Vietnamese rice noodle fest to debut in Ho Chi Minh City

The event, themed ‘Delicacies from Rice Noodles,’ was announced at a press briefing on Friday by Nguyen Thi Khanh, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association.

Aiming to promote Vietnamese cuisine and attract both domestic and international tourists, the festival is expected to become an annual event.

Jointly organized by the municipal Tourism Association and the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists' Association, the festival will feature some 150 booths showcasing a wide array of products related to rice noodles, including fresh noodles, rice vermicelli, noodle-making flours, traditional spices, and unique accompanying dishes.

The organizers hope to elevate the status of Vietnamese rice noodle dishes and bring global recognition to this culinary staple.

“All participating exhibitors are required to disclose the origin of their products to ensure food safety,” Khanh stressed.

“Prices must be clearly displayed to prevent overcharging. This is a community-focused event, not a commercial one,” she said.

The fest not only is a showcase of delicious noodle dishes, but also aims to recreate traditional and modern culinary spaces, offering visitors an immersive experience.

With its ‘Delicacies from Rice Noodles’ theme, the fest will treat visitors to a culinary journey across Vietnam, highlighting regional specialties such as bun cha Ha Noi (rice noodles with grilled pork and meatballs), Hai Phong perch noodles, Hue spicy beef noodles, bun rieu (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), bun mam Can Tho (Can Tho noodles with fermented fish paste, and Nha Trang fish noodles.

In addition, iconic rice noodle-based dishes like pho (a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef or chicken), hu tieu ((stretchy rice noodles), and banh hoi (rice noodle sheets) will also be on display.

Visitors will have opportunities to witness and participate in traditional rice noodle-making processes.

Key events of the inaugural festival include a ‘100 Delicacies from Rice Noodles’ showcase aimed to set a record by gathering over 100 rice noodle-based dishes, and an ‘Elevating the Rice Noodle' contest.