The owner of the culinary heritage space is Nguyen Thi Hien. Formerly a dancer who served Vietnam during wartime and then lived abroad for many years, her love of Vietnamese cuisine and especially Hanoi’s famous cold snail noodle soup inspired her to restore and preserve the dish. Even during her days away from home, Hien made a special impression on foreign friends with the dish. The “grandmother’s snail noodle soup” brand was born when her own children noticed their mother’s passion for the dish.

Over the years, as well as bringing an impressive culinary experience to customers from near and far, Hien also held many cooking classes for children and businesswomen. Her soup has always had a unique taste - rustic yet modern.

The fact that a noodle restaurant has been officially recognised as a “Space of cultural and culinary heritage” is not only about honouring the dish, it is also a celebration of the cultural values in Hanoians’ eating habits and communication style. The space will become a bridge to introduce national traditional culture to visitors.

Culinary art is a type of intangible cultural heritage, so preserving and spreading the value of heritage depends on the person who holds the secret to a dish. With Hien’s enthusiasm, it is expected that this particular culinary heritage will be well received and continue to contribute to the richness of Vietnamese cuisine, creating another highlight on the capital’s tourist map./.

VNA