HÀ NỘI — Mon Asian Food Festival - MAFF 2018 will be held for the first time in Hà Nội and Hạ Long Bay to mark the National Tourism Year 2018 with theme Hạ Long - Heritage, Wonder, Friendly Destination.

The festival will take place at Mon City Mỹ Đình, Hà Nội from April 20 - 22 and at 30/10 Square in Hạ Long City, the northern province of Hạ Long from April 27 - 29.

There will be a series of activities featuring food diversity and cultural characteristics from the countries taking part, such as Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, Laos and Singapore.

Popular chef and food writer Martin Yan will appear at Mon City Mỹ Đình demonstrating his skills with Vietnamese chefs. Yan is a Chinese-American chef and food writer. He has hosted his award-winning PBS-TV cooking show Yan Can Cook since 1982.

More than 100 food booths will be placed to give the festival-goers a chance to enjoy food by regional and Vietnamese chefs. Visitors will have chance to see art and magic shows by international performers and bartenders. They will also learn how to cook tasty dishes from the chefs.

"We will bring special ingredients from every corners of Việt Nam," said chef Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng. "Vietnamese food combines culinary techniques with culture to make tasty dishes. Food must be delicious first and then beautiful. We will make noodle from pumpkin."

The three-day festival in Hạ Long will also feature a hot air balloon to give festival-goers a birds-eye view of the activities below.

There’s also a colour run for those feeling a little more energetic.

It will begin at 4pm on April 29 with money raised helping Việt Nam Agent Orange Victims Fund.

Runners will be given a T-shirt and two bags of food colour powders to throw each other during the race. The people who run to the end of the road will be awarded VIP tickets to the festival’s concert at night. 

Vietnamese and international artists such as pop singer Mỹ Tâm, OnlyC and German DJ Markus Schulz will perform at the festival. — VNS