- Title: Hanoi restaurant serves up "affordable" golden steak, inspired by a controversy
- Date: 10th December 2021
- Summary: HANOI, VIETNAM (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2021) (REUTERS) STEAK ENCRUSTED WITH GOLD LEAF RESTING ON PORTABLE STOVE / CHEF PUSHING CART CARRYING STEAK WITH COOKING AND SERVING UTENSILS POINT-OF-VIEW SHOT OF STEAK BEING PUSHED OUT ON CART VARIOUS OF CHEF CARVING AND SLICING GOLD ENCRUSTED STEAK PERSON USING MOBILE PHONE TO FILM CHEF SERVING STEAK CHEF POURING ALCOHOL ON STEAK TO SET IT AFLAME CHEF IMMITATING CELEBRITY CHEF NUSRET GOKCE'S, NICKNAMED "SALT BAE", SALT SPRINKLING GESTURE / GUEST REACTING VIETNAM WAR VETERANS WATCHING CHEF SPRINKLE SALT ON BEEF WAR VETERAN EATING GOLD ENCRUSTED STEAK HOTEL OWNER IN ARMY UNIFORM, NGUYEN HUU DUONG (RIGHT), LOOKING AT GOLD ENCRUSTED STEAKS ON DISPLAY SIGN READING (English and Vietnamese): "24K GOLDEN TOMAHAWK WAGYU BEEF" / GOLD ENCRUSTED STEAK TOMAHAWK STEAK COVERD IN GOLD (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) CHAIRMAN OF HOA BINH GROUP, 67-YEAR-OLD NGUYEN HUU DUONG, SAYING: "I have to send my thanks to minister To Lam. We've always had gold leaf encrusted beef in our menu since the day this hotel was opened, but only after international newspaper and social media showed the video (of celebrity chef Nusret Gokce feeding Lam), I thought why don't I open a restaurant selling golden steaks that are affordable, so that the Vietnamese working class people can also enjoy it too." CHEF PUSHING CART WITH GOLD LEAF ENCRUSTED STEAK SIZZLING ON STOVE CHEF PREPARING STEAK IN FRONT OF GUESTS GOLD LEAF ENCRUSTED STEAK BEING SLICED CHEF PREPARING STEAK / PERSON FILMING ON MOBILE PHONE CHEF PREPARING STEAK / GUESTS, SOME IN MILITARY UNIFORMS, EATING AND WATCHING / PERSON BEING SERVED (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) VIETNAM WAR VETERAN, DOAN MANH TIEN, SAYING: "I can't even compare the time we were at war to this. We had a hard time fighting the Americans, but now, we are here today, gathering together. Thanks to Chairman Duong, we get to have a day like today, eating a meal like this. It makes me very joyful." VARIOUS OF HOTEL STAFF SERVING WAR VETERANS PERSON CUTTING MEAT ON GOLD-RIMMED PLATE WAR VETERANS EATING WAR VETERANS CLINKING GLASSES WITH ONE ANOTHER DURING MEAL (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) CHAIRMAN OF HOA BINH GROUP, 67-YEAR-OLD NGUYEN HUU DUONG, SAYING: "It's only been 12 days since the restaurant opened and we've served more than 1,000 guests who had come to try the golden steak, but 90% of them are from the working class. They wanted to enjoy one of the world's most luxurious dishes but with a price that is suitable for their wallet." MEAT BEING PREPARED IN FRONT OF GUESTS CHEF CUTTING MEAT IN FRONT OF GUESTS PEOPLE, INCLUDING WAR VETERANS, FILMING ON MOBILE PHONES AS CHEF PREPARES MEAT HEAD CHEF, VU DUC QUAN, SPRINKLING SALT ON STEAK (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) HOTEL HEAD CHEF, VU DUC QUAN, SAYING: "The truth is Salt Bae is quite famous, but we also have our specialties that set us apart. It can never be a hundred percent. We are aiming to bring new ideas from the world here to blend in with our specialities to make this the Vietnamese version of gilded beef." KITCHEN STAFF TAKING COOKED TOMAHAWK STEAKS OUT FROM OVEN STEAK BEING ENCRUSTED WITH PIECES OF GOLD LEAF CHEFS ENCRUSTING STEAKS WITH PIECES OF GOLD LEAF CHEFS PREPARING STEAKS ENCRUSTED WITH GOLD LEAF TO BE SERVED HANOI, VIETNAM (RECENT - DECEMBER 7, 2021) (REUTERS) STAFF PUSHING CART CARRYING GILDED TOMAHAWK STEAK TO TABLE OF GUESTS VARIOUS OF GUESTS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WITH GILDED TOMAHAWK STEAK CHEF POURING ALCOHOL ON STEAK TO SET IT AFLAME WOMAN SPRINKLING SALT ON STEAK WHILE HER FRIEND FILMS ON MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) CUSTOMER, NGUYEN NGOC ANH, SAYING: "The beef is very delicious. So tender it almost felt like the meat melted in my mouth. The steak is gold-encrusted so I thought such a luxury food must cost a lot. But between the four of us, we are paying around one million dong ($44) each. I think that's a price that many can afford if they want to try it out." CUSTOMERS EATING AND DRINKING CUSTOMER PHAM DUY BACH (LEFT) WATCHING CHEF POUR ALCOHOL ONTO STEAK AS IT SIZZLES ON STOVE BACH SPRINKLING SALT ON STEAK (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) CUSTOMER, 40-YEAR-OLD PHAM DUY BACH, SAYING: "I have seen many of Salt Bae's video clips, and have always wanted to try out the golden steak. I'm surprised that I can now have the golden beef right here in Vietnam, and with an incredibly cheap price. This is a memorable experience in my life." HANOI, VIETNAM (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOLCE HANOI GOLDEN LAKE HOTEL SIGN ON TOP OF BUILDING, READING (English): "DOLCE BY WYNDHAM" SWIMMING POOL OVERLOOKING CITY
- Embargoed: 24th December 2021 01:24
- Keywords: Communist Party Dolce Golden Lake Hanoi Nusret Gokce Public Security Minister Salt Bae To Lam Vietnam food gold-encrusted golden steak war veterans
- Location: HANOI, VIETNAM
- City: HANOI, VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001F7GDE13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A Vietnamese hotel is offering diners the chance to try gold leaf-coated Tomahawk steaks, tapping a wave of publicity after a government minister was caught on camera being fed the dish at a London restaurant, where steaks can cost over 1,000 pounds ($1,319).
The Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake Hotel had a makeover last year using a tonne of the metal to gold-plate everything from bath tubs to toilets, all housed behind a gold exterior.
Now as part of a rebranding, the hotel has renamed one of its eating outlets the Golden Beef Restaurant and put the famed gold-encrusted Tomahawk Wagyu steak the minister ate in London on the menu, charging from around $45 a person.
Turkish celebrity chef Nusret Gokce, or "Salt Bae", uploaded a video of himself last month feeding Vietnam's Minister of Public Security, To Lam, the gold-leaf encrusted Tomahawk steak, causing a stir in Vietnam. Steaks at Gokce's restaurant sell for up to 1,450 pounds ($1,912).
Many in the Southeast Asian country questioned how such a high-ranking Communist Party official allowed himself to be filmed indulging in such expensive food amid a state crackdown on corruption. Vietnamese officials have not commented on the incident.
There was further publicity after Vietnam police summoned a beef noodle seller who filmed himself imitating Gokce's flamboyant style. Police in Vietnam routinely summon activists and people publicly critical of the ruling Communist Party for questioning. The man denied he was trying to mock anyone.
Even though the hotel had already been serving gold steaks, the recent publicity inspired the restaurant's rebranding, said Nguyen Huu Duong, chairman of Hoa Binh Group, which owns the hotel managed by U.S.-based Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc.
"I have to send my thanks to minister To Lam," said Duong, when asked why he came up with idea despite the sensitivity over the subject. "I thought why don't I open a restaurant that sells golden steaks that are affordable."
"We have served more than 1,000 guests who came to try out the golden steak," said Duong, a former Vietnam War veteran and cyclo taxi driver who made his fortune in construction and property, while chatting with his guests, a group of Vietnam War veterans he invited to enjoy the golden Tomahawk steaks for free on Saturday (December 4).
Duong said he plans to treat more veterans and mothers of fallen soldiers to a free steak in the future.
The restaurant imports its gold leaves and uses about 10-15 sleeves on each Tomahawk steak, which serves four people.
The dish remains out of reach for many, however, with average monthly income in Vietnam reaching around $183 per month last year.
Still, diners at the restaurant this week appeared to feel they were getting their money's worth.
"This is one of the most memorable experiences of my life," said first-time customer Pham Duy Bach, 40. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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