International Culinary Culture Festival 2025: Cao Bang specialties spread warmth, solidarity from domestic, int'l friends to mountainous communities

Mrs. Nong Thi Yen, Secretary of the Youth Union of Cao Bang Department of External Relations (second from right), and her team at the 2025 International Culinary Culture Festival. (Photo: Xuan Son)

Introducing products the province brought to the festival this year, Mrs. Nong Thi Yen said the team showcased signature OCOP items and traditional handicrafts, with thach den (grass jelly) being the highlight—a specialty much loved by tourists visiting Cao Bang.

Thach den has been Cao Bang’s representative product throughout five consecutive years of participating in the International Culinary Culture Festival. This year, as soon as the booth opened for sales, it was crowded with visitors tasting and buying the product. “Thach den is made from the province’s native thach den plant. It has a refreshing and mild taste. Anyone visiting Cao Bang wants to bring some home as gifts", she shared.

Alongside thach den, Cao Bang also introduced traditional dishes such as banh bo (cake) and smoked sausage (lap suon), which were prepared directly at the booth for visitors to enjoy on the spot. The entire space was filled with the distinctive aroma of grilled lap suon (smoke sausage) and freshly steamed banh bo.

Thach den (grass jelly) has remained a signature product of Cao Bang through five years of participation in the International Culinary Culture Festival. (Photo: Xuan Son)

There were also che giao Co Lam (Gynostemma tea), banh khau sli (sil cake), banh khao (rice cake), shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and more—creating a rich picture of Cao Bang’s specialty products. “Through the festival, we hope to introduce the land and people of Cao Bang—its beautiful scenery and unique specialties—to international friends and localities across Vietnam”, Mrs. Yen emphasized.

With many OCOP products displayed at the booth, Mrs. Yen noted that the province’s journey to meet these standards was far from easy. “Cao Bang is a mountainous province. Meeting the OCOP criteria is challenging for local producers. But thanks to support from various departments, many products have now achieved 3-, 4-, even 5-star ratings. Thach den has also been certified, which helps strengthen consumer trust when promoting it at domestic and international events”, she said.

According to the Youth Union Secretary of Cao Bang Department of External Relations, OCOP certification not only increases commercial value but also reassures visitors when trying products they are encountering for the first time. As a result, Cao Bang’s booths in recent years have consistently attracted large numbers of visitors.

Cao Bang’s booths in recent years have always drawn significant visitor interest. (Photo: Xuan Son)

However, what creates lasting appeal lies in the people themselves. “Perhaps what makes the Cao Bang booth most beloved is the friendliness and sincerity. When visitors arrive, we always invite them to taste freely. Our main goal is to promote the province, not to focus on selling”, she explained.

This year’s booth—managed by youth union members—brought an even more youthful, energetic, and welcoming atmosphere, helping visitors easily connect and share stories.

Beyond culinary promotion, Cao Bang’s sales activities were tied to charitable goals. “We sell to raise funds for the organizing committee’s charity fund. If we sell well, we even want to contribute an additional portion to support local community activities. This year, Cao Bang was heavily affected by flooding, so everyone worked with a spirit of sharing”, Mrs. Yen added.

More than 120 booths from embassies, consulates, foreign cultural centers, local departments of external relations, domestic businesses, and international organizations participated in the 2025 International Culinary Culture Festival. (Photo: Xuan Son)

Her words made many visitors feel that they were not simply buying a product, but also sharing compassion with mountainous communities.

With experience from multiple festival seasons, Mrs. Yen said that 2025 is the most well-organized year. “This year, booths were uniformly decorated and on a larger scale. We no longer saw big and small booths mixed together as in previous years. The space was clean, tall, and airy—appropriate for an event with diplomatic significance that connects Vietnam with international friends”, she remarked.

From the displayed products to the way visitors were welcomed and the attention to detail in organizing, Cao Bang presented the image of a friendly, civilized locality that takes pride in its cultural identity. Amid the lively atmosphere of the festival, booth of the Cao Bang Department of External Relations not only brought the flavours of the mountains and forests but also radiated a spirit of kindness and sincerity.

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