At the Hanoi Food Culture Festival 2025, taking place on the evening of December 19, organizers will announce the official recognition of the “knowledge of preparing and enjoying Cha Ca La Vong” as part of Vietnam’s national intangible cultural heritage.

W-vanhoa2.jpg
Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

Running from December 19 to 21 at Thong Nhat Park, the festival is organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports under the theme Hanoi – A culinary journey of creative connection.

The event aims to celebrate the values of Hanoi's cuisine, transforming it into an attractive cultural tourism product and contributing to the development of the city's cultural industry.

According to Le Thi Anh Mai, Deputy Director of the department, the expansion of Hanoi's administrative boundaries and the blending of various cultural influences have led to a rich and diverse culinary identity.

To date, Hanoi has seven culinary heritages recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, including Hanoi pho, Me Tri green rice, Quang An lotus tea, Phu Thuong sticky rice, Thanh Tri steamed rolls, and Bat Trang’s banquet-making knowledge.

At the opening ceremony on December 19, organizers will officially announce the recognition of Cha Ca La Vong's culinary knowledge as part of the national heritage list, along with the story of six generations of the Doan family behind the iconic dish.

W-vanhoa1.jpg
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Bai

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Bai, Vice Chairman of the National Council for Cultural Heritage, the origins of Cha Ca go beyond family history - they tell a deeply cultural story.

In old Hanoi households, Cha Ca was often a treasured dish reserved for loved ones. Over time, it evolved into a culinary memory passed down through generations - rich in flavor and meaning - becoming a story to share with travelers, especially international visitors.

He emphasized that the value of Cha Ca lies not just in its taste but in the entire process of preparation and consumption: from slicing the fish, marinating, grilling, to stir-frying in sizzling fat and serving with vermicelli, herbs, dill, and roasted peanuts.

Together, these steps form a kind of "culinary ritual," where the cook’s emotions and skills merge with the eater’s experience.

Assoc. Prof. Bai added that dishes like Cha Ca represent both cultural heritage and tourism resources.

Today, cuisine is not just a daily necessity - it’s a unique tourism product that shapes local identity and national branding.

International studies show that nearly 80% of tourists are willing to pay for cultural experiences, with food playing a central role.

He noted that telling stories around Cha Ca is one of the most effective ways to introduce Vietnamese culture to the world - offering not just delicious food but deeper insight into the legacy of a thousand-year-old city.

The 2025 Hanoi Food Culture Festival features 60 culinary showcases from Hanoi and other regions.

It includes panel discussions on culinary workforce development, artisan demonstrations, and student cooking competitions.

A wide range of cultural performances will complement the food - including Xam singing, spiritual music, street circus acts, photo and book exhibitions, and traditional culinary heritage demonstrations.

One highlight is the Van loi tu hao (“A thousand words of pride”) check-in space, where locals and tourists can share their love and pride for Vietnamese cuisine, especially pho - contributing to the global spread of Vietnamese culinary values.

With its diverse and creative programming, the 2025 Hanoi Food Culture Festival is expected to become a vibrant weekend destination and a key platform for turning cuisine into a strategic driver of Hanoi’s cultural industry - aligned with the goals of the city’s Resolution 09.

Cha Ca La Vong is one of Hanoi’s most iconic and historic dishes, consisting of grilled turmeric-marinated fish served with dill, spring onions, roasted peanuts, rice vermicelli, and a fermented shrimp paste sauce.

The dish originated over a century ago in the Doan family home on Cha Ca Street, where it became so famous that the street itself was renamed after it. The restaurant “Cha Ca La Vong” was among the first in Hanoi to serve only one dish - creating an immersive culinary experience that has become both a gastronomic and cultural institution.

Tinh Le