The event on October 23, recognized by VietKings, set a Vietnamese record for preparing and simultaneously showcasing 100 dishes made from different types of fish.
Invited to join the decoration team, the couple described the experience as a milestone in their careers, presenting their intricately carved food displays among hundreds of chefs from across Vietnam and overseas.
Before this national stage appearance, Vũ and Lệ had already taken part in numerous prominent culinary festivals in Bình Định and the region, including “Tinh hoa đất biển Bình Định” (2024) (The essence of Binh Dinh’s land and sea), “Món ngon từ đất Bazan và Biển” (2025) (Delicacies from basalt soil and the sea), and the first and second provincial culinary festivals (2024 and 2025).
The events provided them with opportunities to learn from industry veterans and witness the high standards of professional organization and teamwork that strengthened their passion.
Both chefs took different paths into the culinary industry. Lệ was inspired from childhood, growing up in a family with a professional chef father and talented cook mother. She developed a strong interest in food carving and decoration, believing that presentation is the first step to taste.
Vũ discovered cooking only after marriage, beginning his training at Quy Nhon College of Engineering and Technology. The couple enrolled together, studying from basic knife skills to Asian - European cuisine, presentation techniques, and baking. Their home, classrooms, and professional kitchens became the three places where they built their skills through long nights and constant practice.
Working in the same profession has also shaped their relationship. From marketplace trips to family meals, cooking often becomes practice, discussion, or inspiration. Their contrasting strengths, Lệ’s delicacy and focus on detail and Vũ’s practical and fast-paced working style, help them complement each other rather than compete.
Their first memorable dish was sweet and sour pickled pig’s ear, initially made as Tet gifts for family and friends. The dish was so well received that they began selling it, and it remains a yearly tradition.
Today, the couple works independently, cooking seasonal traditional dishes, offering food carving and event decoration services, and continuing to refine their skills in Vietnamese cuisine. They hope to bring their hometown flavors to wider audiences, ensuring each dish not only tastes good but also shares a story of heritage and craft.
Still early in their careers, Vũ and Lệ represent a new generation of Vietnamese culinary professionals, ambitious, dedicated, creative, and passionate about showcasing Vietnamese cuisine to the world.
