Cooking ‘restaurant-standard’ rice to donate to anti-epidemic forces in Go Vap

For a week now, every day about 120 meals are regularly prepared by Mr. Pham Minh Hien (34 years old) and friends to give to the COVID-19 prevention and control forces in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Despite being in the time of social distancing, the kitchen of Mr. Pham Minh Hien’s restaurant located on Le Duc Tho Street (Ward 17, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) is always on fire.

Inside the restaurant, every 4-5 am, Mr. Hien and his companion, Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen Anh (who lives in Go Vap district) and a few associates are busy preparing “restaurant-standard” meals to send. donated to the anti-epidemic forces of the district. Mr. Hien confided that the restaurant had just opened for about a month, when the COVID-19 epidemic developed complicatedly, Go Vap district alone had to implement social distancing according to Directive 16. He had to give most of his staff a break. No longer accepting visitors, difficult situation surrounds. Mr. Pham Minh Hien (right cover) takes care of the rice portions sent to the anti-epidemic force. However, during the difficult time that seemed to be deadlocked, Yen Anh – his companion offered to support him with a part of the funding, contributing money to help him keep the restaurant fire, instead of selling as before. will cook rice to send to anti-epidemic forces, instead of words of encouragement for them to focus on their work. The idea just came up, everyone started working right away. From May 29 until now, every day, Mr. Hien and his friends cook more than 100 servings of rice with gratitude. Initially, the money for cooking rice was paid by Mr. Hien and Ms. Yen Anh. Many of his business partners see that, they support rice, meat and fish… Many friends also started sending money to support. “They want to come with me. They told me to go for a long distance, not every day, sometimes 16 to 21 days, with a daily budget of more than 3 million, one person will not be able to bear it. So the friends decided to accompany and contribute a little heart to him to maintain this meaningful work “- Mr. Hien said. The daily meal prepared by Mr. Hien and his friends is as delicious as the restaurant meals. Each set of rice has stir-fried dishes, savory dishes, soups, and desserts. Salty dishes always change from fish to meat to chicken, eggs, and soup are also changed every day so that the eater does not get bored. Because more than 100 meals are prepared every day, all dishes are planned by Mr. Hien in advance to order ingredients or so that sponsors can support the ingredients through that plan. Just like that, every morning from 4 to 5, everyone started working. Working until about 10:30, the policemen in the district will drive to the restaurant to receive and transfer to the anti-epidemic force in Go Vap. When asked about the difficult situation of the epidemic, it is impossible to do business as before, why did he and his friends choose this volunteer work, Mr. Hien just smiled and said: “Hien thinks that everyone is having a hard time now, but there is a common difficulty, not his own, if I have the strength, I try to help everyone a little, each person contributes a little effort, agrees with him. If you are on the front line against the epidemic, the epidemic will pass faster, and from then on, we hope to return to trading soon.” Along with Mr. Hien for the past year, Mr. Nguyen Cong Vinh said that every day when moving through the epidemic prevention checkpoint, the brothers and sisters at the checkpoint were too hard, had to endure the sun and rain, while the strength of the family. The restaurant is cooking, so everyone wants to contribute the most practical things to the brothers and sisters through rice portions. “Brothers and sisters, please be confident, behind you, we will always support you” – Mr. Vinh messaged. Hien’s group of friends each have a job, everyone is busy preparing 120 meals to send to the anti-epidemic force. Today, the main course of the meal is fried eggs, fried vegetables, soup and indispensable fruit dessert. The meals are carefully cared for according to “restaurant” standards. Starting early in the morning until about 9 o’clock, everyone divides the food into each tray. The daily cost to cook more than 100 meals is about 3 million VND. Each bag contains 5 servings, the staff of the restaurant check that each serving has enough chopsticks, spoons or fruit for dessert. “Why does this portion of rice have so few eggs, why is everyone full?” – Hien said to the group. After a while, fragrant steamed eggs are added immediately. Gratitude portions to encourage the Go Vap anti-epidemic force. At about 10 o’clock, the police car of Go Vap district ran to the restaurant to receive the rice portions, then divided among the gatekeepers at the entrance to the district. Mr. Hien said he will maintain this job with friends until the end of social distance, when the epidemic situation subsides, the brothers and sisters will no longer be on duty to work as stressful as now.