Abstract
Vietnam has a unique food culture which includes historical legacies from both the Chinese and French (Avieli,2011) and is yet uniquely Vietnamese; pho, bun cha, banh mi are all famous dishes which tourists often get addicted to. However, the country’s culinary scene is fast embracing the world of Michelin starred restaurants, with 181 restaurants in Vietnam according to the Michelin Guide; and 63 alone in the capital, Hanoi, (Michelin Guide, 2025); a new type of cuisine is emerging which is traditional, contemporary and also sustainable. Vietnamese culinary techniques encompassing preservation and sustainability are a part of the country’s culinary heritage as a result of ingenuousness during historical periods of food scarcity. Once required as a result of food shortages (Kerkvliet, 2011); they are now used as an instilled value from Vietnamese culture and values. Sustainability is noted by contemporary cooks and celebrity chefs who are also assisting fellow citizens along the way by buying local too. The study employs a mixed methods approach using quantitative and qualitative data using the medium of film. The latter comprises of a visual ethnographic approach with a case study approach of interviews from a home cooking business and a Michelin star restauranteur. The theory of circular economy is used to analyse and understand how contemporary Vietnamese food businesses are using traditional methods with modern concepts such as zero waste to achieve sustainability in contemporary Vietnamese cuisine.
Presenters
Sheba SaeedLecturer, School of Communication and Design, RMIT, Hanoi Campus, Ha Noi, thu do, Viet Nam
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Vietnamese Cuisine, Local Food Movements, Sustainability, Culinary Arts
