Thi Ba Nguyen: The 83-year-old hood chef from Graz in the spotlight

Thi Ba Nguyen: The 83-year-old hood chef from Graz in the spotlight

In the area of upscale gastronomy, there is always exciting news, and this time she comes from a very special lady. Thi Ba Nguyen, an 83-year-old Vietnamese cook from Graz, received a remarkable award with her restaurant "Vina". The well -known restaurant guide Gault & Millau honored her as the oldest hood cook in the world. In doing so, she managed to attract attention in an industry dominated by young talent.

that a cook in advanced age makes her creativity listen is rather unusual. But Thi Ba Nguyen proves that experience and passion can also achieve resounding success in the kitchen. The testers particularly praised their Vietnamese creations, including the delicious comb mussels with Wasabicreme and the aromatic biosh wine with quail eggs. With 12 points she received the hood, a valuable award that is only reserved for top chefs. This shows not only her talent, but also the cultural diversity that she incorporates into her dishes.

for 70 years in the cooking business

Although artistic cuisine was not always part of her life plan, Thi Ba Nguyen has been cooking with dedication for over 70 years. She inherited her passion from her mother, who was the oldest of ten siblings. She remembers: "My mom always cooked for us. Cooking was never just a job for her, but a joy of life." Thi Ba Nguyen came to Austria as a refugee from Vietnam in 1981 and has refined their traditional recipes over the years.

Together with her son Robert Nguyen, she opened the “Vina” restaurant in 2015, which soon became a popular spot for Vietnamese specialties. Since then, the family has shifted from a small restaurant in Graz to the city center to give even more guests the opportunity to experience Vietnam's unique taste. In September 2024, Thi Ba Nguyen supplemented her menu with a higher fin dining concept that offers even deeper insights into the tastes of her homeland.

a team, a success

The award of Gault & Millau is a significant recognition for her entire work and that of her team for Thi Ba Nguyen. "The greatest pleasure is to see that our guests are happy and fed up home," she says with a smile. The fact that she is now considered the "oldest hood cook in the world" emphasizes the uniqueness of her performance. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork: "I can be so successful because I work with a committed team of young people. The kitchen is my home."

And what does the oldest hood cook actually cook for herself? Your favorite dish is the classic phở, the rich and aromatic national soup of Vietnam. She also perfected this recipe - with a cooking time of eight hours, she brings a taste intensity to the table that is second to none. A wisdom is also reflected in her eyes: "With age you learn that everything takes time. The quick one does not last. My way to the Gault & Millau-Haube also took a long time, but now I can say: It suits me well."

Thi Ba Nguyen's commitment to Vietnamese cuisine and their dedication to gastronomy are not only inspiring, but also a sign that talent and passion do not know any age limit. With her restaurant and team, she showed that gastronomy is open to all people, no matter how old they are. This development illustrates the ongoing influence of cultural diversity on Austrian gastronomy and plays an important role in dynamic food culture.

For more information about this special award and the career of Thi Ba Nguyen, see the current reporting on Freizeit.at .

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