamese chefs and the values of Hà Nội cuisine closer to international friends.

The team hopes to continue taking part in regional and global competitions, creating more opportunities for young Vietnamese chefs to exchange experience, improve their professional standards and promote Vietnamese cuisine abroad. — VNS