The 12th International Food Festival, held on December 7-8, 2024, at the Diplomatic Corps in Hanoi, was a vibrant cultural, culinary, and diplomatic event. This annual gathering featured the participation of foreign embassies, cultural centers, local foreign affairs departments, businesses, associations, sponsors, and agencies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Under the theme “Gastronomy of Unity,” the festival united over 130 booths, creating a diverse culinary landscape. Guests indulged in captivating culinary performances and experiences led by Vietnamese artisans and professional chefs, alongside foreign participants. Highlights included a giant bánh mì sandwich with Chin-su chili sauce, bánh chưng from the Thai Hai village in Northwest Vietnam, and a 12-meter-long colorful pho roll.
CHIN-SU BOOTH ATTRACTS VISITORS
As the main sponsor of the 12th International Food Festival, Masan Consumer Holdings, introduced its well-known brand, Chin-su, which has been making waves in the international food scene. Their presence at the festival attracted significant attention, building on the brand’s recent global culinary successes.
Masan Consumer, a leading Vietnamese consumer goods company, has taken its renowned products, such as Chin-Su chili sauce, Nam Ngư fish sauce, Vinacafé coffee, and Omachi noodles, to over 20 countries and territories worldwide. In November, Chin-su chili sauce made a bold statement with large-scale billboard advertisements in bustling streets in South Korea and Japan, including Myeongdong (Seoul) and Dotonbori (Osaka). This created a buzz, drawing visitors to the locations and sparking social media trends with hashtags like #Chinsujapan and #Chinsukorea, solidifying Chin-su’s global reach.
An early visitor to the event, Anna from Turkey, shared her excitement: “I got to taste various dishes from countries I haven’t had the chance to visit. I was particularly thrilled to try Chin-su Sriracha chili sauce at their booth. A friend of mine who traveled to Japan raved about it being a favorite among the Japanese. Indeed, the chili sauce’s fruity spiciness elevated every dish I tried.”
PROMOTING VIETNAMESE CUISINE WORLDWIDE
Masan Consumer’s participation in the festival not only celebrated the unique flavors of Vietnamese spices but also served as a platform to introduce Vietnamese cuisine to a global audience. With their “Go Global – Make Vietnamese Foods Global Foods” strategy, the company is dedicated to promoting its products worldwide, elevating Vietnamese cuisine on the international stage.
Raja, a Pakistani food entrepreneur and owner of the Nan n kabab restaurant chain in Hanoi, shared his insights after living in Vietnam for 19 years. He noticed similarities in the use of spices in Vietnamese and Pakistani cuisines. According to Raja, the festival provided an excellent opportunity to connect different culinary cultures and allowed foreigners like himself to explore the richness of Vietnamese spices and cuisine.
“Both Vietnamese and Pakistani cuisines rely on spices to create unique flavors,” he said. “I’ve experimented with using Vietnamese spices in Pakistani dishes and even made Vietnamese bò né with Pakistani spices, receiving much praise. I’m glad to be part of this festival, learning more about Vietnamese cuisine and sharing the traditions of Pakistani cuisine and the uniqueness of Halal food.”
The 2024 International Food Festival left lasting impressions, as reflected in the words of Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam: “This event united people from diverse cultures through the common language of food. From the robust flavors of Southeast Asia to the refined dishes of Europe, the festival offered a rich and diverse culinary journey.”
Cleared for Takeoff: CHIN-SU Phở Story Soars with Vietjet Airways
On December 4th, Masan Consumer Holdings and Vietjet Airlines signed a strategic partnership agreement to bring CHIN-SU Phở Story, a Masan Consumer brand, and the essence of Vietnamese cuisine to Vietjet’s domestic and international flights. This collaboration aims to promote Vietnamese culture to the world by offering delicious and authentic culinary experiences to passengers and tourists alike.
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