TOP CHEFS - The Việt Nam Culinary Culture Association (VCCA) has launched a programme to award honorary titles of Nghệ Nhân Văn Hóa Ẩm Thực Việt Nam (Việt Nam Culinary Culture Artisan) to artisans who have made great contributions to preserving and promoting traditional Vietnamese cuisine. VNA/VNS Photo Mỹ Phương

HCM CITY — The Việt Nam Culinary Culture Association (VCCA) has announced a programme to award honorary titles to artisans who have made great contributions to preserving and promoting traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

The association will offer the title of Nghệ Nhân Văn Hóa Ẩm Thực Việt Nam (Việt Nam Culinary Culture Artisan) in three rankings based on the chefs’ experience, seniority, professional skills, and creativity in recreating traditional dishes, while keeping the traditional and cultural values and customs related to the dishes.

Nguyễn Quốc Kỳ, VCCA chairman, said, “The honorary titles show gratitude to those who devoted their whole life to the development of Vietnamese cuisine. It is a strategic move to confirm the brand of Vietnamese cuisine, and a motivation to bring the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine to the world and develop Việt Nam into a cultural and culinary destination.”

Kỳ said the programme also aimed to create a database of Vietnamese culinary artisans, experts and researchers and provide them opportunities to join exchange activities all around the world as well as offer training to young generations.

He added that, “the programme will be held annually as an important preparation for building the ‘National Culinary Awards’ to elevate Việt Nam’s status in the global culinary scene.”

The association is encouraging authorities of 34 cities and provinces and local culinary culture organisations to send nominees for the titles by October 30 to 170 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street, Xuân Hòa Ward.

The selection process will be conducted by the Professional Council of the VCCA and prestigious culinary artisans and cuisine experts.

The VCCA’s Professional Council, consisting of cuisine artisans Phan Gia Tôn Hiền, Hồ Đắc Thiếu Anh, Nguyễn Thị Hiền and Lê Thị Thiết, selected 121 typical and unique dishes with high popularity from different regions.

The association plans to announce the names of “Việt Nam Cuisine Culture Artisan” on November 15 in HCM City.

More information about the programme can be found at https://vcca.vn/nghe-nhan-van-hoa-am-thuc-viet-nam-dot-1-nam-2025. — VNS