(VLU, 31/01/2022) – After a year postponed by the pandemic outbreak, the Chung and Tet cake-making festival organized by Van Lang University’s Union had officially returned in a new model – the “Chung and Tet cake-making festival” took place at Van Lang University’s main campus on 23 January 2022.

Chung and Tet cakes are the souls of the Tet holiday. A cake encased in firm green leaves is not only cuisine but also a cultural characteristic and an irreplaceable activity of a traditional Tet festival. In the previous years, the Chung and Tet cake-making festival was organized for all VLU lecturers and staff. However, due to the pandemic outbreak, it was prioritized to protect the community’s safety, thus Van Lang University’s Union decided to organize the Chung and Tet cake-making festival in a new form: “Chung and Tet cake-making festival” in celebration of the year of tiger 2022.

Limited by the 50 teams from various faculties and departments, more than 130 lecturers and staff prepared the material in the early morning. More than 160kg of sticky rice, dozen kg of pork, bean, and 2,500 Dong or banana leaves were prepared and transported to the main campus at 4 AM to guarantee the freshness and sufficient time for seasoning and distribution.

The contest attracted more than 130 union members under the instruction of chef Tran Thi Hien Minh.

This year, the festival had chef Tran Thi Hien Minh as the coach and judge of the contest. Ms. Hien Minh said that she was excited for Van Lang University to organize such meaningful activities for lecturers and staff after a stressful time of the pandemic outbreak. It was eve amazing that the contest attracted first-time cake makers of traditional cuisine: “Everyone is always occupied in modern society. Therefore, it is not simple to gather everyone around to make a cake. However, Van Lang University manages to do it and that matters.”

Chung and Tet cake-making festival was among the most desired spring activities at Van Lang University. Many experienced contestants were confident in their skills gotten from their mothers and grandmothers.

This year, participants must register in a team. Each team consists of three members, and they have to complete three Chung cakes or four Tet cakes in good form within the time limit. Ms. Le Thi Kim Khanh – a staff at Van Lang Sports Center said: “Everyone in my team stayed up all night to prepare the decoration and study the ways to make a good cake. When I got here, the dynamic atmosphere of the contest made me anxious but excited.”

As one of the youngest contestants, Mr. Le Nam Vuong –staff from the Admissions and Communications Department said: “I used to make Tet cake at home. However, this is the first time I make Chung cake. My team is full of amateurs so our cakes look kind of “unique”. Yet we are very excited to take part in this amazing activity.”

Chef Hien Minh and the Union’s Executive Committee evaluated the quality of each product

The intensive contest concluded with the result announcement. After a time of careful consideration of each team’s product and decoration, the Union’s Executive Committee agreed to confer one first-prize, two second-prize, three third-prize, and five consolation-prize for 11 teams.

FIRST PRIZE: Team 9 – Faculty of Fine Arts and Design

SECOND PRIZE:

• Team 1: Office of Student Affairs
• Team 2: Faculty of Tourism

THIRD PRIZE:

• Team 6: Faculty of Finance - Banking
• Team 11: Office of Student Affairs
• Team 41: Faculty of Auditing - Accounting

CONSOLATION PRIZE:

• Team 15: Faculty of Fine Arts and Design
• Team 16: Faculty of Civil Engineering
• Team 18: Faculty of Business Administration
• Team 30: Faculty of Public Relations and Communication
• Team 42: Faculty of Automotive Engineering

At the end of the day, the Organizing Committee collected 300 Chung and Tet cakes, checked the quality, remade the unsatisfactory ones, made additional ones to make up to 400 cakes, cooked them, and prepared Tet gifts for all faculties and departments at Van Lang University on Tet holidays

Van Lang’s Tet of bonding introduced the contests to allow VLU lecturers and staff to learn how to make the traditional cake and create meaningful memories to make the Van Lang community’s Tet holiday more complete. We hope for a new successful year full of health and happiness for all VLU lecturers.

Reporter: Phuong Uyen
Translator: Thien An