The folk knowledge of Hue beef noodle soup has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hue City, Hue beef noodle soup has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) in a document signed on June 27.
Mr. Hai assessed that the recognition of national cultural heritage is a driving force to preserve and promote the value of the heritage. Currently, the locality has a plan to protect and promote the value of the newly recognized heritage, aiming to become a UNESCO Creative City in the culinary field.
Beef noodle soup is not only a famous dish at home and abroad, but also a crystallization of folk knowledge preserved and passed down through many generations. The dish is associated with religious life, community activities, and traditional craft villages such as Van Cu and O Sa vermicelli villages, deeply reflecting the lifestyle, soul, and culinary culture of the Hue people.
Hue beef noodle soup. Photo: Tuan AnhA bowl of Hue-style beef noodle soup has a fragrant broth with the aroma of lemongrass and shrimp paste. The chili color not only creates a spicy taste but also adds more color to the bowl of noodles when combined with green onions. Each artisan has their own secret, making no bowl of noodles the same, further increasing the cultural depth of the dish.
In Hue, beef noodle soup not only appears in famous restaurants such as Me Keo, Mu Roi, Ba Tuyet, and Ong Vong but is also present in street vendors, where the old ladies, aunts, and aunties still preserve the soul of the dish with their hands and love for the profession. Beef noodle soup is available at all times of the day, becoming the "soul" of Hue.
In 2014, famous culinary expert Anthony Bourdain introduced Hue beef noodle soup on the American television channel CNN as "the best soup I have ever tasted". In 2016, Hue beef noodle soup was included in the list of Top 100 dishes of Asian value by the Asian Record Organization. In 2023, Taste Atlas, a famous international culinary website, ranked Hue at 28th place in the 100 cities with the best dishes in the world, in which Hue beef noodle soup was considered "a must-try Hue delicacy when coming here".
The criteria for recognition as a national intangible heritage include representativeness, expressing the identity of the community and locality; reflecting cultural diversity and human creativity, being inherited through many generations; having the ability to recover and exist for a long time; and being agreed upon by the community, voluntarily nominated and committed to protection.