Vietnam’s top chefs compete for highlands and sea specialties
The event is an opportunity for top chefs to showcase regional cuisine, promote local produce and enhance Vietnam’s culinary tourism.
THE HANOI TIMES — Nearly 150 top Vietnamese chefs gathered in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on August 12 for the inaugural Vietnam Talented Chef Contest 2025, themed “Flavors of the Highlands and the Sea.”
Forty-eight teams from 25 provinces and cities presented 144 exceptional dishes that blended the distinctive tastes of the highlands and the sea.
The contest showcases creative dishes and promoting local cuisine and agricultural products. Photo: Baovanhoa.vn.
Nguyen Huu Huong, Chairman of the Lam Dong Chefs’ Association, said that the competition honors culinary talent while promoting Lam Dong’s agricultural produce and specialties from across the country.
The program aims to develop menus featuring local specialties, expand street food and banquet cuisine, and enhance offerings in restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations.
Organizers plan to boost nighttime tourism, craft nutritious dishes from vegetables, flowers, medicinal herbs, and seafood and link farm produce directly to dining tables.
Organizers will hold the event every two years as a national platform to advance and elevate Vietnamese cuisine.
