Building and developing Vietnamese culinary culture into a national brand.

With a treasure trove of over 3,000 dishes, as confirmed by many researchers, it has long awaited the fulfillment of the saying "food comes first" to accompany life not only for Vietnamese people but also for people around the world.

The Vietnam Culinary Culture Association is implementing the project "Building and developing Vietnamese culinary culture into a national brand, 2022-2024". The project receives the support and main sponsorship of Masan Consumer Holdings Corporation and co-sponsorship from Vietravel Airlines.

Accordingly, the project will be developed over 3 years. In 2022, it is expected that data will be collected on 300 typical Vietnamese dishes, and 100 outstanding local dishes will be selected, recognized by the expert council of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, while also taking into account community feedback through media channels and social networks. The first phase will conclude with the Festival of 100 Outstanding Vietnamese Dishes, to be held in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of 2022, expected to bring together artisans from all 63 provinces and cities nationwide.

In 2023, we will collect a database of 1,000 Vietnamese dishes and develop it into a comprehensive collection of Vietnamese culinary data. We will select representative, distinctive, and highly popular dishes from various regions to build startup economic models with VCCA experts, creating a foundation for young people and potential domestic and international investors to further develop Vietnamese cuisine on the world culinary map.

By 2024, the goal is to digitally transform the database into a Vietnamese Culinary Map and to build a Vietnamese Culinary Museum based on 3D virtual reality and a physical Culinary Museum for tourists, provided there is interest from provinces, cities, and investors in the future.

Through this project, economic benefits will be brought to businesses and provinces; producers will participate in the supply of raw materials, food, and culinary processing, and the development of local tourism; creating strong momentum and promoting businesses in the culinary industry and the supply chain of raw materials, towards improving product quality and cultural value, contributing to diversification and increasing the competitiveness of culinary products.

Based on the collected research data, the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association will filter culinary traditions that can be packaged into a culinary startup model for its members and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who want to access this startup model.

Furthermore, the project contributes to promoting and introducing unique regional Vietnamese dishes to domestic and international audiences, promoting tourism through regional culinary culture, with core criteria of being culturally and historically significant, delicious, healthy, and distinctive. It aligns with market demands and the development direction of culinary culture for both domestic and international tourists.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao