Gaining recognition through prestigious international awards, captivating global audiences at festivals, and leaving lasting impressions on world leaders and celebrities, Vietnam’s culinary heritage is now a symbol of national pride.
Recent images of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh strolling Hanoi’s Old Quarter alongside President and CEO of NVIDIA Jensen Huang and savoring Vietnamese street food went viral on both domestic and international media. The semiconductor industry mogul even prepared Hanoi’s signature egg coffee to share with those who were present, showcasing the global allure of Vietnamese flavours.
Vietnam’s culinary appeal has captivated numerous dignitaries. In April 2024, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited two Vietnamese coffee shops in a single day.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese enjoyed Hanoi beer, banh mi, boiled peanuts, and grilled fish during his 2023 visit. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drank street coffee in Ho Chi Minh City in 2017, while former US President Barack Obama famously dined on Hanoi's bun cha (noodle with grilled pork) in 2016.
Additionally, globally recognised musicians, actors, and singers from the US, the Republic of Korea (RoK), and China have shared their experiences with Vietnamese cuisine, further boosting its visibility on the international stage.
Vietnamese cuisine has shone at numerous cultural and diplomatic events in 2024. Notable among them was the International Culinary Festival in Hanoi, themed “Connecting Through Food,” which featured hundreds of booths from 60 countries and territories. Traditional dishes from Vietnam’s northern highlands to southern coastal regions were skillfully prepared and beautifully presented, drawing thousands of visitors to events such as the Hanoi Cultural Cuisine Festival, the Saigon Street Food Festival, and the Pho Festival in Nam Dinh.
During “Vietnam Day in Saudi Arabia 2024,” Middle Eastern audiences sampled Halal-adapted Vietnamese dishes like herbal beef pho, chicken spring rolls, and lotus-seed-stuffed fried rolls. These creations balanced flavour while telling stories about Vietnamese history, culture, and lifestyle.
Similar successes were seen at the Pho Festival in the RoK and the Pho and Spring Roll Day in Italy, attracting large crowds and paving the way for culinary and tourism collaborations.
Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its harmonious blend of flavors, natural ingredients, and the philosophy it embodies. It seamlessly combines taste with artful presentation, making each dish a sensory and cultural experience.
International accolades have further cemented Vietnam’s culinary reputation. In 2022, the World Culinary Awards named Vietnam “Asia’s Best Culinary Destination.” In 2024, the same awards crowned Hanoi as the “World’s Leading Culinary City” and “Asia’s Leading Culinary City.” Iconic dishes like pho were also lauded, with CNN listing it among the “20 Best Soups in the World” for 2024.
Early December 2024 marked another milestone when Taste Atlas announced its annual awards, recognising various Vietnamese dishes and regions. Meanwhile, the Michelin Guide began awarding stars to Vietnamese restaurants, affirming the cuisine’s global status and boosting its appeal to international tourists.
Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, emphasised that cuisine serves as a gateway for global audiences to better understand Vietnam, contributing to “soft power” when building the country's image and promoting it to the world.
