Building a national brand for cuisine - Effective channel for tourism promotion development: Expert
WVR - Cuisine is an effective way to showcase Vietnamese culture to tourists and friends around the world. Chairman of VCCA, Nguyen Quoc Ky, believes that when culinary culture truly becomes a national brand, it will be the most effective channel to boost tourism development.
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| Vietnam was honored as one of the best culinary destination in Asia. (Photo: Bun Cha Sinh Tu) |
In Vietnam, culinary culture stands as one of the liveliest and richest characteristics, embodying the essence of Vietnamese culture. Its excellence lies in the use of natural ingredients, delicate seasoning, a blend of tradition and modernity, blending Eastern and Western philosophies in cooking, presentation, and culinary enjoyment.
According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association (VCCA) shared that, of all cultural values, cuisine has the fastest and widest spread.
In many countries, promoting culinary culture is systematically executed; for instance, kimchi and instant noodles are promoted in Korean films, dim sum frequently appears in Chinese cuisine, while sushi and sashimi are constantly featured in Japanese media.
In recent years in Vietnam, through credible international media channels, many Vietnamese dishes have been celebrated, such as CNN recognizing Vietnamese cuisine in the top 10 list of the world’s best culinary delights.
By the end of 2022, Vietnam was honored as one of the best culinary destination in Asia. Two Vietnamese words, 'pho' and 'banh mi', were added to the reputable Oxford English Dictionary among the three commonly used Vietnamese terms.
Mr. Ky mentioned, "Many foreigners may not have visited Vietnam, yet they might be familiar with Vietnamese cuisine in their homeland. Cuisine helps people understand Vietnam better, fostering “soft competition” in building the nation's image globally."
Therefore, the VCCA Chairman believes that once culinary culture truly becomes a national brand, it will be the most effective channel for promoting tourism, expanding Vietnam's food consumption in the global market, contributing to the country's economic development.
Ms. Ho Dac Thieu Anh, an advisory council member and a culinary culture artisan, also observes that amid heavy environmental pollution, people are increasingly concerned about “eating green, drinking clean” for health.
Vietnam, an agricultural country, is recognized as a “natural pharmacy” with its diverse herbs and spices across regions. Thus, alongside diverse cuisine, Ms. Ho Dac Thieu Anh hopes the country will explore more deeply into the value of traditional green cuisine, promoting it widely in the community, contributing to the development of fresh, green, clean, nutrient-rich agricultural resources.
"Vietnam possesses a rich “culinary map” that's sufficient to create the nation's culinary brand," she emphasized.
Currently, VCCA is actively executing the project "Building and Developing Vietnamese Culinary Culture into a National Brand for the 2022-2024 period."
This initiative aims to survey, discover, introduce, and collect data on Vietnamese culinary culture, a significant step in taking Vietnam's brand globally through culinary culture, boosting national competitiveness and Vietnam's economic growth.
Within this project's scope, notable actions include organizing a Festival of 100 Outstanding Vietnamese Dishes, bringing together artisans from all 63 localities, particularly from Ho Chi Minh City, the melting pot of Vietnamese cuisine; creating Vietnamese Menus by region or by traditional themes, in service of enhancing cultural exchanges, diplomacy, and promoting tourism across Vietnam's regions.
At present, the Association continues refining the database on Vietnamese culinary culture, targeting to identify 1,000 exemplary dishes meeting the specified criteria by 2023. This data will contribute to finalizing the 'Culinary Map of Vietnam' by 2024, leading to the establishment of the “Vietnamese Culinary Museum”.
The envisioned museum will be designed with a 3D virtual reality approach, serving local and international visitors in the future, playing a pivotal role in elevating Vietnamese cuisine to a National Brand.
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