Cooking and writing are very similar, both require love and creativity.

Journalist Vinh Quyen is busy with a pot of crab noodle soup before welcoming guests to the workshop - Photo: HO LAM

On the evening of June 11, the workshop Journalists and Kitchen Stories took place in Ho Chi Minh City. This was a friendly meeting between journalist Vinh Quyen, one of the admins of the group "Ha Thanh Huong Xua Vi Cu" (more than 15,000 members), journalist Luong Thi Bich Ngoc and friends in the profession .

This cultural activity was organized by journalist Luong Thi Bich Ngoc.

There, they shared stories about journalism, life and enjoyed some Hanoi dishes in a rustic, intimate space. The event was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025).

Dining table with delicious Hanoi dishes such as: fried spring rolls, spring rolls, roasted peanuts with basil - Photo: HO LAM

Hanoi crab vermicelli soup with tomatoes, shrimp paste and vinegar

Confiding to the attendees before enjoying the dishes, Ms. Vinh Quyen said: "There are children of Hanoi in the middle of Saigon who crave typical Hanoi dishes but it is really not easy to find.

Even in Hanoi now, some delicious dishes can no longer have the original taste of the past. So we decided to find that through today's workshop."

Hanoi dishes cooked by Ms. Vinh Quyen and some friends include: nem chao, bun rieu, banana flower chicken salad...

A bowl of Hanoi crab vermicelli soup with simple ingredients, served with shrimp paste, chili, vinegar, and raw vegetables - Photo: HO LAM

Traditional fried spring rolls in Hanoi only have meat filling, which is a little different from spring rolls in Saigon (commonly called spring rolls) and those in the Central region. On the dining table, diners can also see roasted peanuts with basil in a paper funnel rolled like a trumpet, a very familiar image to the people of old Hanoi.

In particular, according to Ms. Quyen, diners can also enjoy a bowl of simple vermicelli soup with the typical taste of Hanoi. There are no duck eggs, pork rinds, ham, beef, etc. The vermicelli soup only has crab, tomatoes, vinegar, green onions, chili, shrimp paste, and is served with raw vegetables.

"That's all, but this bowl of vermicelli soup has a very light taste, sweet and sour. This is a dish that is meant to be enjoyed, not eaten to fill your stomach" - Ms. Quyen said.

To make the crab noodle soup clear, Ms. Quyen recommends simmering it over low heat and continuously skimming off the foam. The broth will be clear if there is no blanched meat or bones in it, and the crab will sweeten the broth - Photo: HO LAM

Love sent in words and dishes

Confiding in Tuoi Tre Online, journalist Vinh Quyen said that for her, journalism is like cooking. Before starting to write, journalists need to clearly define what they will write about, just as a cook must know what dish they are going to cook today.

"Once you have a topic, the next step is to find sources of information, and with cooking, it is choosing ingredients. The news must be new, accurate, and attractive, and the ingredients must be fresh and delicious for the dish to be complete. But above all, both journalists and cooks cannot lack emotions.

Without emotion, writing will be dry and lifeless; just like food without heart and love will be bland.

Journalism is a combination of principles and personal touches. We still adhere to the core values of the profession, but writers need to have their own perspective and way of expression to create their own identity.

This is like a good chef, even though he cooks traditional dishes, he still knows how to be creative in the preparation and presentation to create his own style. Each article or dish contains the feelings, meticulousness and heart of the person who makes it," said Ms. Quyen.