As part of the activities celebrating Festival Hue 2026 and the 2026 Vesak Grand Celebration, the "2026 Hue Expanded Vegetarian Culinary Competition" took place on May 26, 2026. Organized by the Vietnam Tourism Association in collaboration with the Hue Tourism Association, the event attracted numerous training institutions, hotels, restaurants, and professional chefs from across the country.

Outperforming many prestigious teams from various provinces, hotels, and restaurants, the team from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT) excellently secured Second Place. This achievement reaffirms the professional competence, creativity, and vocational mastery of both the lecturers and students from the Culinary Science program under the Faculty of Tourism and Culinary Arts.

Honoring Cultural and Sustainable Culinary Values

This year’s competition, themed "Hue Expanded Vegetarian Culinary – 2026," aimed to honor the distinctive values of Hue's vegetarian culinary culture. It promoted green, healthy, and sustainable gastronomy while encouraging innovation in food preparation, presentation, and culinary product development for tourism. According to the regulations, each team had to prepare a vegetarian set menu consisting of an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert for 4 guests. Additionally, teams were required to present their concepts, highlighting the cultural significance, nutritional value, and commercial viability within the food and beverage (F&B) sector.

To achieve this high ranking, the HUIT team dedicated serious effort to every stage of the preparation, from thematic research and menu development to ingredient selection, presentation styling, and presentation skills. The competing dishes not only excelled in flavor, nutrition, and aesthetics but also delivered a powerful message about green living, sustainable development, and the preservation of Vietnamese culinary heritage.

A Testament to Educational Excellence

This achievement serves as a strong testament to the quality of practical vocational training at the university in general, and the Faculty of Tourism and Culinary Arts in particular. It is the direct result of integrating education, research, innovation, and professional practice. Such experiences offer students valuable opportunities to hone their professional competencies, vocational skills, and adaptability in a professional working environment.

Securing Second Place at the "2026 Hue Expanded Vegetarian Culinary Competition" marks another proud milestone for Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade in national professional arenas. This success highlights a dynamic, creative, and passionate community of lecturers and students dedicated to the art of Vietnamese cuisine.

Once again, congratulations to the team on bringing home this outstanding achievement. This success will serve as a great motivation for the Faculty of Tourism and Culinary Arts to continually enhance its training quality, drive research and innovation, and actively participate in professional competitions in the future.