To mark Vietnamese Women’s Day on October 20 last year, the Social Recreational Committee of Pepperl+Fuchs in Vietnam organized the internal cooking competition “Hidden talented Chefs”. Within a set time frame, different teams prepared special menus. The focus was on teamwork, creativity, passion, and fun.
On Sunday morning, October 19, 2025, the company canteen at Pepperl+Fuchs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was transformed into a small cooking arena. “On the occasion of Vietnamese Women’s Day, we wanted to create something special for all our colleagues,” says Tu, Assistant to the Managing Director and member of the Social Recreational Committee at Pepperl+Fuchs in Vietnam. “That’s how we came up with the idea for a cooking event – a perfect opportunity to bring people together, promote teamwork, and have fun together. We also saw it as a chance to bring out the “hidden talents” in our colleagues who may not be professional chefs but still cook with passion and love.”
APRONS ON, SPOONS READY
Registration for the competition was open to all employees at the site, although the number of places was limited. “The response to the event was extremely positive from the very beginning. Within a few days, all places were filled,” says Tu. In total, eleven teams of three to five people each took part, eager to demonstrate their passion for cooking. The teams were composed of employees from various departments – a nice example of true team spirit. The respective menus were evaluated by a jury of five passionate in-house gourmets.
After a short opening speech and introduction of the jury, the teams started at their cooking stations at 8:15 a.m. They had 75 minutes to prepare their dishes. The cooks were cheered on by around 100 colleagues who came by to watch. When the time was up, the teams presented their dishes to the jury, who evaluated them based on five main criteria: presentation and decoration, level of difficulty, taste and aroma, food hygiene and safety as well as the message or story behind the dish.
LIVELY COMPETITION WITH CREATIVE MENUS
After intensive deliberation, the jury announced the winning teams. Team “Gia Đình Haha” (in engl. “Family Haha”) secured first place with its signature menu Mâm Cơm 3 Miền, which impressed the jury with authentic flavors from the three main regions of Vietnam – North, Central, and South Vietnam. Team “Hương Quê” (in engl. “Home Fragrance“) took second place with its menu Cơm Gia Đình. This traditional home-style family dish scored points with its pleasant, familiar taste. Last but not least, third place went to team “Hương Sen” (in engl. “Lotus Fragrance”) with its creative menu Hương Sen 3 Miền. Using lotus seeds as the main ingredient, the team skillfully presented dishes capturing all the distinct tastes of Vietnam’s three regions.
In addition to the first three places, two awards for outstanding team spirit and teamwork were presented. “As one of the five jurors, I had the honor and pleasure of tasting all the menus,” says Han-Thanh, then in his role as Managing Director of Pepperl+Fuchs in Vietnam. “It was incredible how delicious every single dish was and how creative the teams were in selecting and preparing their dishes. The event was further proof of our corporate culture, which is characterized by passion for our company and our products, mutual empathy and support as well as a strong awareness of quality and performance.
A big thank you to the Social Recreational Committee for organizing the event!” Tu also concludes: “It was the first time that we organized such a cooking competition. Despite the limited time and the simple cooking equipment, the teams managed to conjure up creative dishes that looked and tasted fantastic, while perfectly reflecting the culinary traditions of Vietnam. The focus was above all on fun and team spirit – and that’s exactly what made the competition a wonderful shared experience.”
Impressions of the cooking competition
