What is Vietnamese food and why is it becoming increasingly popular?

Vietnamese cuisine is one of the many different cuisines found around the world, distinguished by the art of combining seasonings, ingredients, and ways of enjoying the dish. Some of the reasons why this cuisine is becoming so popular are:
- Thanks to its agricultural characteristics, especially rice, growing foods with the richest and most traditional flavor, avoiding industrial products, standing out for buying fresh products in markets.
- The sociable culture, applying the philosophy of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements in processing, using different foods and combining them, creating great dishes.
- The great diversity in using different natural and valuable foods such as herbs like basil or chives, with vegetable spices like chili or pepper and with fermented foods with fish or shrimp sauces, among others.
- One of the main reasons for the success of this culture is the use of chopsticks, as it is part of its essence and present in every meal in Vietnam. This is also considered an art, as it has become an indispensable element of Vietnamese culture.

What is the traditional food of Vietnam?
For those looking to start a Vietnamese food business, they must learn that managing this type of cuisine focuses on the different ingredients and ways of using them, all in relation to the diverse culture available to them.

The ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine must be fresh, and the consumption must consist of local products, as is the case with rice, soy sauce, or herbs and spices. Fresh produce is a very important part of a Vietnamese diet.

In northern Vietnam, the climate is conducive to the consumption of stewed foods, and it's a simpler type of cuisine than others. It's also heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine. Central Vietnam has the best flavors of this cuisine, influenced by both parts of the country. It's characterized by striking a balance between sophistication and delicacy.

As for southern Vietnam, this area is blessed with an abundance of vegetables and fruits that allow for the development of a milder cuisine, where roasts and undercooked or raw foods predominate, although the main characteristic is the preference for spiciness.

What characteristic dishes exist in Vietnamese cuisine?
Due to the large number of cultures that have circulated through the territory of Vietnam, such as China, India or France, it can be said that we are faced with one of the most extensive and varied cuisines on the planet, also highlighting the excellent raw materials that they enjoy.

The most typical Vietnamese dish is Pho. It's a noodle soup with meat and vegetables served in a bowl. Other options include beef soup or chicken soup, but there's no single pho recipe. It can also be seasoned with chives, mint, bean sprouts, or basil.

Cao Lau is another of Vietnam's most well-known dishes. It consists of pork, wide rice noodles, and local vegetables. There are multiple variations, with or without pork, as well as with or without vegetables. It is said that this dish can only be made in Hoi An due to the water the noodles must be boiled in.

The banh mi is a testament to French colonization, as they left behind a dish that combines baguettes with a Vietnamese touch. It's a Vietnamese-style sandwich filled with chicken, pork, tofu, or pâté, and topped with carrots, cucumber, onions, cilantro, and various local herbs and spices.