BÌNH ĐỊNH — Talented Vietnamese and international chefs will gather to showcase their special dishes made of ocean tuna at a festival held in the southern central province of Bình Định next month.

The 2024 Bình Định Essence of Land and Sea Festival will be landing from July 11 to 15 in Quy Nhơn City.

A local fisherman carries a sea tuna at the Tam Quanfishing port in Bình Định Province, which is famous for tuna fishing, processing and trading. — Photo danviet.vn

According to Lâm Hải Giang, deputy chairman of Bình Định People’s Committee [provincial goverment], the festival will spread the beautiful images of the land and people of Bình Định, promoting and enhancing the province's tourism appeal to both domestic and international visitors.

“The five-day event will also to present the image and brand of Bình Định ocean tuna to domestic consumers and exporters, contributing to the development of the fishing, processing and trading of this speciality seafood in the province,” he said.

A workshop on developing the fishing, processing and trading of ocean tuna in Bình Định will be held on the first day of the event, July 11.

Later on the same day, a vivid art and music programme will be staged at the city’s Nguyễn Tất Thành Square. There will be performances from a lineup of Vietnamese celebrated singers.

The Chairman of the Việt Nam-Japan Culinary Culture Association, Matsuo Tomoyuki, is seen tasting fish sauce. He will make tuna sushi during the programme 'Introducing the Culinary Art of Ocean Tuna' in Bình Định. — Photo courtesy of Masan

Every day during the festival promoting the provincial specialty, a special programme 'Introducing the Culinary Art of Ocean Tuna' will offer tasty ways to cook the fish with visitors offered 1,500 free food vouchers and the chance to sample amazing food created by top chefs.

Chef Kim Bernard Chilcott, director of Food and Beverage of Al Fresco’s Group, will introduce his signature dish, tuna salad with spicy coconut sauce.

Chef Lý Kim Long who is listed in the 'Top 100 Best Chef 2023' will showcase tuna curry with Tam Quan coconut – a specialty fruit of Bình Định.

Matsuo Tomoyuki, chairman of the Việt Nam-Japan Culinary Culture Association, will prepare tuna sushi.

The culinary programme will be organised at the Children's Park on An Dương Vương Street from 5.30pm.

Also at this location, there will be a fair of seafood specialties and handicrafts from villages across the province.

Dozens of restaurants, businesses in local speciality product trading and craft villages in Bình Định and other provinces such as Sóc Trăng, Trà Vinh, Tây Ninh, Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai, Đà Nẵng, Hà Tĩnh, Lào Cai and Thái Nguyên, will be presenting at the fair.

On the opening day of the fair there will be something quite unusual - a giant sizzling pancake made with tuna, specially prepared by chefs from HCM City.

An exciting street festival with the theme 'Bình Định Welcomes Summer' will be launched at 5pm on July 14 at Nguyễn Tất Thành Square before a parade on streets alongside the Quy Nhơn beach in the city.

Local fishermen carry sea tuna landed at the Tam Quan fishing port in Bình Định Province. — Photo danviet.vn

The festival will wrap up on July 14 with a stunning light festival held for the first time in the province.

Deputy Chairman Giang said that the festival promises to offer both tourists and locals many memorable experiences. — VNS