Nguyen Minh Hien, 33, returned to Vietnam to start his own business after years of studying in Europe.

Hien, a valedictorian in pastry arts from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in France in 2017, is the founder of Le Petit Roland, a bakery in Ho Chi Minh City.

While at Le Cordon Bleu, he once sought permission to display the red-and-gold Vietnamese flag in the school's lobby, a space predominantly featuring the flags of other nations like Thailand and Malaysia.

"I was saddened not to see my country’s flag," Hien recalled. "My national pride pushed me to do something," he told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

That same pride inspired his latest collection -- a limited-edition series of 7-8 cakes and chocolates featuring symbols like the Vietnamese national flag, the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and the S-shaped curve of the Vietnamese map.

The designs were vetted by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports to ensure they respected national imagery.

Each cake combines striking visuals with high craftsmanship.

The vibrant red of the flag, the sparkling gold star, and the gentle curve of the country are created using high-grade edible coloring imported from Italy and Canada, ensuring safety and colorfastness even after baking.

"Food coloring is safe when you choose the right kind and use it correctly," Hien noted.

"Each cake is not just a dessert, but a historical reminder."

Despite being trained at two renowned European culinary institutions, the Culinary Arts Academy in Switzerland and Le Cordon Bleu, Hien and his team faced considerable challenges in bringing this idea to fruition.

His first attempt to launch the cakes on September 2, 2024, which coincided with Vietnam’s 79th National Day, failed due to technical flaws.

"The cakes didn't maintain their structure for long, and I didn't want to present something that wasn't the best," he recounted.

After five more months of testing — from recipes to equipment — the team finally perfected the product just in time for the upcoming 50th Reunification Day.

Currently, production is limited to around 30-40 cakes with flag motifs per day due to the labor-intensive process.

Hien opted to promote the collection online, focusing more on storytelling and national pride than commercial gain.

"Being Vietnamese means never forgetting our proud history," he said.

“You don’t need to do something grand. Just do your job well, learn about our past, and let patriotism shine through your craft.”

Looking ahead to Vietnam’s National Day on September 2 this year, Hien hopes to collaborate with young bakers, sharing his techniques and encouraging creative interpretations of national pride through pastries.

“They’ll learn the technique from me,” he smiled, “but they’ll bring their own ideas -- and that’s how both Vietnamese baking and our national spirit will grow stronger.”