International chefs get a taste of Hoi An with cyclo ride to giant cook-off

By VnExpress March 20, 2018 | 09:31 pm PT

Signature dishes from 12 countries were on offer for locals and visitors to sample.

Chefs from twelve countries gathered at Hoi An last week for the Hoi An International Food Festival (HAIFF) 2018. This is the third time this Festival is hosted at Hoi An, where named Vietnams Capital of Culinary Arts and Cuisine by Worldchefs in 2017. Renowned celebrity chefs came and presented their skills in cooking signature dishes from their respective countries including Japan, France, South Africa, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Cook Island, China, Ecuador, Italy and Korea. Photo by VnExpress.

Chefs from 12 countries gather in Hoi An for the Hoi An International Food Festival (HAIFF) 2018. This is the third time the festival has been hosted in Hoi An, which was named Vietnam’s Capital of Culinary Arts and Cuisine by the World Association of Chefs' Societies in 2017. Celebrity chefs showed off their skills and cooked signature dishes from China, the Cook Islands, Ecuador, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Photo by VnExpress

The chefs get to experience life in Vietnam by shopping in the local Hoi An Market, which has fresh ingredients in abundance to satisfy the most picky culinary expert. Photo by VnExpress.

A chef takes photos at a wet market. Photo by VnExpress

There was a number of notable chefs joining the Festival this year, including David Sosson, whose restaurant was awarded 2 Michelin stars, Sy Wan-chung, who was inducted to the Hall of Fame of American Academy Chefs Honour Society and Carlos Duran Herrera who has won six Spanish Cooking Championships. Photo by VnExpress.

A number of notable chefs join the festival this year, including David Sosson, whose restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars, Sy Wan-chung (pictured), a member of the Hall of Fame of American Academy Chefs Honour Society, and Carlos Duran Herrera, who has won six Spanish Cooking Championships. Photo by VnExpress

For each night of the Festival week, one chef was selected by the president of Worldchefs to cook the Big Dish. The chosen chef will cook at a big pot and then invite tourists and locals to enjoy the dish. Photo by VnExpress.

For each night of the festival week, one chef would be selected by the president of Worldchefs to cook the "Big Dish." The chefs are equipped with a big pot and invite tourists and locals to enjoy their dishes. Photo by VnExpress

The Festival also included culture exchange activities for visitors such as costume parade, music and dance helps to bring visitors and locals together. Chefs were introduced to the city by riding cyclo (xich lo), a Vietnamese version of rickshaw which was popular in the past. Photo by VnExpress.

The chefs take a cyclo ride around Hoi An. The festival also includes cultural exchange activities for visitors such as a costume parade and music performance. Hoi An is a global food paradise chosen by American website TripAdvisor as one of the top 10 Asian food destinations in 2011. The ancient town is known for many local specialties such as banh mi and noodles. Photo by VnExpress