Seven teams of chefs are competing in the qualifying round for the Red River Delta of the Chiec Thia Vang 2014 (Golden Spoon) contest being held on August 27 in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The cooking contest, the second of its kind is an opportunity for the players to show off their cooking talents, to honour the traditional dishes and specialities of Viet Nam, as well as to promote tourism, Vu Huy Sang, deputy head of the organising board, said.
The qualifying round is being held in ten difference locations, starting in Can Tho on May 21 then moving on to Kien Giang, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The semi-final round is slated to be held in Ha Noi and HCM City, while the final is scheduled to take place in December in the southern province of Binh Duong.
Cash prizes and awards worth 3 billion VND (142,850 USD) are up for grabs, with the champion team to get 1 billion VND (47,600 USD).
The first Golden Spoon contest attracted the participation of a total of 140 teams of chefs working in restaurants around Viet Nam.
Fifteen outstanding teams comprising three chefs each competed in the final round in January and a team from Intercontinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula Resort won first prize. The contest is supported by the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism and Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry who are seeking to build a Viet Nam "cuisine map".