Rich Vietnamese flavor in the Netherlands

These are the program Vietnamese Cuisine - Unforgettable Flavors within the framework of the Embassy Festival in The Hague taking place on September 6; the celebration of the 80th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands on September 19 and the program Night Market Fragrance - Vietnamese Moon in the Middle of Europe held for the first time on September 20 and 21.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Ngo Huong Nam (fourth from left) at Miss Linh's booth

The official website of the Embassy Festival (a prestigious cultural event organized annually in the central Lange Voorhout Park by Prooost and the Hague city government) has a countdown clock set to September 6. Last year, the festival attracted around 35,000 attendees.

This year’s festival will last from 12pm to 8pm with the participation of more than 40 countries and territories, and is expected to attract a large number of visitors. Within the framework of the festival, the Vietnam Trade Office in the Netherlands will continue to organize a booth introducing agricultural products combined with Vietnamese cuisine .

Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc Diep, Trade Counselor in the Netherlands, said: “This year, the Vietnamese national pavilion will display agricultural products, food, beverages and fresh fruits imported from Vietnam. The highlight of the pavilion will be the flavor of Vietnamese pho, introduced for the first time at the festival by We Love Pho - a community of pho lovers and preservers of Vietnamese culinary culture in Europe. This highlight is the harmonious combination between Miss Linh - an e-commerce platform and small and medium-sized food enterprises in Europe importing goods directly from food companies in Vietnam”.

Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc Diep (second from right) and Ms. Ngo Le Diem Le (left cover) with the Mayor of The Hague, Netherlands at the 2024 Diplomatic Corps Festival. Photo: NVCC

Ms. Ngo Le Diem Le, in charge of sales at the Miss Linh e-platform, shared: “Our goal is to bring Vietnamese agricultural products and specialties to the supermarket and restaurant systems in the Netherlands as well as Europe. However, through practical experiences, we realized that if we only provide raw products, European customers, who have very little knowledge about Vietnamese cuisine, will find it difficult to use. Therefore, we proactively process them into complete dishes, then organize cooking classes, culinary art performances, design menus, and directly instruct chefs... so that they can visualize and apply the products right in their kitchens.”

This initiative and creativity continued to be replicated at the event "The scent of the night market - Vietnamese moon in the middle of Europe" co-organized by Ms. Ngo Le Diem Le, Vo Dieu Thuy (owner of Hangout restaurant, also in charge of the forum of the Vietnamese Association in the Netherlands) and Phung Ho (President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Rotterdam).

This is the first Vietnamese night market model held in the Netherlands on the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival (from 3pm to 12am on September 20 and from 2pm to 8pm on September 21). The event will be held on the campus of Delft University of Technology, where many Vietnamese students are studying abroad, making the Mid-Autumn Festival both joyful and warm. It is expected that members of the organizing committee will dress up as Hang and Cuoi to bring the atmosphere of homeland and family closer to Vietnamese people, especially young Vietnamese people in the Netherlands. Pho from the We Love Pho community will also be served at this first-ever night market.

Participating in the Diplomatic Corps Festival for the third time, Ms. Ngo Le Diem Le continued to directly organize many events introducing Vietnamese cuisine, instructing how to cook Vietnamese dishes from Asian foods and spices in the Netherlands.

From practical experience, Ms. Le shared: “The key factor that customers and partners in the Netherlands as well as Europe always expect is that the product must meet European standards, ensure sustainability, professionalism, sincerity, uniqueness and be closely linked to health and the environment. Europeans appreciate authenticity, so they need to see the message of green living, clean eating and long-term value behind each dish. When Vietnamese people not only bring delicious food but also convey the message of health, sustainability and the depth of Vietnamese culture, the locals will certainly welcome it with more excitement and anticipation.”

Huong Kieu

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dam-da-huong-sac-viet-o-ha-lan-post809874.html