Unlocking the potential of the capital's culinary heritage.

VHO - On the afternoon of December 16th, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports held a press conference to provide information about the "Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2025". Accordingly, the festival will take place over three days, from December 19th to 21st, with the theme "Hanoi - A Culinary Journey Connecting Creativity", at Thong Nhat Park.

This is an annual cultural event organized by the Hanoi People's Committee, under the direction of the Department of Culture and Sports , in coordination with relevant units.

The festival takes place in the context of Hanoi's accelerated implementation of Resolution No. 09-NQ/TU dated February 22, 2022, of the Hanoi City Party Committee on the development of cultural industries in the capital city for the period 2021-2025, with orientation to 2030 and a vision to 2045.

Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, spoke at the press conference.

In this Resolution, cuisine is identified as one of the important sectors that plays a role in promoting the development of the cultural industry and contributing to building a distinctive cultural brand for Hanoi.

Speaking at the press conference, Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, said that from Hanoi's 36 streets and wards to a Hanoi with expanded administrative boundaries, the crystallization of the culture of the Doai region has created a diverse and rich cultural space.

This gives Hanoi's culture in general, and Hanoi's cuisine in particular, unique values, being both deeply traditional and constantly evolving and developing.

According to Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai, since 2014, Hanoi has been conducting an inventory of intangible cultural heritage in the city. During this process, hundreds of culinary heritages have been identified, documented, and included in the city's list of intangible cultural heritage.

This is an important foundation for preserving and promoting the value of culinary heritage, while effectively exploiting the potential of cuisine in economic and cultural development.

"The registration of intangible cultural heritage in the National List is not only an honor for heritage values, but also an effective solution for protection, promotion, and transformation of heritage into assets and resources for sustainable development of the cultural industry, thereby contributing to improving the economic life of the locality," emphasized Ms. Le Thi Anh Mai.

To date, Hanoi has had 7 culinary heritage items included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list. After being recognized, many culinary heritage items have not only been preserved but have also spread widely, becoming gift products bearing the distinctive mark of the capital city.

Typically, products like Me Tri sticky rice flakes (Tu Liem ward) or Quang An lotus tea (Tay Ho ward) have appeared at many international gatherings, becoming exquisite gifts to introduce Hanoi's culture to friends around the world.

Scene from the press conference.

The sticky rice making craft in Phu Thuong ward is also a prime example of the vibrant community spirit of the craft. Currently, this craft village has more than 300 households engaged in production. Phu Thuong sticky rice is not only a familiar breakfast treat found throughout the streets and alleys of Hanoi, but it is also present in the formal feasts and an indispensable part of holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).

Meanwhile, the traditional Thanh Tri rice roll making craft (Vinh Hung ward) once faced the risk of disappearing as young people showed little interest in the profession. However, after receiving attention for preservation and promotion, the number of households engaged in the craft has now increased to about 60, with diverse business models adapting to the needs of modern society.

Assessing the role of cuisine in the flow of national culture, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Van Bai - Vice Chairman of the National Council for Cultural Heritage - affirmed that cuisine is an important element, closely linked to the cultural life of the community.

According to him, cuisine not only reflects history and customs, but also expresses the identity and creative spirit of each region and each nation.

Associate Professor Dr. Dang Van Bai also stated that, according to research, up to 81% of tourists are willing to pay to experience and enjoy the culinary culture of a destination.

The Hanoi Food Culture Festival 2024 attracted a large number of locals and tourists.

This shows that cuisine is not only a valuable cultural resource, but also a unique tourism product, making an important contribution to promoting the development of Hanoi's cultural industry, while simultaneously shaping the national cultural identity.

At the opening ceremony At the Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2025, held on the evening of December 19th, the Organizing Committee will announce the decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to inscribe "The knowledge of processing and enjoying La Vong fish cakes (Hanoi City)" into the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

On this occasion, locals and tourists will have the opportunity to meet the Doan family – who have preserved and developed La Vong fish cake for six generations – and listen to the story of how this dish, deeply ingrained in the hearts of Hanoi residents, was created.

Pho was a popular dish at the Hanoi Food Culture Festival 2024.

Furthermore, the culinary traditions of Bat Trang (Bat Trang commune), after being officially recognized, are becoming increasingly well-known. Beyond just preparing feasts for festivals, these traditions reflect the history of the 19 clans of Bat Trang village, the strong community bonds, and the sophisticated cooking techniques, featuring signature dishes such as bamboo shoot and squid dishes, and stir-fried kohlrabi with squid – dishes unique to Bat Trang.

Within the framework of the festival, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, in collaboration with the Economic and Urban Newspaper and with the support of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company, will introduce many activities to promote and enhance the value of Hanoi's pho heritage.

Activities such as a sketching contest showcasing the heritage of pho, producing short video clips introducing pho, and creating a map of Hanoi pho will be displayed and presented to the public.

Sharing about the festival's new features, Mr. Shimamura Masafumi - Director of Marketing at Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company - said that the highlight is the "Thousands of Words of Pride" check-in space, where locals and tourists can share their thoughts and pride for Vietnamese pho.

"We believe that when everyone contributes their pride, pho will transcend the boundaries of a familiar dish, becoming a shared pride, preserved by the community and spread to the world," said Mr. Shimamura Masafumi.

According to the Organizing Committee, the Hanoi Food Culture Festival 2025 It is expected that there will be 60 spaces showcasing Hanoi cuisine and regional culinary products, allowing locals and tourists to enjoy many unique and delicious dishes, thereby affirming the brand "Hanoi Cuisine" associated with elegant and refined identity.

Besides exhibitions and presentations, the festival also features a thematic seminar on "Exchange to improve the quality of human resources - developing culinary culture," along with many demonstrations by artisans and quick cooking competitions for students.

A culinary exploration tour of Hanoi.

VHO - The Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2024 aims to honor, preserve, and promote the traditional cultural and culinary values ​​of Hanoi, building and effectively exploiting the cultural and culinary brand through the development of a refined, distinctive, and high-quality culinary culture. This is also an opportunity for tourists to experience and discover the culinary essence of Hanoi.

Locals and tourists can also enjoy art programs such as circus performances, folk singing, street performances, and art blending traditional and modern styles; visit photo exhibitions promoting Vietnamese culture, tourism, and cuisine; and see a traveling book exhibition showcasing approximately 200 books on culture, art, tourism, and cuisine.

In addition, many culinary heritage demonstrations will take place, such as wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), cooking Bat Trang pottery, infusing Tay Ho lotus tea, making com (a type of Vietnamese rice flake), cooking Phu Thuong sticky rice, cooking cold snail noodle soup, making various kinds of candied fruits and jams, and cooking cheo se (a type of Vietnamese porridge)...

With many new features, The Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2025 is expected to become an attractive weekend destination, rich in cultural identity. Creative networking activities will contribute to revitalizing the heritage, so that cuisine truly becomes an important resource to promote the development of the capital's cultural industry.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-di-san-am-thuc-thu-do-189139.html