Bringing Myanmar cuisine to the world.

Despite its rich and unique flavors, Myanmar's traditional cuisine remains relatively unknown on the world map. This is rapidly changing thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of people from the "Land of Buddha" to promote their homeland's specialties to the international community.

Thwe Thwe Min, owner of the 95YOOYA restaurant in Ebisu Ward, Tokyo, Japan. (Source: 95YOOYA)

Traditional flavor

Due to its geographical location, Myanmar's cuisine is a blend of South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures, along with unique local ingredients. The dishes are characterized by rich flavors, fresh ingredients, and skillful preparation techniques that balance the five main tastes: sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and bitter.

According to Corriander Leaf Group, one of Myanmar's upscale restaurant chains, when discussing the cuisine of this Southeast Asian country, one cannot overlook mohinga – a rich fish soup seasoned with lemongrass, shallots, and a blend of spices – or shan noodles, with their hand-pulled noodles, rich broth, and various toppings.

As one of the few countries that uses tea leaves as food, tea leaf salad (lephet thoke) is a favorite dish in Myanmar. The skillful combination of fermented tea leaves, crunchy nuts, and other ingredients creates a refreshing and flavorful experience. Curry dishes are also particularly impressive, with their blend of spices. From mildly spicy to very spicy, Myanmar curries offer a symphony of flavors that can satisfy the palates of many diners.

Myanmar's street food offers a diverse sensory experience. From samosas and crispy fried donuts served with a special tamarind sauce to succulent Mandalay skewers with their juicy meat and vegetables that linger long after the last bite, the culinary journey wouldn't be complete without Mont Lone Yay Paw – a sweet treat typically made with sticky rice and palm sugar…

"Mission" of promotion

For those from Myanmar living abroad, traditional dishes are always a connecting thread to their homeland. Through community-building activities, they discuss recipes, cook together, and find ways to introduce their native cuisine to international friends.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that Thailand has received 4.1 million migrants from Myanmar. Therefore, the Land of Smiles also has a large number of restaurants serving Myanmar cuisine.

Among the most famous are Pinnacle Haus restaurant located in Bangkok's bustling Sukhumvit Road, which serves traditional dishes; Loft Burmese Eatery, known for its large portions of Shan sakaw htamin, a traditional Shan rice dish; and Rangoon Tea House, famous for its street food and Burmese tea…

According to Nikkei Asia , many Myanmar citizens living abroad are becoming ambassadors promoting their country's cuisine throughout Asia and the world. Most notably, Phyu Cyn (nicknamed Lady Goo Goo), formerly a public relations consultant, specializes in organizing international food events in Myanmar. She currently organizes dinner clubs and pop-up food events in major cities such as Hong Kong (China), Stockholm (Sweden), Paris (France), and Brussels (Belgium). She shared: "I want to promote Myanmar cuisine to as many people as possible. That is my mission."

Food at the Myanmar Pinnacle Haus restaurant in Bangkok. (Source: Pinnacle Haus)

To bring the flavors of Myanmar cuisine closer to international diners, the dishes are creatively redesigned compared to traditional dishes.

For example, in the dish laphet gremolata, she adapted the ancient laphet thoke (fermented tea leaf salad) into a sauce similar to gremolata (a spicy Italian sauce) to pair with rice cakes and seasonal vegetables. Not stopping there, in November 2024, at a pop-up event in Bangkok called “Friends of Myanmar,” she collaborated with Htun Htun, a Myanmar chef working in France, to create national dishes infused with a touch of French style.

From samosas and traditional tea leaves served in chickpea tarts topped with grilled shrimp and corn, to mont lin mayar – a street food made from rice flour upgraded with scallops instead of quail eggs, and shwe htamin (yellow sticky rice) with coconut cream instead of grated coconut… The dishes all have a modern touch, yet still retain the distinctive characteristics of Myanmar cuisine.

Chef Orng Joitamoi, head chef at the newly opened Echo Dining restaurant in M-tower (Yangon, Myanmar), recently held a pop-up event showcasing the cuisine of his homeland in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. He transformed simple homemade dishes such as chicken stewed in gourd, grilled sea bream wrapped in noni leaves, and pork stewed with fermented mung beans into visually stunning and sophisticated dishes.

To bring the flavors of Myanmar cuisine closer to international diners, the dishes are creatively redesigned compared to traditional dishes.

Tell the story of the country...

The number of Myanmar's culinary "ambassadors" is growing steadily. Many hope to promote their national cuisine to global diners and, in doing so, tell the world the story of their country.

One of the most successful examples today is Thwe Thwe Min (or Stephani Mah), owner of the 95YOOYA restaurant located in Tokyo's Ebisu district (Japan). To realize her idea, she quit her senior job in the insurance industry in Singapore to move to Japan, starting to serve Burmese cuisine in October 2023.

Thwe Thwe said that the menu at 95YOOYA reflects her childhood memories, showcasing the authentic flavors of Myanmar cuisine. She hopes that 95YOOYA will serve as a bridge between cultures, using food as a common language to share the stories of Myanmar. “Through the dishes, I want to share with the world the authentic flavors, warmth, and hospitality of Myanmar.” She is delighted that “people love and appreciate the unique flavors” from the Land of Smiles.

With the initial desire to create community cultural venues that reflect the unique identity of their homeland, where overseas Myanmar people could enjoy their native cuisine, through long-term, tireless efforts, these "ambassadors" have contributed to spreading the unique traditional cuisine, with its rich historical stories and cultural diversity, of the "land of Buddha" to international friends.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/mang-am-thuc-myanmar-ra-the-gioi-308282.html