The Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2024, together with the ceremony announcing the inclusion of “Hanoi Pho” as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, was officially opened at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi.
Themed “Hanoi Connects the World,” this year’s Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival aims to honor, preserve, and promote the capital’s rich cultural and culinary heritage. The event seeks to strengthen and elevate Hanoi’s cultural and culinary reputation by creating a unique, high-quality experience that highlights its timeless traditions.
The event showcases Hanoi as a distinctive destination for tourism, culture, and cuisine. It also offers a platform for Hanoi, in collaboration with foreign embassies, local organizations, and individuals, to exchange ideas and promote their products.
SSpeaking at the opening ceremony of the festival, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Vu Thu Ha, expressed Hanoi’s pride in being home to a rich cultural heritage. She highlighted the city’s deep and diverse legacy, shaped by the融合 of Thang Long culture with the regional traditions of Son Tay (west), Dong Hai (east), Kinh Bac (north), and Son Nam Thuong (south).
She said that, alongside Me Tri green rice flakes, Phu Thuong steamed sticky rice, and Quang An lotus tea, Hanoi Pho was honored in 2024 by being added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. “This milestone is a significant achievement, serving as both an honor and a source of pride for the local community and food enthusiasts. It also provides a crucial legal foundation for implementing measures to preserve and promote Hanoi Pho, or beef noodle soup,” she said.
At the festival, visitors will have the chance to immerse themselves in a culinary culture space, showcasing traditional craft villages and live artisan demonstrations. The culinary heritage highlights include iconic dishes such as Hanoi Pho, West Lake shrimp cakes, Phu Do rice stick noodles, Uoc Le pork bologna, Vong Village green rice flakes, Me Tri green rice flakes, Phu Thuong steamed sticky rice and sweet desserts, Tranh Khuc green sticky rice cakes, Phung shredded pork skin rolls, Quan Ganh white sticky rice cakes, Phu Nhi cylindrical rice cakes, Quang Phu Cau ‘knocked’ congee, Ha Mo ‘kneaded’ congee, and So Village vermicelli.
The highlight of the festival is the preservation and promotion of Hanoi Pho. The Organizing Committee plans to announce the inclusion of “Hanoi Pho” in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, launch a dedicated Hanoi Cuisine column in the Kinh te & Do thi (Economic and Urban) Newspaper, and host a conference themed ‘Preserving and Promoting the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hanoi Pho.’ These efforts aim to celebrate and safeguard this iconic dish as a vital part of Hanoi’s cultural legacy.
Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee and his deputy Vu Thu Ha and delegates visited the festival. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi
In particular, the “Pho So Ha Thanh” or “Hanoi City’s Digital Pho” program highlights the role of technology and digital transformation in the Vietnamese food industry. Visitors will have the opportunity to sample traditional Hanoi Pho as well as “Digital Pho,” where smart robots take on cooking and serving tasks.
Robots perform Pho preparation
On the occasion of the Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2024, Hanoi, in collaboration with international partners and localities from across the country, will continue to promote and share the cultural values and specialty products of each region and nation with both locals and tourists.
The festival also features a variety of activities, including a photo exhibition showcasing artworks that promote both domestic and international cultures, tourism, and regional cuisines, as well as a mobile book exhibition focused on these themes and fostering international cooperation. In addition, there will be folk games, traditional and modern art performances, and conferences on topics such as enhancing human resource quality and developing culinary culture.
The Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2024 will be held over three days, from November 29 to December 1, at Thong Nhat Park in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
By Jenna Duong
