Concerns about the food village model

For veteran Nguyen Dac Long, his years in the military instilled in him a spirit of discipline and unwavering determination, never backing down in the face of difficulties. Born in 1969 in Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi , at the age of 17, Nguyen Dac Long volunteered to enlist in the 47th Regiment, Capital Military Region (now the Hanoi Capital Command). After training, he was specially selected to join a special reconnaissance unit thanks to his agility, courage, and high sense of responsibility.

During his military service, in addition to training and combat readiness duties, he participated with law enforcement in crime crackdowns in Hanoi, especially targeting thieves and pickpockets operating at train stations and bus terminals. Those years of service in a dangerous environment helped him forge his courage, perseverance, and resilience.

Veteran Nguyen Dac Long (seated in the middle) at an annual reunion with his comrades.

In 1990, he was discharged from the army and returned to his hometown, beginning his career in Hanoi. He worked various jobs to make a living, constantly seeking knowledge and learning to stabilize his life. Later, he ventured into the food service industry and made a name for himself during the 2004-2005 period, gaining recognition from many diners.

A turning point came for him in 2009, during a visit to Bai Dinh Pagoda. He fell in love with Ninh Binh and decided to settle there. He built a restaurant in the Trang An scenic area, featuring authentic local style and flavors.

Veteran Nguyen Dac Long and his Thanh Long restaurant chain were honored at the 2025 VITA Award of the Vietnam Tourism Association.

When business was booming, the restaurant was attracting a large number of customers and beginning to build its reputation, but Mr. Nguyen Dac Long made an unconventional decision: to campaign for the establishment of a Ninh Binh mountain goat culinary village. “This was a very difficult time for me. To build the culinary village, I accepted giving up my unique characteristics and brand, aiming for all restaurants in the village to use the same signboard, publicly display prices, and maintain consistent quality. My wish was to put an end to the image of restaurant staff aggressively soliciting customers at tourist and spiritual sites. This situation was both unsightly and negatively impacted the quality of restaurants and the Ninh Binh culinary brand, creating a bad impression on tourists,” Mr. Nguyen Dac Long confided.

Without hesitation, Mr. Nguyen Dac Long began campaigning to encourage each business household to participate in the culinary village model. According to him, the initial phase was very difficult because people were accustomed to the old ways of doing things and didn't fully trust the new model. Not only did he persistently persuade them, but he also demonstrated his capabilities through concrete actions by hiring instructors from tourism training schools to guide them in service skills, communication, and building a professional image for the restaurants.

When the culinary village officially opened and commenced operations, 40 restaurants had joined with the common goal of developing sustainable tourism, building brands through quality service and civilized business practices.

Although the culinary village did not operate for a long time due to various objective and subjective reasons, that period helped Mr. Nguyen Dac Long accumulate valuable experience and further affirm his focus on developing Ninh Binh's distinctive culinary identity.

Develop unique and distinctive products.

Dishes made from goat meat have long been a source of pride and a renowned product of Ninh Binh province. Amidst numerous food service establishments and restaurants specializing in goat meat, creating a unique brand with a distinct identity is no easy feat. Aware of these challenges, Mr. Nguyen Dac Long remains determined to develop a restaurant model specializing in goat dishes. For him, this is not just a business venture, but also a way to make a practical contribution to the ancient capital region, bringing local specialties further into domestic and international markets.

Veteran Nguyen Dac Long stands beside his prized product made from Ninh Binh goat meat.

Having moved from Hanoi to Ninh Binh to start his business, he always believed in building a reputation through sincerity and a systematic approach to gain the trust and respect of the local people. When expanding his operations to three locations in Ninh Binh, he focused on building a brand based on product quality, reasonable prices, and tightly controlled raw materials. At the same time, he continuously researched and created many unique goat products such as goat spring rolls, goat pate, smoked goat meat, and especially smoked goat leg – a product that has become his signature.

The idea for smoked goat leg came to Mr. Nguyen Dac Long when he noticed the increasing popularity of Spanish smoked pork leg in the Vietnamese market. From then on, he pondered how to create a similar product that was distinctly Vietnamese, retaining the characteristic flavor of Ninh Binh mountain goat while also appealing to modern tastes and winning over international diners.

The production process at veteran Nguyen Dac Long's facility is well-invested, ensuring product quality.

To turn his idea into reality, he embarked on a research journey that lasted many months. During the testing phase, hundreds of batches of smoked goat legs had to be discarded because they did not meet the requirements. Despite numerous failures, he did not give up but continued to adjust the recipe, changing the spice ratios and smoking methods to find the most suitable flavor. In 2022, the smoked goat leg product was officially launched. When introduced to international culinary experts and diners, including Japanese culinary experts, the product received much praise for its rich flavor while still retaining the natural sweetness of the goat meat. The smoked goat leg was subsequently featured at several international culinary forums and highly appreciated by culinary experts as a product with a distinctly Vietnamese character.

Veteran Nguyen Dac Long (second from the right) actively participates in the activities of the Vietnam Veteran Entrepreneurs Business Association.

Beyond focusing on business development, Mr. Nguyen Dac Long actively connects the local tourism and culinary community. In 2022, he participated in the establishment of the Ninh Binh Provincial Restaurant Association, under the Vietnam Tourism Association – the first restaurant association in the country. From the beginning, the association has aimed to build a civilized business environment, rejecting opportunistic and unsustainable practices. To date, the association has gathered dozens of members, including many 3-star and 5-star hotels and major tourist destinations. Subsequently, he continued to participate in the establishment of the Chefs Association, under the Restaurant Association, to improve service quality and preserve the value of local cuisine.

Mr. Nguyen Dac Long also actively participates in the activities of the Vietnam Veterans' Business Association. Besides production and business linkages, the Association regularly organizes "Remembering Our Roots" programs and social welfare activities. This is also the heartfelt belief of veterans, including Mr. Nguyen Dac Long, who always strive to uphold the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers and contribute to the community.

Currently, his restaurant system provides stable employment for over 100 local workers, with average incomes ranging from 8 to 25 million VND per month, contributing to improving the lives of local people and developing tourism in Ninh Binh.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/noi-nguoi-chien-si-tro-ve/nguoi-cuu-chien-binh-nang-long-voi-vung-dat-co-do-1039993