Taste of Australia is the nation-wide celebration of Australian food, beverages, cuisine, fashion and design, held throughout Vietnam every April. The Australian Government and over 100 partners and sponsors work together to bring a Taste of Australia to Viet Nam.
Australian Ambassador Craig Chittick and Australian Consul-General Karen Lanyon with the winning team
On 20 April, Taste of Australia hosted the final of its first nationwide culinary competition. Nguyen Phuong Dieu và Nguyen Hong Quan from social enterprise KOTO (Know One, Teach One) Hanoi beat stiff competition from 3 other teams, showing an extraordinary combination of creativity and talent. These winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Sydney courtesy of leading Australian culinary institutions William Blue College of Hospitality Management and Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, under Torrens University, as well as 50% scholarships to study culinary arts in Sydney.
Speaking at the competition, Australian Consul-General Karen Lanyon said “Australian culinary education is world-class - the winners of this competition will have a life-changing opportunity to experience some of the best international culinary training environments, taking their skills and knowledge to the next level.”
“We are proud to bring this opportunity to Vietnamese culinary students and congratulate the winners. We wish them all the best with their passion for cooking, and hope that they will bring more Australian and Vietnamese food lovers together after their trip to Australia,” Australian Ambassador Craig Chittick said.
On 18 April, 17 teams in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Nha Trang competed in the Taste of Australia culinary competition heats, which included challenging skills tests and an intriguing mystery box full of premium Australian ingredients. Teams from KOTO in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, Sunflower School in Nha Trang and Viet-Uc Vocational College in Da Nang won these heats and went on to compete in the final at the Intercontinental Sun Peninsula Danang.
This is the second year the competition has been held in Viet Nam, but the first year it has withbeen held nationally included competitors from Ho Chi Minh City. Judges and coaches for the final were Taste of Australia Ambassador Celebrity Chef Luke Nguyen, MasterChef Vietnam Ngo Thanh Hoa, MasterChef Korea Sid Choi, Australian Cosul-General Karen Lanyon and Madame Anh Tuyet.
Taste of Australia encompasses a wide range of exciting and delicious events and activities across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Nha Trang during April, promoting Australia’s high-quality food, premium wine and beverages, and our delicious cuisine, as well as our creative film, education and world-class fashion and design.
Quynh Dan
