Hanoi (VNA) - Regarded as the pinnacle of Vietnamese culinary art, Hue’s royal cuisine reached its most brilliant and refined expression during the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945), the country’s last imperial reign.
Created to meet both the nutritional and medicinal needs of the emperors, it became a symbol of majesty, privilege, and a clear distinction between royalty and commoners.
It inherited northern Vietnamese culinary traditions, the cooking styles of the south, and the distinctive influences of ancient Champa cuisine. Notably, envoys returning from diplomatic missions would present the king with delicacies from afar. Those that impressed the monarch would be added to the royal menu and passed down through generations.
Royal cuisine was governed by a wealth of rules and rituals, covering every aspect from ingredient selection to cooking techniques, table arrangement, service etiquette, and the style of dishes used. Ingredients were always fresh, rare, and meticulously chosen. Preparation was elaborate, with an emphasis on nutritional value according to traditional medicine, and on presentation that delighted the eye as much as the palate.
Unlike the bold, hearty flavours often found in common fare, Hue royal cuisine favours a gentler, more delicate profile – highlighting purity with minimal oil, and avoiding excessive sweetness or saltiness.
Preparing food for the king demanded strict adherence to ceremony – from the order in which dishes were served, to the precise timing, and the flawless arrangement of the banquet tray. At times, the meal had to be prepared from dawn to be presented at an auspicious hour according to the imperial calendar.
Dishes at a royal banquet typically fell into three main categories: starters (light savoury bites such as salads and spring rolls), main courses (meat, fish, soups), and desserts (sweet soups, confections, and rare fruits).
Signature dishes of Hue’s royal cuisine include nem cong (peacock spring rolls) and cha phuong (phoenix patties) – once made with rare meats, now adapted with chicken and pork to suit modern conditions. The meticulous preparation and exquisite presentation remain unchanged, preserving their aura of regal splendor.
Royal cakes such as phuc linh (tapioca coconut melting cookies), ngu sac (five colours), and phu the (husband and wife), prized not only for their flavour but for their elaborate, visually striking forms. These often featured in important royal ceremonies, rich with symbolism and tradition.
Com ngu, also known as the king’s meal, reflected a philosophy of purity and refinement. It might include steamed fish wrapped in lotus leaves, fresh vegetables with shrimp paste, lotus seed soup, and caramelised pork.
Edible bird’s nest (made from the saliva of swiftlets) was a prized ingredient in the imperial kitchen, reserved for grand banquets. It was prepared in delicate dishes such as bird’s nest soup, bird’s nest stewed with pigeon, or sweet bird’s nest dessert.
Royal sweet soups, meanwhile, are not merely desserts but a culinary art form in their own right, elevated into over 36 distinctive varieties.
Today, many restaurants, hotels, and tour operators in Hue recreate the royal banquet for visitors from home and abroad. This revival not only introduces the splendour of Hue’s imperial cuisine to the wider world, but also weaves together tourism, culture, and gastronomy – enriching the central city’s appeal and safeguarding national heritage in the face of globalisation./.
