Fate from meals for children
Without a brush or color palette, Ms. Bui Thao - currently doing business at a genetic testing company in Hanoi - can still create vibrant "paints" right on her familiar rice plate.
From handfuls of white rice, a few slices of carrots, cucumbers, seaweed or red apples, under her skillful hands, the fairy tale world gradually appears vividly with adorable animals, lush green fields, bright sunshine or a little girl wearing a red scarf next to a wolf hiding behind a tree.
Few people know that that special passion started from a very simple wish of a mother.
Ms. Bui Thao has two daughters with nicknames at home May and Nang. About 5 years ago, when her youngest daughter was only 3 years old, she scooped rice herself but ate quite slowly. Once, accidentally surfing the internet, she saw an image of a plate of rice shaped like clouds and the sun. That simple idea made her try to do it for her two children.
She shaped rice into clouds, sun-shaped steamed eggs, and smiley eyes made of seaweed. Unexpectedly, the two girls were extremely excited and ate all the meals. "Seeing my daughter excited, I thought maybe we could make such beautiful rice for her every day" - she recalled.
However, at that time, work was busy, and the house was far from the company, so she could only maintain it for a few days and then had to temporarily stop. Even so, she still secretly saved many images of beautiful rice plates, considering it as a passion that could not continue.
After moving house near her workplace, having more time, along with the excitement of her two children, Ms. Thao decided to return to the "art of rice plates". Every time her mother makes beautiful rice, the two children eat very happily, becoming a motivation for her to continue to create.
When each plate of rice is a vivid picture
Having taken a short-term drawing course, she has a background in colors and compositions. Before each meal, she often asks her child what shapes they like and then finds models online to refer to.
Rice is shaped into the main character, while seaweed, carrots, cucumbers, red apples become eyes, nose, sun, plants or decorative details. The two daughters also often give advice, even give unexpected ideas to make the "painting" more lively and natural.
Among many works, she is most satisfied with the rice plate "the little girl and the wolf". Initially, she intended to make a white wolf to stand out, but there were no suitable ingredients.
Ms. Thao used thin cucumber strands to create the image of the wolf. On the dark green plate background, the image of the wolf appears delicately, blurred, as if hiding behind a tree. It is this "imperfectness" that creates an emotional work, also the rice plate that the two children love the most.
Her "rice paintings" when shared on social networks have received a lot of love. However, for Ms. Thao, the most meaningful thing is not praise, but the joy in each meal of the family.
She hopes that her children will grow up in colorful meals, where each dish brings excitement and positive emotions. At the same time, the process of preparing meals together also helps family members have more time to chat and connect more.
Cooking every day is very hard, but if you find joy, it will be much lighter" - she shared.
From simple ingredients in the kitchen, Ms. Bui Thao has turned each meal into a small picture, where family love, creativity and happiness are nurtured naturally and sustainably.
