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| Whether officially honored or not, bún bò Hue has already become a culinary brand that has won the hearts of diners |
Recognition Requires Documentation
Bún bò Hue is not just a famous dish from the former Hue imperial capital for hundreds of years. It has also followed Hue people throughout Vietnam and the world. For tourists, besides sightseeing, they want to try a bowl of bún bò - a delicacy that locals can eat day after day without getting tired of it.
However, not every delicious dish gets recognized. To be acknowledged as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the locality where the dish originates must submit a dossier to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with a requirement of meeting specific criteria.
Many bún bò sellers, from restaurants to modest eateries and street vendors, when asked about their thoughts on recognizing bún bò Hue as heritage, appear relaxed, saying recognition would be good, but it’s fine if it does not happen. “Actually, bún bò is already a heritage in itself, having won the hearts of diners and becoming famous not only in Hue but throughout Vietnam and the world over. The important thing is how sellers maintain the brand, from cooking methods that preserve the authentic flavor to service style,” shared Ms. Ut, owner of a mobile bún bò vendor in Hue.
In fact, at the end of 2023, along with 5 other dishes from the former imperial capital, bún bò Hue was honored and recognized for its value as a representative Vietnamese dish by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association. Regardless of its official title, it remains one of Hue’s outstanding dishes that has captured the hearts of diners.
Plans for dossiers development
Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, believes that honoring the distinctive cultural values of regions has great significance in affirming brand names and contributing to the socio-economic development of localities.
As for Mr. Hai, the cultural sector has been actively working with other departments to prepare dossiers proposing the recognition of intangible cultural heritage values. Along with three national intangible cultural heritages already honored (Ca Huế, or Hue Singing, Aza Koonh festival, or a spiritual new rice celebration of Pa Co ethnic people, and Zèng weaving of Ta Oi ethnic people), recently the ‘Knowledge of Tailoring and Wearing Hue Áo dài’ has been officially recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Additionally, the Department has reported to the Provincial People’s Committee and submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism dossiers for the Vân Cù Village Noodle-making Craft of Huong Tra district and the Huệ Nam Temple Festival. Regarding intangible cultural heritages related to cuisine, including bún bò Hue, the Department of Culture and Sports is planning to prepare dossiers to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shortly.
Mr. Hai stated that bún bò Huế is beloved both locally and nationally, with its fame spreading far beyond Hue. From South to North, we can easily encounter the bún bò Hue brand. It is also a dish that many people across the country and internationally want to taste and experience for its unforgettable, rich flavor.
With its culinary advantages, Thua Thien Hue province is actively implementing the “Hue - A Culinary Capital” project. Many objectives and tasks of the project have been set and are being actively coordinated and implemented by various sectors and localities.
“The Department of Culture and Sports and the Department of Tourism, along with agencies and experts in the culinary field are conducting research and evaluations to select and propose some typical dishes that embody Hue’s cultural identity. These will be reported to the Provincial People’s Committee to build dossiers for National Intangible Cultural Heritage, based on principles of gradual progression, avoiding duplication, and following an appropriate roadmap. In addition to culinary heritage values, Thua Thien Hue still has many types and values of cultural heritage that need to be documented and proposed for recognition,” noted Mr. Hai.