The Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings) awarded the national record certificate for the largest number of dishes from lobster to the Party Committee and the government of Sông Cầy Town. VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Triệu

PHÚ YÊN — Two Vietnamese records have been set in the central province of Phú Yên – the largest number of dishes created from lobster and the largest number of dishes made from tuna.

Within the framework of Phú Yên Culture and Tourism Week 2022 with the theme Tuna - Essence of the Sea that concluded on Sunday, 74 chefs attended the culinary programme to process 101 tuna dishes on the spot. The Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings) has officially recognised it as the event of processing and presenting the largest number of tuna dishes in Việt Nam.

“The event aims to honour tuna fishing of Phú Yên fishermen, encourage them to pursue the profession and introduce the specialty dishes of the province to tourists nationwide,” said acting Director of Phú Yên Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyễn Thị Hồng Thái.

According to the jury, the tuna dishes showcased the chefs’ thorough preparation and creativity.

101 tuna dishes that set the national record were created with consultation of culinary specialists and artisans from the Centre for Conservation Research and Development of Vietnamese Cuisine and Saigon Professional Chefs Association to ensure the quality and presentation of dishes at the event.

According to the jury, the tuna dishes showcased the chefs’ thorough preparation and creativity. Photo courtesy of Vietkings

Some of the dishes featured in the event, besides the familiar ones like tuna salad, tuna eyes cooked with medicinal herbs, grilled tuna with chili peppers, or tuna steamed with é leaves, also included new ones like tuna cooked with salted egg and cheese sauce or dragon fruit buds mixed with tuna and served with tuna roll.

In 2021, VietKings also announced Phú Yên tuna included in Việt Nam’s top 100 famous dishes and specialties.

The organisation has also granted a national record certificate to Sông Cầu Town in Phú Yên District for the largest number of lobster dishes cooked on Sunday, July 31, during the closing ceremony of the Lobster Festival celebrated in the locality.

Some among 100 dishes of lobster that set the national record on Sunday. Photo courtesy of Vietkings

The 100 dishes of lobster, cooked by 75 chefs, are divided into four main categories: salads and soups; grilled and fried dishes; stir-fried, braised, steamed, boiled dishes and rice and vermicelli dishes.

“The creation of 100 lobster dishes have enriched the local culinary culture of Sông Cầu Town, created a good impression on the tourists and contributed to the success of the Sông Cầu Town Lobster Festival,” said Trần Văn Huy, Chairman of Sông Cầu Town People's Committee, adding that the Vietkings recognition is also a reward and honour for local lobster farmers.

Blessed with a long coastline, Phú Yên Province has the advantage of a rich source of seafood, particularly lobster and tuna.

The province is dubbed Việt Nam’s "lobster capital" with about 88,926 aquaculture cages, which are concentrated in the Sông Cầu Town with 58,695 cages, producing an output of 1,050 tons in 2021. The number of households engaged in lobster farming in the locality is 4,852.

Meanwhile, Tuy Hòa City in Phú Yên Province is considered the cradle of tuna fishing in Việt Nam.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial tourism industry has achieved a breakthrough. The total number of tourists to Phú Yên in the first seven months of the year was over 900,000, an increase of 177 per cent over the same period.

The province aims to welcome about two million tourists, including more than 20,000 international visitors, and earn a tourism revenue of about VNĐ2,000 billion (US$86 million).

Phú Yên strives to become a province with strong development in the marine economy in the South Central Coast region by 2030. VNS