The building was built on the old Carlton hotel, where President Ho Chi Minh used to work during his years in London. Photo: VNA One morning in June in the cool early summer period, the London sky is blue, the sun is golden like honey, I visited the Drayton Court Hotel on The Avenue in Ealing district, west of London. Elegantly located in one of London’s greenest and most beautiful suburbs, Drayton Court is one of the oldest and largest pubs in Ealing, opening in 1894. With its impressive façade and antique décor Classic, elegant, this is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing weekend with the family, or enjoy a drink with friends at one of West London’s largest beer gardens. Song Drayton Court is also attractive to visitors because this is the only hotel in London that has ever had a waiter who later became a world-class leader, that is President Ho Chi Minh. On the Drayton Court’s website, the hotel’s history introduction reads, “Ho Chi Minh, the leader of Vietnam, worked hard in the hotel’s kitchen in 1914, before he continued his journey to change his name. changed the country’s history, driving out forces from Japan, France and the United States.” In 1914, President Ho Chi Minh served at the Drayton Court Hotel located on the quiet, deserted The Avenue street, in the Ealing district, west London. Photo: VNA/phat Stepping into the hotel with classical and elegant architecture and decoration, giving visitors a feeling of relaxation, I can’t help but be moved when I imagine the days of hard work to exhaustion of the young man. Nguyen Tat Thanh was in his twenties here more than a century ago. Talking to the hotel’s receptionist, I learned that after Drayton Court was renovated in 2011, the kitchen where Uncle used to work was completely rebuilt and became part of the cool green beer garden, Open space located behind the hotel. Walking around the beer garden where local guests happily enjoy beers with friends, I seem to see a glimpse of a slender Vietnamese young man who does not care much, hard at work in the old kitchen of the customer. hotel. Although Drayton Court is no longer imprinted with the period when President Ho Chi Minh worked here, his imprint still seems to be intact. When I was struggling to look around the outside corners of the hotel to get a good picture, a man in his 60s approached and asked: “Do you know what’s so special about this building?”. I pretended to ask: “What is it?”, “This is where President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam used to work”. I felt a mixture of amazement, delight and pride. Amidst the busy modern life of London, a British citizen mentioned the leader of Vietnam in a historical event more than a century ago. Before I could react, he continued: “This is really an interesting and special destination for Ealing. A lot of tourists have come to visit.” The man, named Brian, said he lived in an apartment complex right next to the hotel. When he learned that I was Vietnamese, he excitedly said that he had met many Vietnamese tourists coming here, and expressed his admiration for Ho Chi Minh, who had found the way to liberate the Vietnamese people. Drayton Court Hotel is located on the quiet, deserted The Avenue street, in the Ealing district, west London. Photo: VNA/phat Leaving Drayton Court with mixed joy and pride, I continued my journey to the New Zealand building located on Haymarket Street. In contrast to the quiet space of Drayton Court on the deserted The Avenue, the modern New Zealand building is located at the end of bustling Haymarket Street in the heart of London, close to Trafalgar Square and the National Museum of London. The New Zealand High Commission’s 19-story building was the first high-rise to be built in central London, on the site of the Carlton Hotel, a luxury hotel that opened between 1899 and 1940 before being completely destroyed by bombs. in war. While living in London, President Ho Chi Minh worked as a kitchen assistant at the Carlton Hotel. The front of the New Zealand building has a green peace sign with the words “In 1913, Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) – the founder of Vietnam – worked at the Carlton Hotel, the building that used to be on this ground”. This place is probably the most famous destination in London with Vietnamese tourists. Vietnamese delegations to London often ask the New Zealand High Commissioner to visit the basement below the building, where the kitchen of the Carlton Hotel was formerly. The New Zealand building is also known by many locals and visitors for its speciality. As I was reading intently the green sign outside the building, to my surprise a man on a bicycle stopped by and happily asked if I would like him to take a picture of the underside of the sign, because you’re sure I’m Vietnamese. Not only did he agree immediately, but I asked if he could take a picture with me at this meaningful place. The 10-minute conversation between me and Mr. Steven helped me understand his special affection for Vietnam. Steven said he was originally from London, living in Covent Garden, about a kilometer from the New Zealand building. He said he really admired Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism and said that it was that patriotism that helped him find the way to independence for the nation. Steven made me feel really grateful when he said that whenever I or my friends come to the UK, give him a call. Sitting right on the sidewalk, he wrote on a small piece of paper his name, address and phone number, gave it to me and said that he always welcomes Vietnamese friends. I feel very fortunate to have met Steven, because the brief meeting helped me understand that Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism, courage, and vision made the whole world aware of the cause of Vietnamese national liberation. Male. In May 1913, Ho Chi Minh left France for England, the largest empire in the world at that time, to learn English and observe first-hand the dominating power of imperialism. In England, in order to make ends meet and spend money to learn English, he worked hard as sweeping snow, lighting furnaces, helping cooks at the Drayton Court Hotel and washing dishes at the Carlton Hotel. According to writer, historian, director of the Archives Center, Marx Library in London, John Callow, 4 years in London contributed to the formation of Ho Chi Minh’s thought. It was here that he first read the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and creatively applied Marxism to the cause of national liberation and independence. President Ho Chi Minh’s journey to find a way to save the country created a turning point of the Vietnamese revolution, changed the development direction of history and changed the fate of the entire Vietnamese nation in the 20th century. and at the same time make a mark in the history of the modern world. From a true patriot, Uncle Ho became a communist soldier, finding the right way to save the country in accordance with the historical situation of the country. For me, the trip to follow Uncle Ho in London left special emotions. I am secretly grateful to Him because His greatness has helped strangers like me, Steven and Brian become close friends.

Drayton Court Hotel is located on the quiet, deserted The Avenue street, in West Ealing. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Drayton Court is easily accessible by train. West Ealing Station is just a 2-minute walk from the hotel. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Drayton Court is the only hotel in London to ever have a valet who became a world leader. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Drayton Court is a familiar destination for many Vietnamese tourists. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) The hotel is decorated in a classic style. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Reception area welcomes guests. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) A corner of the beer garden behind the hotel. Part of the garden used to be the kitchen where President Ho Chi Minh worked. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Restaurant. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) The bar is quiet. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) In 1914, President Ho Chi Minh worked as a kitchen assistant at this luxury hotel. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) The 19-story New Zealand building is located on Haymarket Street in central London. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) The building was built on the foundation of the Carlton Hotel, where President Ho Chi Minh worked during his years in London. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) Mr. Steven wrote the address to welcome Vietnamese friends. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) A green sign with the name of President Ho Chi Minh attracts tourists. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+) The green sign with the name of President Ho Chi Minh is the pride of every Vietnamese tourist visiting the building. (Photo: Hop Nguyen/Vietnam+)

Recently, TUNG Dining appeared in the top 100 most highly rated restaurants in Asia The World’s 50 Best Restaurants , the website about culinary reviews in the UK voted. The owner of the restaurant is chef Hoang Tung, who has worked at a Michelin star restaurant in Northern Europe. On the occasion of my business trip in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoang Tung made an appointment to meet me at his other “property” on Dang Dung Street, District 1. The young chef said his way to food was entirely accidental, originating from the public. the kitchen assistant during the study abroad period. Kitchen accessories in Finland At the age of 18, Hoang Tung left a reputable academy in Vietnam to apply for a Finnish scholarship. He said this remote Nordic country was the place where he found his passion and greatly influenced the culinary philosophy later. To have money to cover living expenses, Hoang Tung found a part-time job as a kitchen assistant. His first task was to wash dishes and cut vegetables. “Making a kitchen helps me experience things I have never tried before, which can be called a big turning point in my life. Before becoming a petty foot at a restaurant, I didn’t even know how to hold a knife. The kitchen was at home, she was all worried about everything, “he recalls when he first spent time in Finland. Over time, Tung was trusted with more tasks. His love for the kitchen has also grown since then, he developed the intention of serious study, becoming a true chef after graduation. The boy knocked on the door of a Michelin star restaurant with the desire to grow up at the hands of the masters in the culinary industry. “At that time, they had no reason to accept a newcomer like me. Without proper training, I was just an extravagant youth but eager to learn. In an expensive area like Northern Europe, I gave up. Working for 3-4 months without work, asking for nothing but two meals “, he confided. “Having the opportunity to cook at famous kitchens has taught me discipline and courage,” said Hoang Tung. Most of the restaurants in Northern Europe are quite small, the chefs can undertake many stages and try their best to make different dishes. Serving days at Michelin star restaurants such as Ask, Demo (Helsinki, Finland) or Kiin Kiin (Denmark), Tung gets used to working schedules in 16-18 hours, even 20 hours / day with events. important. Hoang Tung explained, the Michelin star is important in the culinary industry, as the Oscar of cinema or Grammy in music. Winning Michelin stars, the restaurant is known all over the world, but the restaurant must always be in the best state, ready to welcome anonymous inspectors to check at any time. That means the employees of these brands also have to fulfill their responsibilities under high pressure. “Leaving the kitchen past midnight is a specialty of a high-end restaurant.” Tung admits cooking opportunities at reputable brands teach him many things, including discipline and courage. “Bravely follow your own dream, become a good chef,” he said. But then one day, he thought “I am in the happiest country in the world, so am I really happy when life has only restaurants, no friends and privacy”. The boy decided to return to 2018. Nordic space in Hanoi From the kitchen of high-end European restaurants, Hoang Tung cherished his intention to bring the Tasting menu style (tasting menu) to Vietnam. Tasting menu has been a mainstream culinary trend that has received the attention of European gourmets since the 1990s but is too new to Vietnamese. Having just returned to Hanoi, Tung and his three associates embarked on building a new culinary brand. When I asked about the idea of ​​building a Scandinavian restaurant with warm wood tones on Quang Trung street, the chef became more excited. He showed me pictures taken during 8 years living and working in Nordic countries: “The land is a part of my youth, associated with study, work and winter trekking, camping. by the lake or watch the aurora in the sky “. He soon considered that place as his second hometown and wanted to bring the wonderful atmosphere he used to enjoy to his customers. When entering the restaurant with only 80 m2, they can feel the warm but comfortable atmosphere of the typical cold country house. Nordic wooden house in Hanoi. To maintain the values ​​that TUNG Dining aims to, the restaurant is not open at noon. The menu consists of 20 dishes, changed after about 3 months, using seasonal vegetables and cooking ingredients. Every time you visit, guests will have a completely new experience. Talking about his restaurant that has just reached the top 100 best in Asia, Tung confided: “Although there are only about 25 seats, we have to put in a lot of effort. The dish is prepared from 10am to 6pm, processing. Must take care of both taste and presentation “. I was fortunate to start a business at the right time when the young generation returned to the country, the quality of life was also improved, customers began to look to high-class restaurants. I came back about 4-5 years ago, surely the road is much more arduous, “Tung shared. Tasting menu with 20 dishes According to Hoang Tung, high-class cuisine is the experience trip of all senses. Customers spend money and expect 3 hours to enjoy a meal with a variety of emotions from taste, color to space and service. He excitedly described the 20-course menu divided into three parts including snacks, main dishes and dessert, which he loves. The ingredients used or the order in which the dishes are served are in compliance with the rule of going up, the taste is stronger. First, diners test three snacks first, followed by snails, mussels, seafood combined with vegetables. The strength of flavor gradually increased from the white meat of fish, chicken, duck to red meat like beef, lamb or pork. The menu ends in desert. Food is cared for both taste and presentation. Photo: Chi Hung. Unlike spicy Asian dishes, the sauce is considered the soul in Western cuisine, as the dress makes a woman more splendid. Good cooks are usually good fever makers. “Therefore, I always try to focus on how to prepare the sauce, combining local ingredients so that it is delicious and different.” Tung gives an example of the sauce served with cod in the menu. The sour taste of green apple, the sweetness of caramel combined with the characteristic aroma of cilantro – a very Vietnamese vegetable, not only reduces the fat and greasiness of cod but also creates its own flavor, only at home. this row. Just like how you love pho and try to change and bring it to the menu. The broth cook for 24 hours, served with foie gras, lemongrass oil, cinnamon instead of the usual beef, pho. The 28-year-old chef admits that Vietnamese cuisine is the strongest in the street segment. “In terms of high-end cuisine, we are still quite young. It has only really developed from about 2012 onwards. However, at present, Vietnamese cuisine is making great strides. Vietnamese restaurant in the top 100 in Asia is the first step towards many other awards “, he said.

I went to Le Petit Resto ‘, mid-summer midday in early April. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan’s European restaurant (57 years old) is nestled in Le Van Duyet alley, Binh Thanh district. Diners to the restaurant can go from the direction of Bong Bridge or along the bank of Truong Sa embankment. The space of the restaurant is quite narrow and not too special. However, what impresses me the most is that European dishes are quite affordable, even 50% lower than the Western stores I have tried. “The shop sells mainly for profit, the customer is happy and delicious,” Ms. Xuan smiled when I asked about the “chestnut” price here. Serving Western dishes from 30,000 VND The shop does not have a parking space. I have to keep the car about 10 meters away. Opening the order menu, I understood why European dishes here are so popular with young people. The Western menu is quite rich, from salad dishes, chicken with sauce, chips … to full stomach like pizza, pasta, steak … The price ranges from 29,000 to 179,000 VND / piece, which is a plus point. for the restaurant to hide in the alley. For a rather sultry day, I ordered a plate of tuna salad and homemade aloe vera juice. Try the first salad, the cool feeling of vegetables, tomatoes, corn hits the tip of the tongue, followed by the rich, sour taste of tuna with vinegar sauce. “The vinegar oil at the shop makes special than many other places,” the owner confidently introduced me. According to the owner, diners come here often like pasta dishes with cream sauce, baked pasta … because the taste is easy to eat and the price is “chestnut”, only about 45,000 VND. Middle-aged people prefer more premium foods like beefsteak, pizza, and grilled salmon. In addition to salty food, the shop also sells desserts including mango pudding and cream brulle, priced at 30,000 VND. Seafood spaghetti is the restaurant’s favorite dish. Photo: Hai Nhi. Many customers of the restaurant also share their feelings with me. A gourmet named Huy (Phu Nhuan district) was surprised when he received the bill. His family’s 6-course meal costs approximately 500,000 VND. The owner shared that the children’s hobby of Western food was the inspiration to open the restaurant. “I hope everyone can try Western clothes at affordable prices, especially young people who don’t have too much money,” said Ms. Xuan. According to my observations, the restaurant not only attracts young people, some middle-aged customers or families also come here to enjoy European food. The space is quite narrow, about 10 m2, including 7-8 dining tables. I arrived at more than 11am, when the shop just opened, but the number of customers was quite crowded, only 2-3 tables were empty. The space of the restaurant is quite narrow, but there are still large groups and families coming to eat. Photo: Hai Nhi. Ms. Xuan’s restaurant was opened more than 5 months ago. Initially, the shop was just a narrow place with few tables and chairs, with low rental costs to do business. Later, the shop moved to a new location a few units away from the old place, to have more space. The owner said the cost of premises per month is about 20 million VND. The staff quickly decorates to deliver the food to the guests. Photo: Hai Nhi. The vitality inside the narrow kitchen Storing culinary quintessence, kitchen is considered the soul of every restaurant and restaurant. Entering Le Petit Resto’s kitchen, the aroma of sauces and roasted meat immediately aroused my sense of smell. The special feature of the restaurant is that the staff is quite few, most of the employees are family members. In addition to Ms. Xuan, she also has 2 younger sisters who are in charge of the kitchen, and 1 person is washing dishes. Recently, because customers are crowded, she has hired a kitchen assistant and 2-3 service staff. Her two daughters take turns serving, concocting, billing and closing the books at the end of each month after school and work. The cooking space is quite small, including 4 kitchen people and 2 waitresses in and out to receive food and bring it to guests. Ms. Xuan is considered the “captain” here, directing the kitchen assistants to prepare ingredients and decorate dishes. Each person in the kitchen undertakes a different task, but almost everyone is in a tight limb, urging each other to work to make food quickly. When I went in, apart from Ms. Hoa main cooking and 1 chicken fry, the other two kitchen assistants were preparing vegetables and setting the dishes on a plate to decorate. Bustling atmosphere inside the small kitchen. Photo: Hai Nhi. “There are times when customers are crowded, not in time, everyone in the kitchen has to do many tasks at the same time such as cooking, washing dishes …”, Ms. Hoa said while preparing beefsteak. When talking to me outside, she appeared to be a gentle, gentle woman. By the time she entered the kitchen, she became energetic, resourceful, focusing on cooking and guiding the work for the staff. That was when I learned that the owner had more than 20 years of culinary experience, and used to be the chef of a famous hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. However, Ms. Xuan is not a “race child” in the culinary industry. “I came from an accountant background, I did not have a job, and was introduced to a tour company to try out. At first, I just thought of cooking for fun. Who expected the chef and the cook. Deputy sure sees that I am gifted, so he always has a career. Since then, the profession of kitchen has followed me until now, “she said. Perhaps more than 20 years of cooking experience has made Ms. Xuan’s kitchen operation quite flexible and professional. On the hot fire, she quickly turned the steak, adding a little butter to increase the creaminess. “Beefsteak is very difficult to cook. Depending on whether you want to eat medium or rare, you have a different cooking time,” Ms. Xuan said. Ms. Xuan is preparing the beefsteak for the guests. Photo: Hai Nhi. Thanks to old relationships, the shop has a familiar source to import seafood, beef, and salmon ingredients … and sell them all during the day, absolutely not to leave them overnight. This ingredient is processed from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, not ready to be refrigerated. Therefore, the sauce is hot and fragrant, keeping the original flavor when delivered to diners. Normally, Ms. Xuan will get up early from around 4:00 am to 5:00 am to do housework, then go to the market to buy snacks, then go to the shop to prepare sauces and preliminary processing of ingredients. An employee of the restaurant is frying chicken. Photo: Hai Nhi. The average cooking time for each dish is about 15-20 minutes. “Sometimes customers keep remorseful, so we have to try to manipulate quickly. The shop doesn’t pre-process before,” said Ms. Xuan. Therefore, guests may have to wait a bit longer than other restaurants. After beefsteak finished, she began to cook crab noodles again. The bustling atmosphere is evident in the small kitchen. People not only pay attention to their part but also remind each other to create the perfect dish. The conversation between me and Ms. Xuan was continuously interrupted by the staff’s urging. Ms. Xuan spoke while quickly stirring the spices over the fiery red pans. “Sometimes the customers are too crowded, do not make up the dishes in time, Xuan skips the decor step,” the owner of the shop turned to tell me. Kitchen space is hot, narrow, but no one employee complains. Photo: Hai Nhi. A special feature of the restaurant is that it does not use monosodium glutamate. The pure European dishes are seasoned with rich flavors, slightly modified to suit Vietnamese tastes. According to Ms. Xuan, if cooked as the restaurant, the taste is quite faint, Vietnamese customers are not used to eating. “Working as a European kitchen is very hard. My two daughters do not follow their mother’s career”, Ms. Xuan said. She said that her oldest daughter is a doctor, the other is studying pharmacist in the third year. All the accounting jobs of the restaurant are also done by the two daughters, so there is no need to hire more people. The shop is open from 11am to 2pm, then has a lunch break. In the afternoon, from 17:00, the shop started to sell again until the stock was out. “There are days when guests come from 16:30. I also let them in but have to wait until the right time to have food”, Ms. Xuan shared. Tran Vu: “Small and beautiful restaurant. Delicious food, cheap price is the advantage of the restaurant”. Thuy Trang: “The restaurant has a small and cozy space. Two people should order a combo to eat many dishes. Beefsteak, tuna salad, baked seafood pasta with cream sauce, pizza, pasta are the must-try dishes”. Minh Hien: “The shop is in an easy-to-find location, wide alley. The space is a bit small, not suitable for large groups of people. Nice presentation is a plus point”. Mai Thy: “Fast food, no need to wait”. Pm Food Travel: “Although European food has had a variation, I find the taste is still a bit pale”. Let’s eat pizza for 400,000 VND in Ho Chi Minh City Zing compared two high-priced cheese pizzas. With a difference of over VND 30,000, 4P’s Burrata Parma Ham pizza impresses more than Logic Baked Prosciutto and Burrata Salad.