Pho and culinary culture bring Vietnamese identity closer to the world
WVR - On the evening of July 8, at Pho Saigon Restaurant, Vienna, Austria, the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria, in collaboration with the We Love Pho Association, the Ninh Binh Culinary Culture Association, and eight leading culinary artisans and experts from Vietnam, organized an event to promote pho (rice noodle soup) and Vietnamese culinary culture as part of a European tour with nine stops across six countries.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang speaking at the event. |
At each stop, the program always features a variety of activities such as pho cooking demonstrations, traditional Vietnamese dishes, culinary culture discussions, professional exchanges between artisans and local chefs, and connecting businesses in the culinary industry, all aimed at building a professional image for Vietnamese cuisine in the international market.
The event was warmly received by nearly 100 attendees, including members of the Austrian government, ambassadors, chargé d'affaires from various countries, and representatives of international organizations in Vienna, as well as the Vietnamese community, businesses, and friends from Austria and other European countries, affirming the strong appeal of Vietnamese culinary heritage.
In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang praised the initiative of the Pho and Vietnamese Culinary Culture European Tour by the We Love Pho Association and the active participation of the Ninh Binh Culinary Culture Association along with eight artisans.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang taking a photo with guests and chefs participating in the event. |
The Ambassador emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy, considering cuisine as one of the most powerful catalysts for connecting cultures and nations; pho is a national pride, a cultural identity, and the Vietnamese spirit expressed through cuisine. Each bowl of pho is not just a dish but a culmination of folk knowledge, culinary art, and cultural memory enriched over generations, contributing to bringing Vietnamese identity closer to the world.
The Ambassador stated that Vietnam is preparing a scientific dossier for the intangible cultural heritage to propose pho for inclusion in UNESCO's list, thereby not only honoring pho as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity but also opening up opportunities to become a national cultural brand, enhancing the appeal of Vietnamese tourism and expanding development space for the cultural industry in the culinary field.
At the event, artisan Le Thi Thiet, Vice President of the Vietnamese Culinary Culture Association and President of the Ninh Binh Culinary Culture Association, along with other artisans, directly demonstrated the preparation of pho bowls and guided the making of spring rolls to the excitement and amazement of the attendees.
Some highlights from the event:
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(Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Austria)
