Recently, various activities have showcased the unique culinary culture and exquisite dishes made with fish sauce to both domestic and international visitors.
Regarded as a "Cultural Heritage," Vietnamese fish sauce is crafted from sea fish and salt, meticulously fermented over several months to yield a rich, golden liquid brimming with natural flavor. Since the 10th century, this indispensable condiment has been a cornerstone of daily culinary practices in Vietnam.
In a recent effort to highlight the unique flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, several esteemed associations, including the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, the Vietnam Fish Sauce Association, the Vietnam Fisheries Association, the Royal Chefs Association, the Van Cu Pho Association, the French-Vietnamese Culinary Association, and the Phu Quoc Professional Chefs Association, alongside artisans and Top Chef contestants, convened at a culinary festival in Phu Quoc. At this event, skilled culinary artisans showcased an array of delectable dishes crafted from local ingredients, prominently featuring fish sauce.
Under the skillful hands and deep culinary knowledge of artisans from the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, a variety of distinctive yet familiar dishes such as bun nem, pho rolls, and salad have been created. European and fusion dishes also feature fish sauce as a sophisticated highlight, including fresh squid with mayo fish sauce and Buddha's hand peel, foie gras with fish sauce, and fish-sauce ice cream.
Made from anchovies, Phu Quoc fish sauce has long been renowned and was officially recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2022. Most large-scale fish sauce factories in Phu Quoc City are concentrated in the densely populated wards of Duong Dong and An Thoi, which boast fish ports and favorable conditions for sea and river trade (via Duong Dong River). Notable producers in the area include Thinh Phat, Khai Hoan, and Phung Hung. Annually, Phu Quoc's fish sauce production facilities use a substantial volume of anchovies, with about 25,000 to 30,000 tons fermented to produce 25 to 30 million liters of fish sauce with a protein content of 20 degrees or higher.
Phu Quoc is also home to Masan's fish sauce factory, spanning over 22,000 square meters and housing nearly 500 fermentation vats with a capacity of more than 10,000 tons of fish annually. This facility preserves traditional fish sauce fermentation methods while enhancing quality through standardized processes and adherence to international management standards such as ISO, HCCP, Codex HACCP, and EU Code.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Trần Đáng, President of the Vietnam Fish Sauce Association, the combination of traditional fish sauce production methods with modern processing and bottling technology allows consumers to enjoy fish sauce with a quintessentially Vietnamese flavor. The Vietnam Fish Sauce Association plans to collaborate with the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association on a project to "build and develop Vietnamese culinary culture as a National Brand." This initiative aims to elevate fish sauce, the core seasoning of Vietnamese dishes, to new heights. Additionally, efforts are underway to compile a dossier for fish sauce production to be recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam.
