Vietnamese and American flavors collide at HUTECH Young Chefs 2025
- 05/04/2025
To give culinary students a professional platform to showcase their talent, the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) hosted the HUTECH Young Chefs 2025 competition on April 4. This year’s theme was “American Flavors, Vietnamese Twist – Shine with Potatoes USA.”
According to Prof. Dr. Le Van Canh, Vice President of HUTECH, the competition serves as a meaningful and practical opportunity for students passionate about culinary creativity. With a student-centered education philosophy, the university is committed to offering real-world learning experiences and building strong connections with the industry. Events like this help students sharpen their skills, gain hands-on experience, and become more confident as they prepare for their future careers.
Prof. Dr. Le Van Canh emphasized HUTECH Young Chefs 2025 as an opportunity for students
to sharpen their professional skills
The 2025 competition welcomed 20 teams, divided into two categories: semi-professional and professional. This setup ensured a level playing field based on participants' backgrounds. The semi-pro category included university and college students who love cooking but are still building their practical experience. The professional category featured young chefs already working in restaurants or hotels, as well as past winners of culinary contests. HUTECH students with impressive achievements were also placed in the pro group, raising the overall competition level and ensuring fairness.
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Each team showcased their creativity by combining potatoes with a variety of ingredients to craft unique and flavorful dishes
With U.S. potatoes, an icon of modern American cuisine, as the main ingredient, contestants impressed the judges by creatively pairing them with traditional Vietnamese ingredients and spices. In just 60 minutes, teams presented dishes that stood out not only for their flavor and visual appeal but also for the cultural stories behind them.
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Every dish was carefully prepared, full of flavor, and beautifully presented
After cooking, teams presented their creations and answered questions from the judges, demonstrating their knowledge of ingredients, culinary techniques, and how to convey emotion and meaning through food
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Judges tasted, listened, and evaluated each dish with care
The vibe got even more exciting with a mini fashion show featuring outfits inspired by potatoes. The bold and creative designs really showed off how versatile U.S. potatoes can be and captured the fun, creative spirit of the event. It was all about celebrating potatoes as a modern, flexible ingredient that fits right in with Vietnamese flavors to create something totally unique.
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The fashion segment brought energy and fun, adding another creative twist to the event
And the final results were:
| Professional | |||
| Award | Full Name | Team | Institution |
| First | Nguyễn Xuân Hoan | Fashionista Cafe | Fashionista Café Restauran |
| Nguyễn Đức Trọng | |||
| Second | Cao Thị Kim Lành | Lost of energy | HUTECH |
| Phan Quang Phát | |||
| Third | Võ Quang Huy | New Chef | Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade |
| Lý Kim Trinh | |||
| Talent | Lê Quang Bình | La Siesta Team | Hospitality School of Ho Chi Minh City |
| Nguyễn Huỳnh Hoàng Thi | |||
| Talent | Lại Thị Kim Quyên Nguyễn Hồng Dương |
IVE | HUTECH |
| Semi-professional | |||
| Prize | Full Name | Team | Institution |
| First | Trần Đức Huy | Man in the kitchen | HUTECH |
| Trần Vĩ An | |||
| Second | Nguyễn Đức Huy | Secret Chefs | Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade |
| Hoàng Như Ngọc | |||
| Third | Nguyễn Thị Tú Trinh | Windine | HUTECH |
| Dương Công Danh | |||
| Talent | Trần Thị Thái Thanh | Phai Tay | HUTECH |
| Hồ Trọng Phú | |||
| Talent | Lưu Gia Bảo | Lưu Xuân | Saigon Polytechnic College |
| Nguyễn Xuân Trúc | |||
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HUTECH Young Chefs 2025 empowers aspiring chefs to reach new heights and engage
with modern culinary trends on a larger stage.
HUTECH Young Chefs 2025 is not only an academic playground but also a vital springboard for talented young chefs to step onto a larger stage, explore modern culinary trends, and assert their place in the professional culinary world. It is worth noting that top-performing contestants will have the opportunity to represent HUTECH at the upcoming national Potatoes USA competition to be held in Da Nang in the near future.
News by: Xuan Mai
Photos by: Cong Dinh
Media Center
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