The Story of Bread" on the occasion of "Vietnamese Bread Day"

Participating in the sharing event "Stories about Banh Mi" were Dr. Vu The Long - Culinary Research Expert; Mr. Le Van Thao - Journalist, Cultural Researcher; Dr. Tran Thu Dung - President of the Vietnam Cultural Exchange Association in France; Mr. Le Anh Vu - Founder of Cincin restaurant; Mr. Ha Hai Doan - President of Hanoi Professional Chefs Association, founder of Banh Mi Pho brand.

Bread Display at the Event

Talking about the history of where bread came from, Dr. Vu The Long - Culinary Research Expert shared: In the 50s of the last century, in the North of Vietnam, people called bread "Western bread" (meaning the bread of Westerners, specifically the French). Due to historical circumstances, geographical circumstances and economic ups and downs, "Western bread" or bread gradually entered the lives of Vietnamese people. From being rejected because of the prejudice against invaders, bread gradually entered the lives of Vietnamese people from the South to the North. From flour being expensive and difficult to buy. Bread was a luxury food that only city people could eat once in a while, rural people rarely had the opportunity to know about it. Every time Hanoi people returned from evacuation, they always tried to buy bread bought with money and stamps as gifts for their families who were staying there... to having to eat noodles instead of rice was a hardship.

Dr. Tran Thu Dung - President of the Vietnam Cultural Exchange Association in France shared: The influence of French cuisine on Vietnamese cuisine is great, especially in language. The word "Banh mi" in French is Pain de mie. Nowadays, many people abroad like to eat Vietnamese bread. Vietnam should register copyright to protect the brand "Banh mi Viet Nam" and develop it to other countries in the world.

Mr. Ha Hai Doan - Chairman of the Hanoi Professional Chefs Association, founder of the Banh Mi Pho brand, shared the story of the birth and development of the Banh Mi Pho brand. Banh Mi Pho is a chain of sandwich shops established in 2015. From the first shop in Hoan Kiem District, up to now, Banh Mi Pho has had 11 shops in Hanoi, with a central kitchen and expanded development through franchising. The development philosophy of Banh Mi Pho is Delicious and Healthy. The crust is softer than traditional crust but harder than burger and sandwich crust. Easy to eat and suitable for most people. All types of meat and vegetables are fresh every day. The excellent sauce is Banh Mi Pho's own recipe and is an important factor in connecting the crust and the filling to create harmony and ease of eating. The crust is naturally brown with yeast. The filling is full and full.

Mr. Le Anh Vu - founder of Cincin restaurant in Hanoi shared about his signature dish "Banh mi chao" which is a fusion of Vietnamese and French cuisine. The soft-boiled egg is prepared in the Vietnamese style: the egg white is crispy and the yolk is soft and smooth. In addition, the French toast is also served with fresh Chinese sausage with peppercorns to enhance the flavor, and homemade pate is lightly browned on the surface. Break the bread into pieces, dip it in the rich homemade sauce, and experience Cincin's banh mi chao, and feel like enjoying a corner of Paris and Hanoi at the same time.

Mr. Ta Duc – Ethnologist, son of Mr. Ta Van Phon, who owned the famous Gia Long bread shop in Hanoi in the 1950s. He told the story of the bread shop on 48 Ba Trieu Street (formerly known as Gia Long Street) that provided delicious bread to the people. At that time, the French Embassy and the Soviet Embassy also ordered bread from his family.

Ms. Pham Thanh Ha - Chairman of Hanoi Media Association on behalf of the organizing committee shared: "Through organizing the event Stories about Bread, we hope to attract the attention of culinary culture researchers, chefs, owners of bread production and business establishments to discuss and share to find sustainable solutions, good initiatives to develop Vietnamese bread domestically and internationally"./.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/chuyen-ve-banh-mi-nhan-ky-niem-ngay-banh-mi-viet-nam-20240324210420784.htm