Thai Nguyen (VNA) – A demonstration and showcase held on October 30 as part of the Thai Nguyen International Tea Festival 2026 highlighted the creative use of local tea as an ingredient in 30 dishes, promoting the culinary value of Thai Nguyen tea and its potential in food services and tourism.
The dishes featured creative combinations of tea ingredients, including tea-roasted veal, tea-wrapped eel, tea-smoked tuna and shrimp salad with tea leaves. The creations offered visitors novel culinary experiences.
More than 30 artisans, chefs and restaurants from localities across Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Nghe An, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Dong Nai and Hue, as well as those from the Republic of Korea and Mexico, took part in the programme.
Live cooking demonstrations featured tuna fillets, deep-fried puffed tea sticky rice, and a giant 10kg tea bread, among others. The event offered visitors a chance to learn about preparation techniques, interact with chefs and sample the dishes, highlighting the diverse applications of tea beyond its traditional role as a beverage.
The organising board said the programme aims to bring tea-based culinary products into food services and tourism. Thai Nguyen province plans to develop a brand for dishes made from tea, encourage restaurants to include them in their regular menus, and promote cooperation, experience sharing and the transfer of recipes to food service establishments.
The festival also provides a platform for domestic and international artisans, chefs and restaurants to exchange experience and explore cooperation, helping develop distinctive culinary products associated with Thai Nguyen's tea-growing tradition.
The Thai Nguyen International Tea Festival 2026 runs from October 30 to November 7, featuring 16 cultural, tourism, trade promotion and international exchange activities. Coinciding with the 195th founding anniversary of Thai Nguyen province, it contributes to promoting Vietnamese tea culture, the local tea brand and tourism development./.
