Phu Yen sets two national records for food

Phu Yen (VNA) - Two Vietnamese records have been set in the central province of Phu Yen – the largest number of dishes created from lobster and the largest number of dishes made from tuna.

Within the framework of Phu Yen Culture and Tourism Week 2022 with the theme Tuna - Essence of the Sea that concluded on July 31, 74 chefs attended the culinary programme to process 101 tuna dishes on the spot. The Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings) has officially recognised it as the event of processing and presenting the largest number of tuna dishes in Vietnam.

“The event aims to honour tuna fishing of Phu Yen fishermen, encourage them to pursue the profession and introduce the specialty dishes of the province to tourists nationwide,” said acting Director of Phu Yen Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Thi Hong Thai.

According to the jury, the tuna dishes showcased the chefs’ thorough preparation and creativity.

101 tuna dishes that set the national record were created with consultation of culinary specialists and artisans from the Centre for Conservation Research and Development of Vietnamese Cuisine and Saigon Professional Chefs Association to ensure the quality and presentation of dishes at the event.

Some of the dishes featured in the event, besides the familiar ones like tuna salad, tuna eyes cooked with medicinal herbs, grilled tuna with chili peppers, or tuna steamed with é leaves, also included new ones like tuna cooked with salted egg and cheese sauce or dragon fruit buds mixed with tuna and served with tuna roll.

In 2021, VietKings also announced Phu Yen tuna included in Vietnam’s top 100 famous dishes and specialties.

The organisation has also granted a national record certificate to Song Cau town in Phu Yen district for the largest number of lobster dishes cooked on July 31 during the closing ceremony of the Lobster Festival celebrated in the locality.

The 100 dishes of lobster, cooked by 75 chefs, are divided into four main categories: salads and soups; grilled and fried dishes; stir-fried, braised, steamed, boiled dishes and rice and vermicelli dishes.

“The creation of 100 lobster dishes have enriched the local culinary culture of Song Cau town, created a good impression on the tourists and contributed to the success of the Song Cau town Town Lobster Festival,” said Tran Van Huy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Song Cau town, adding that the Vietkings recognition is also a reward and honour for local lobster farmers.

Blessed with a long coastline, Phu Yen province has the advantage of a rich source of seafood, particularly lobster and tuna.

The province is dubbed Vietnam’s "lobster capital" with about 88,926 aquaculture cages, which are concentrated in the Song Cau town with 58,695 cages, producing an output of 1,050 tonnes in 2021. The number of households engaged in lobster farming in the locality is 4,852.

Meanwhile, Tuy Hoa city in Phu Yen province is considered the cradle of tuna fishing in Vietnam.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial tourism industry has achieved a breakthrough. The total number of tourists to Phu Yen in the first seven months of the year was over 900,000, an increase of 177 per cent over the same period.

The province aims to welcome about two million tourists, including more than 20,000 international visitors, and earn a tourism revenue of about 2,000 billion VND (86 million USD).

Phu Yen strives to become a province with strong development in the marine economy in the South Central Coast region by 2030./.