Today Michelin Guide announced the list of restaurants in Vietnam: Will Banh Mi fall like in 2023?

Although Vietnamese bread is a famous dish honored by many international newspapers and included in the Oxford dictionary, up to now there has not been any shop specializing in selling bread in Vietnam that has been honored with any awards by the Michelin Guide.

The absence of bread

Last year, in its first appearance in Vietnam, Michelin Guide honored 103 restaurants/eateries with 4 award categories, including 4 Michelin-starred restaurants, 70 Michelin Selected restaurants/eateries (Michelin recommended), 29 Bib Gourmand restaurants (delicious, affordable restaurants), and 3 Michelin Guide Special Award recipients.

Banh mi is a famous Vietnamese dish, known to many tourists.

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This year, in the second announcement of Michelin Guide in Vietnam, in the Bib Gourmand category (cheap and delicious restaurants) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there are a total of 42 restaurants (18 restaurants in Hanoi and 24 establishments in Ho Chi Minh City). Other categories will be announced on June 27. In the list of cheap and delicious restaurants in 2024, banh mi is still absent, even though banh mi is a real cheap dish in Vietnam with an average price of 20,000 VND/loaf. It is understandable that when Michelin Guide chose Vietnam last year, the Vietnamese culinary map was once again honored globally. But with its own criteria, Michelin Guide did not choose banh mi. In the Bib Gourmand category this year, 18 restaurants in Hanoi have up to 5 pho restaurants, in Ho Chi Minh City there are up to 8 pho restaurants. Many Vietnamese people wonder, thousands of netizens ask: When talking about Vietnamese cuisine, choosing pho and not banh mi is a mistake. In an interview with Vietnamese media last year, Mr. Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guide, affirmed that "there is no bias" between pho and banh mi. Michelin's appraisers always evaluate dishes with an open mind, focusing on the quality of the dish instead of location or popularity.

However, the lack of bread in the Michelin Guide categories makes many people wonder.

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In his explanation, there is a particularity in the 5 criteria of Michelin Guide which could be the main reason. These 5 criteria which are common standards worldwide include:

1. Food quality
2. Cooking skills
3. Harmony of flavors
4. The chef's personality is expressed through his dishes.
5. Consistency of food over time and across the menu.

Are Vietnamese sandwich shops that have not been "named" by Michelin because they have not met this criterion? In response to this question, a famous Vietnamese chef who has worked in one, two and three Michelin-starred restaurants explained that this could be part of the reason. "Many Vietnamese sandwich shops are not restaurants but mainly sell takeaway food. Besides, the vast majority of places do not have their own culinary art, when you have to buy pork sausage, bread, pate, etc. How many places sell sandwiches that are 100% self-made, make their own bread and ingredients? I think this is also something that Michelin has a headache about when evaluating Vietnamese sandwiches to put on the list," the chef shared. The chef expressed his opinion that if there were to be sandwich shops appearing in the upcoming Michelin honoring event, they would most likely have changed to suit the culinary culture of the Vietnamese people. The above comment is indeed very realistic in Vietnam. Sandwich carts are everywhere, sandwich brands are mostly takeout, there's a lack of space, and there's a lack of a real "chef" to create dishes revolving around sandwiches. See how Michelin calls the California hamburger: The hamburger has been an American food since the early 20th century and has seen many variations from fast food to high-end dishes with pan-seared foie gras. Nothing beats a perfectly cooked burger. That's why we sent our judges to collect our favorites. From vegan versions served in a rustic and equally special stone house to venison dishes at the artful Hauser & Wirth, these are the best MICHELIN Guide burger spots in California. Although American bread is also a fast food in Vietnam, according to the Michelin Guide criteria, they have very special shops to make the most perfect bread, and have a space for diners to enjoy the food most comfortably. In Vietnam, does anyone go to a restaurant to eat Vietnamese bread? This is a difficult question to answer. There are Michelin-starred restaurants that still sell bread for a million a loaf, but it is just a dish on the menu, they are not specialized.

Hope the bread is honored by the Michelin Guide

For nearly 20 years making bread, Mr. Quang Huy, owner of the famous Trang bread shop in District 1 (HCMC), said that being recognized by Michelin is the dream of any shop, including him. In his shop's bread, the "soul" lies in the pork sausage, fried sausage, and pate that he makes himself. He orders the bread and ham to be made on another side. The owner "revealed" that the special thing about his bread lies in the use of pure, natural pork taken from the "hot" pork source from the farm. The pork is processed within 2 hours after slaughter, so the meat is fresh and does not use preservatives.

According to experts, it is possible that sandwich shops may not meet Michelin's criteria because they do not produce their own ingredients for their sandwiches and mostly sell them to go.

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I don't know about their criteria, I only know that when I open a shop, if there are any bad points, I will change, add, and improve every day to operate better, bringing customers the best experiences from my sandwiches, not only in quality and taste but also in service. I really hope that one day I can meet the standards set by Michelin...

Mr. Quang Huy, owner of Trang bread shop

In the categories honored by Michelin, he himself is also vague about Michelin's criteria. Mr. Huy said that currently each Trang bread loaf costs from 69,000 to 79,000 VND. The owner affirmed that he will continue to strive to receive more recognition from experts and diners. Meanwhile, the owner of another famous sandwich shop also located in District 1 (HCMC) said that the reason why the sandwich shops are absent from the Michelin list is because they do not meet the criteria.

Banh mi is usually a take-out food.

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“The bread is mainly sold for take-out, not served on-site. We don’t make all the ingredients ourselves, and it’s not done by a chef like in a restaurant or eatery, so it’s hard to get on their list. Being honored is a good thing, but if not, it’s okay because the important thing is the recognition of the diners,” he said.

I "starred" myself

Auntie Gai, whose real name is Nguyen Thi Dau (80 years old), the owner of the famous Nhu Lan bakery in Ho Chi Minh City, said she does not care too much about whether her bread is honored or recognized by the Michelin Guide. After more than half a century of selling Vietnamese bread, from a small bakery, the owner proudly said that she had to "give stars" to her own bread first, and had to make sure that the bread was delicious and of good quality. From there, the shop will receive recognition, with a special star in the hearts of diners for the shop.

Each loaf of bread Nhu Lan sells for 30,000 VND

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Customers eating Banh Mi Nhu Lan can sit and eat.

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"At Nhu Lan, each loaf of bread is still affordable at 30,000 VND, if customers want to eat more, it's 35,000 VND. I sell so that all working people can come and buy and enjoy the bread," the owner confided. In a loaf of Nhu Lan bread, there is ham, pate, pork sausage, sauce... Aunt Gai said that most of the ingredients in a loaf of Nhu Lan bread are produced by her, because she has her own bakery and a factory that produces all kinds of meat and sausage. This is also the secret for the owner to control the quality of each ingredient in the bread. According to Aunt Gai, each ingredient in a loaf of bread must be put into it with care. For example, the pate the shop makes itself must import fresh, good quality liver and be carefully prepared before processing, otherwise it will easily be fishy or have an undesirable flavor. "If customers want to eat there, there is a separate space for them to sit. We have maintained the same taste of the bread over the years, if we do it well, customers will love it," the owner said.

Famous Sau Minh sandwich

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Bread here sells for 40,000 - 50,000 VND

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Mr. Tran Thanh Tam, owner of the Sau Minh sandwich shop with nearly half a century of experience in Ho Chi Minh City, said he knows the criteria of the Michelin Guide and understands why the sandwich has not been named. "Banh mi is a street food, mostly sold for take-away, quick and not served on-site like a restaurant. Not all sandwich carts outside ensure food hygiene and safety. If they want to be honored, sandwich shops need to change to comply with Michelin's criteria," according to the shop's point of view. Sau Minh sandwich is sold 24/7, each loaf costs between 40,000 and 50,000 VND. The "secret" of the sandwich here is the owner's homemade pate and butter. The types of meat and sausage he uses, some are homemade, some must be bought outside, but he affirms that they are all the best.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hom-nay-michelin-guide-cong-bo-danh-sach-quan-an-o-viet-nam-banh-mi-lieu-co-danh-rot-nhu-2023-185240625164118927.htm