Celebrated Chefs, Restaurateurs Welcome Arrival Of Michelin In Vietnam

At long last, Vietnam’s flavorful and dynamic culinary scene has gotten the attention of the Michelin Guide. The international restaurant guide, considered the hallmark of culinary excellence, announced last week that it’s finally including the country in its most-coveted list.

Michelin Guide will publish its full selection of restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — “Vietnam’s gourmet gems,” as the Guide described — in June 2023 to recognize the fascinating food heritage and history and unique flavors that make Vietnam an exciting culinary destination.

“We have been looking at Vietnam’s gastronomic scene for quite a long time, and we are delighted to finally announce the Michelin Guide’s arrival in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, adding that Vietnamese cuisine has already started carving its way to global popularity.

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Anonymous inspectors will independently make the restaurant selection of the Michelin Guide following the Guide's historical and global methodology. The inspectors will assess only the quality of the cuisine offered by restaurants according to the personality of the chef represented in the cuisine, the harmony of flavors, mastery of cooking techniques, quality of the products, and consistency both over time and across the entire menu.

Getting included in the Guide and earning a star changes the status — and life — of a chef or a restaurant, giving them proper credit for creating an exceptional dining experience for their customers.

And who’s more excited to see the Michelin Guide officially create that influential list of the best Vietnamese restaurants than the people behind the thriving culinary scene? Vietcetera asked some of the most renowned and award-winning chefs and restaurateurs about what the Michelin Guide means to them.

Hoang Tung

Co-founder and Executive Chef of T.U.N.G dining & Å by TUNG

The Michelin Guide's arrival will be a benchmark of quality for the F&B scene in Vietnam. Currently, there’s a lack of legitimate, systematic, and globally-recognized judgment for such a dynamic and huge industry. Being listed on the Michelin Guide will be a great motivation for any homegrown establishment to push the boundaries of culinary excellence.

After the Michelin announcement, Vietnam will welcome new waves of F&B investments from renowned chefs, bartenders, and corporations from all over the world. Educational institutions related to F&B will also become more vibrant and competitive to meet the increasing requirements of the market. All these will significantly benefit the whole industry and especially the future generation of young Vietnamese who want to bring the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine to the world.

Nguyen Do Nguyet Anh

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of TUNG GROUP

This will be the most anticipated and awaited event in 2023 for the F&B community. And being part of the list will be a great honor for any restaurant.

Vietnamese cuisine has been long known and appreciated for its diversity, taste, local characteristics, and affordable prices. But it never gained well-deserved recognition for fine cuisine, probably because of the language. International language is the standard of quality and service — from the structure and method of the organization to management and operation.

For a prestigious F&B rating organization to come to Vietnam is a big deal for the industry. It carries a great spiritual meaning that Vietnamese cuisine is ready to participate in the fierce but glorious global competition of the food and beverage industry. Additionally, the Michelin guide can become a “soft power” that contributes to the positioning of the value and influence of the national culture to the world, creating a solid attraction for cultural tourism and promoting the expansion of the F&B industry beyond the borders of Vietnam.

Peter Cuong Franklin

Chef and Owner of Anan Saigon

The arrival of the Michelin Guide is very exciting and a great honor for Vietnamese cuisine and our local F&B scene. The impact for Vietnam will be similar to our neighbor Thailand. Since the inauguration guide in 2018, the Thai F&B industry has dramatically improved in quality, and the tourism market has gained significant benefits.

Since returning to my home country from Hong Kong to open Anan Saigon six years ago, I have seen our F&B scene make tremendous progress. And now, with the inaugural Michelin Guide announcement in 2023, Vietnam will enter a new era as a gastronomic destination not only for wonderful local street food but also for fine dining.

Thierry Mounon

Chef and Owner of La Villa French Restaurant-Ho Chi Minh City

Michelin Guide coming to Vietnam is fantastic news for a fantastic country. Vietnamese cuisine is not only one of the best in the world but also one of the most diverse.

The red book remains the ultimate international reference in terms of standards of quality, and it will give Vietnam the place it deserves in the culinary world.

The gastronomic scenes of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are, like the country, superbly dynamic, and there is no doubt that all chefs of all origins will stand up to the Michelin challenge. This is just the beginning.

Quang Dung

Chef Patron of Chapter Dining and Grill

Some say Michelin is a temple for restaurants and chefs. The term “Michelin-starred chef” immediately elevates a chef to another level, making him stand out from the rest. Of course, it would be mad to say that a chef in a high-end restaurant has never thought about having a Michelin star or two.

For those in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, it is excellent news that they announced the arrival of the first Hanoi and Saigon Michelin Guide. It already puts a lot of pressure on chefs like myself as people pay more attention to restaurants listed in the book. But this is an excellent opportunity for restaurants to inspire their teams to work harder and strive for excellence rather than crumbling under the pressure they put upon themselves.

Michelin and all the other guides are made to encourage chefs to cook good food. The ones who benefit from this are our beloved customers because, at the end of the day, all they want is a good lunch or a nice dinner.

Dennis Laubenstein

General Manager of Capella Hanoi

The incredible gastronomy, service standards, and creativity that Vietnamese culinary and cuisine is known for will be on the world’s finest stage. Vietnam will rightfully take its place with the other globally recognized chefs and restaurants under the most careful scrutiny and expertise that the Michelin Guide provides.

Vietnamese cuisine is famous throughout the world for its well-balanced, incredibly fragrant, and varied dishes. Furthermore, Vietnam is fast becoming a global player in all cuisines, mastering and raising the bar of almost every cuisine you can imagine.

At Capella Hanoi, our many restaurants showcase that global offering. From Northern Vietnamese, American, Japanese, and French — demonstrating to its patrons how versatile and skilled Vietnamese hospitality is; at the highest level.

The talent, passion, and innovation we have in the Vietnamese dining scene, will be showcased to the world with all the prestige and excellence that Michelin stands for.