The event features around 50 participants, including four- and five-star hotels, resorts and restaurants, as well as tourism-linked localities from across Vietnam.

A highlight of this year’s edition is the first-time participation of representatives from the Consulates General of the Netherlands and Thailand, along with several international culinary brands. Their presence expands the festival’s scope, fostering greater cultural exchange between Vietnam and the global culinary community.

According to Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, chairwoman of Saigontourist Group and head of the festival’s steering committee, the event serves as a platform to showcase cuisine, connect heritage values and promote regional cultural identities. It also contributes to enhancing the global profile of Vietnamese gastronomy.

She noted that the festival continues to grow in both scale and international reach, with the long-term goal of becoming a signature cultural-tourism product of Ho Chi Minh City.

The festival space is designed to reflect Vietnam’s three culinary regions, featuring themed areas dedicated to the Northwest, Central region, coastal cuisine, royal cuisine, Southern specialties, traditional cake villages, Vietnamese tea, vegetarian dishes and an “International Cuisine” zone.

Visitors can enjoy hundreds of dishes ranging from rustic local fare to highland specialties and royal delicacies, alongside modern green menus. The international food area, with participation from foreign chefs and diplomatic representatives, adds a fresh and diverse dimension to the event.

In addition to culinary experiences, the festival hosts discussions on industry trends linked to sustainable tourism. Notable sessions include “Vietnamese Culinary Excellence Goes Global” on March 27 and “Green Tourism – Riverine Cuisine” on March 28.

Traditional cultural performances and activities also enrich the festival atmosphere, including Cham dance, bai choi singing, Hue folk music, don ca tai tu and Central Highlands gong performances. At craft experience zones, visitors can watch artisans make traditional cakes, weave conical hats and produce ceramics.

The Saigontourist Culinary Culture, Delicacies Festival is the only event in Vietnam to have received the title of “World’s Best Culinary Festival” for three consecutive years from World Culinary Awards (2023–2025), as well as “Asia’s Best Culinary Festival” for four consecutive years (2022–2025).

Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine promoted to diplomatic community in US

The Vietnamese Embassy in the US, in coordination with the ASEAN Spouses Circle in Washington D.C. (ASC), on March 6 hosted an event titled “Vietnamese Vegetarian Culinary Experience” to introduce the distinctive features of Vietnam’s vegetarian culinary culture to the diplomatic community in the US.