Expect a new development of Thu cuisine

Overcoming initial difficulties, activities of Binh Duong Culinary Association over the past two years have developed steadily. With the efforts of the Executive Board as well as members of the association, many activities were organized that not only created a useful playground for culinary students as well as chefs in the province, but also contributed to promoting, introducing tourism development in the province.

Members of Binh Duong Culinary Association introduce dishes at the event celebrating the second anniversary of the association.

Step by step validation

In February 2022, Binh Duong Professional Chefs Association officially launched. This is also the first branch affiliated with the Provincial Tourism Association. Overcoming difficulties in the early days of establishment, the association has gradually been strengthened and developed in terms of activities as well as the number of members participating in its activities. To meet the new development requirements, the association proposed and Provincial Tourism Association decided to change its name to Binh Duong Culinary Association on November 27, 2023.

Tran Tuan Hung, Chairman of the Provincial Tourism Association, said that after a period of operation, the Provincial Tourism Association and the Professional Chefs Association realized the need to explore, learn and share knowledge about food and nutrition that is not only limited to professional chefs, but is also the need of each housewife, each kitchen of Binh Duong people as well as businesses in the culinary, nutrition, and consumer health when using Vietnamese and international food. “We decided to change our name to Binh Duong Culinary Association with the purpose of further expanding membership, connecting more deeply and effectively; contributing to creating an association with good quality and quantity, bringing good products, good knowledge, and strong development to businesses, communities and society," said Hung.  

Nguyen Van Thong, Head of Binh Duong Culinary Association, said that after more than two years of operation, from the initial 20 members, up to now, the number of members of the association has increased to nearly 50 members. Especially since changing its name to Binh Duong Culinary Association, the membership criteria have expanded, so in addition to professional chefs, the branch also attracts the participation of more members who are food lovers, hotel restaurant owners, and teachers and students of hospitality faculties, beverage producers, bartenders… “Changing the name to Binh Duong Culinary Association helps us expand our operational criteria and membership admission criteria. This is a signal that the new development of the association in the future would connect more members, and the activities of the association would also improve...", said Thong.

Nguyen Van Thong, Head of Binh Duong Culinary Association, demonstrate and introduce dishes at a domestic culinary event.

Expect development

Although there are many difficulties, with the efforts of the Executive Committee and members, over the past two years, the Binh Duong Culinary Association has carried out many meaningful activities. In order to further inspire and orient young people studying this field, the association has cooperated with schools and brands to organize many culinary knowledge sharing sessions for students in the food industry. During its operation, the association actively carries out promotional programs to introduce Binh Duong Culinary Association to more people. Specifically, the association has brought local dishes of Binh Duong, such as mangosteen chicken salad, beef dipped in shrimp paste... to participate in demonstrations and introductions at culinary cultural festivals in other provinces and cities in the country as well as at international culinary events.

Regular activities in recent times are also the contents that Binh Duong Culinary Association will focus on in 2024. According to Thong, the goal and orientation of the association this year is to promote the training of professional kitchen knowledge with new content and ingredients. The association will organize knowledge sharing and training sessions for members and students of schools in the province; organize culinary-related competitions for chefs and students of schools in the province; train and send members to culinary competitions at home and abroad.

In addition to promoting and introducing cuisine to other units and localities in regional culinary cultural festivals across the country and internationally, the association also pays attention to finding, restoring and developing new and typical dishes of Binh Duong cuisine. In particular, the association will coordinate with Provincial Tourism Promotion Center to organize a bamboo festival and set a record of 100 bamboo dishes (expected to be held in June 2024) ... Nguyen Van Thong expressed his hope: "Through these activities, we hope that in the near future, Binh Duong cuisine will gain reputation and improve its position on the Vietnamese culinary map."

Reported by Hong Thuan - Translated by Ngoc Huynh