Vietnam’s public security minister General To Lam has come under fire for a now-deleted video that showed him being hand-fed the exorbitantly priced gold-plated steak from Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe’s Salt Bae restaurant. One steak dish at Salt Bae’s London outlet reportedly costs more than the minister’s monthly wage, according to BBC. The video was posted on Gökçe’s TikTok account, which has around 11 million followers. Screengrabs from the footage, despite being taken down after facing backlash, started circulating online. The video showed Gökçe displaying his signature moves of slicing and salting the steak before feeding it to the official. The Vietnam delegates were dining at the Knightsbridge Steakhouse after attending the COP26 climate summit held in Glasgow, Scotland. Although the total bill of the delegate group or who paid it is not known, the particular steak costs between £850 to £1,500 (Rs 85,000 - Rs 1,50,000), excluding the 15% service charge. The minister’s monthly salary ranges from $600 to $800 (Rs 44,000 - Rs 59,000). Many users took to social media to condemn the extravagance and compared it to the poor economic situation in Vietnam as well as the irony of consuming an highly expensive steak after attending a world climate conference.
Bộ trưởng Bộ Công an Việt Nam Tô Lâm được Salt Bae chế biến và đút cho ăn món bò dát vàng trị giá lên đến 45 triệu đồng/phần trong một nhà hàng của ông này ở Luân Đôn. Cùng bàn với ông Tô Lâm là Chánh văn phòng Bộ Công an Tô n Xô. pic.twitter.com/hGZZqGbJZr— Duy Bình (@DuyBnh61157516) November 5, 2021
Vietnam is a socialist country governed by Vietnam Communist Party.
Karl Marx must be spinning in his grave up in Highgate — John Coleman (@johnnyschwarz06) November 4, 2021
Now that's socialism with Vietnamese characteristics…— Peter Dahlin (@Peterinexile) November 5, 2021
Vietnamese minster on a visit to London, visits the most capitalist, over indulgent restaurant in the city, where 1 steak costs £680-$918.The average Income in Vietnam is $150 a month.Anyone surprised? Socialist leadership living the high life….https://t.co/rsXsqQfEDz— Honest Truth (@truthsayeer) November 5, 2021
As per the General Statistics Office, an average Vietnamese citizen in 2021 earns around $230 (Rs 23,000) per month. Lam’s department, which reins in critics and human rights activists in the authoritarian nation, has not yet responded to the scathing attacks. Vietnam was heavily hit by Covid-19 and had to undergo drastic lockdowns and containment measures which forced companies in labour-intensive businesses to suspend operations. Industrial output in August fell 7.4% from a year earlier, and exports dropped 5.4%, while retail sales of goods and services plunged 33.7%, according to official figures.
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