Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vũ Lê Thái Hoàng (six from left) is pictured with culinary artisans at the event. — Photo baoquocte.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is bringing the story of its cuisine to European audiences through a cross-continental cultural journey centred on phở, the country’s iconic noodle soup.

Hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria in partnership with the We Love Phở Association, the Ninh Bình Culinary Culture Association, and eight renowned culinary artisans and experts, the event in Vienna forms part of the Phở and Vietnamese Culinary Culture Journey Across Europe, which spans nine destinations in six countries.

More than a food showcase, the programme combines live cooking demonstrations, cultural talks, chef-to-chef exchanges, and business networking to strengthen the global profile of Vietnamese cuisine and promote deeper international connections through gastronomy.

The Vienna event drew nearly 100 guests, including Austrian government officials, ambassadors and chargés d’affaires, representatives of international organisations, members of the Vietnamese community, entrepreneurs, and friends from Austria and elsewhere in Europe, reflecting growing interest in Việt Nam’s rich culinary heritage.

Opening the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vũ Lê Thái Hoàng hailed the initiative as a meaningful example of cultural diplomacy. He described cuisine as a powerful bridge between peoples and nations, and said phở represents far more than a beloved national dish. Each bowl, he noted, carries generations of folk wisdom, culinary craftsmanship, and cultural memory, making it a vivid expression of Việt Nam’s identity and spirit.

The ambassador also said Việt Nam is preparing a scientific dossier to seek UNESCO recognition for phở on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Such recognition, he added, would not only celebrate phở as a shared cultural treasure of humanity, but could also help establish it as a national cultural brand, boost the country’s tourism appeal, and create new opportunities for Việt Nam’s culinary and cultural industries.

Adding a hands-on touch to the occasion, artisan Lê Thị Thiết, Vice President of the Việt Nam Culinary Culture Association and Chairwoman of the Ninh Bình Culinary Culture Association, joined fellow artisans in demonstrating the art of preparing phở and showing guests how to make fresh spring rolls, winning enthusiastic responses from attendees. — VNA/VNS