How can Vietnamese bread become a "cultural ambassador"?

VHO - On April 25th, a scientific seminar titled "Vietnamese Bread: From Culinary Heritage Value to Global Brand Positioning" was held in Ho Chi Minh City.

Experts attending the seminar

The seminar is an activity within the framework of the 4th Vietnam Bread Festival 2026, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Magazine.

Continuing the tradition of celebrating banh mi from the 2023, 2024, and 2025 festivals, this year's seminar focuses on a not-so-new but increasingly urgent issue: how to truly elevate a familiar street food into a professional culinary brand with international reach.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, acknowledged that Vietnamese bread has been recognized as a valuable culinary heritage.

However, the current challenge lies in establishing an approach, positioning, and brand dissemination on a global scale. According to her, this is a problem that the organizing committee and related units are still trying to solve through networking, research, and in-depth dialogue.

A notable aspect of this year's festival is the participation of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opening up new avenues for connection between Vietnam and France. This presence is seen as a foundation for deeper cooperation in the future, particularly in the fields of cuisine and tourism.

The three main presentations at the seminar offered several noteworthy approaches. Among them, Professor Eric Jose Olmede Panal (Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance) focused on the "reverse crossover" phenomenon of Vietnamese bread in France.

He argues that the journey of Vietnamese bread can be explained through a "heritage loop," where an imported product is localized, then returns to conquer its original culture with a new identity.

According to Professor Eric Jose Olmede Panal's analysis, this transformation is reflected in three factors: the modified shape of the loaf of bread to better suit tastes and consumer habits; the emergence of East Asian culinary elements such as pickles, herbs, and spices; and the process of establishing a distinct identity within modern French society.

The case of Vietnamese bread, therefore, serves as evidence of a reverse movement in the flow of culture, rather than simply one-way acceptance as is customary.

Professor Eric Jose Olmede Panal shared that studying Vietnamese bread in France today is necessary because it shows how a heritage is not forgotten or rejected, but rather reborn and becomes a symbol connecting the past and the present.

Researcher Nham Hung analyzes the variations of Vietnamese banh mi across the three regions of North, Central, and South Vietnam. From local ingredients to preparation methods, each region creates its own variations, contributing to a diverse "flavor map." According to him, this flexibility is what gives Vietnamese banh mi its enduring vitality and is the foundation for its adaptability when entering the international market.

Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Hien and Dr. Le Thi Thanh Thuy address the issue from a strategic perspective. The authors propose a roadmap to elevate Vietnamese bread through the digitization of its heritage, the application of technology in quality management, and compliance with international standards such as Halal and Gluten-free. The goal is not just promotion, but building Vietnamese bread into a sustainable culinary brand.

Experts affirm that bread has become one of the unforgettable memories for Vietnamese people.

During the discussion, many opinions focused on how Vietnamese bread can truly become a "cultural ambassador." Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Hien, Head of Training at the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, affirmed that bread has become one of the unforgettable memories for Vietnamese people.

According to him, the enduring vitality of the baguette comes from a natural process of passing down skills through many generations, a journey of continuous innovation since the French baguette first arrived in Vietnam. What's special is that throughout that journey, each generation not only absorbed the techniques but also constantly modified the bread to better suit local tastes and lifestyles.

Ms. Tran Thi Hien Minh, Vice President of the Vietnam Bread Association, believes that Vietnamese bread has all the conditions to become a national culinary heritage. "Our bread reflects the cultural exchange between East and West, while also creating a unique version closely associated with street culture," Ms. Minh remarked.

For her, this is the foundation for Vietnamese bread to become a "cultural ambassador," just as sushi is associated with Japan or kimchi represents Korea on the world culinary map.

Associate Professor Phan Anh Tú, Head of the Department of Cultural Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, believes that the success of Vietnamese banh mi is linked to the open cultural characteristics of its cuisine. Unlike many countries with religious barriers or strict regulations, the Vietnamese cultural environment allows for flexible acceptance and adaptation, thereby creating conditions for banh mi to develop into a unique symbol.

Besides market strategy, the issue of standardization was also emphasized. Ms. Tran Thi Hien Minh noted that standardization does not mean uniformity. According to her, it is necessary to build a value chain from raw materials to distribution in a systematic way, but still preserve the unique recipes and secrets of each establishment – ​​the elements that create the identity and appeal of Vietnamese bread.

Experts also agree that training is a key factor. Beyond professional baking training, equipping tourism staff with cultural knowledge is also crucial, enabling them to tell the story of Vietnamese bread more fully and convincingly to international tourists.

Food safety and hygiene, a challenge inherent in street food, is also a mandatory requirement for expansion into the global market. Bread, with its popularity and convenience, requires even stricter quality control throughout the entire production chain.

Opinions suggest that, from recognition to becoming a global brand, Vietnamese bread still has a long way to go.

At the seminar, many proposals were put forward, such as developing a set of standards for identifying Vietnamese bread, organizing an annual "Vietnamese Bread Day," or elevating the Bread Festival into a unique tourism product. Notably, the idea of ​​building a Bread Museum also received attention and was considered a feasible approach to both preserve history and create a tourism highlight.

The inclusion of bread in the Oxford Dictionary marks a significant milestone. However, according to experts, the journey from recognition to becoming a global brand is still a long one, requiring coordinated efforts between regulatory bodies, businesses, researchers, and professionals in the industry.

Associate Professor Huynh Quoc Thang, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, hopes that the opinions expressed at the seminar will be compiled into documents for research and teaching on culinary culture, and at the same time suggest solutions for management agencies and businesses in developing business and promoting "cultural diplomacy through cuisine," contributing to elevating the value of Vietnamese bread on the international stage.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/lam-sao-de-banh-mi-viet-tro-thanh-dai-su-van-hoa-222665.html