Hoi An Named Food Capital of Vietnam

Thomas Andeas Gugler (L), president of the World Association of Chefs Societies, gives the certificate recognizing Hoi An as Vietnam’s food capital to Nguyen Van Son, vice-chairman of the local People’s Committee, on March 22, 2017.

Thomas Andeas Gugler, president of the Worldchefs, handed the certificate acknowledging Hoi An as Vietnam’s food capital to Nguyen Van Son, vice-chairman of the Hoi An People’s Committee, on Wednesday night.

The activity was a special highlight at the opening ceremony of the annual International Food Festival organized by the Worldchefs in the old town from March 22 to 26.

The first night of the event attracted thousands of local residents and tourists, featuring the captivating presentation of 12 renowned chefs and members of the association, mixed with artistic performances.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chef Gugler expressed his delight at returning to Hoi An for the second time to attend the food festival, considering the event a great opportunity for international chefs to exchange their culinary knowledge and experience.

A chef from the Worldchefs performs during the opening ceremony of the 2017 International Food Festival in Hoi An. Photo: Tuoi Tre

They will also get to have a better understanding of Vietnamese cuisine and culture, the famous cook stated.

According to the organizers, the 12 foreign chefs will show off their talent using local ingredients at 12 different booths during the event.

The professional cooks will also share their techniques with local chefs who work at Hoi An restaurants and hotels.

Worldchefs is a global network of chef associations first founded in October 1928 in Paris, including 100 official chef associations as members that represent over 10 million professional chefs worldwide.