In a first for Da Nang, 36 restaurants were honoured by Michelin Guide during a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday evening.

A dish from the Nen Danang Restaurant. Photo courtesy of the Nen Danang Restaurant

This is the second year Michelin Guide has evaluated restaurants in Viet Nam, and the first year Da Nang's dining establishments have been selected and honoured.

Among the honourees, 16 restaurants have for the first time joined the Bib Gourmand list of Michelin Guide that honours dining establishments for serving great food at affordable prices. Meanwhile, the remaining 19 were added in the list of Michelin Selected entries.

Most notably, the La Maison 1888 inside the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort was awarded one Michelin Star. La Maison 1988 is Viet Nam’s first restaurant to cooperate with the famous Michelin 3-star chef Pierre Gagnaire who is one of the 10 best chefs in the world and owns prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants.

Michelin Guide Vietnam 2024 introduces 164 restaurants/eateries, of which 7 Michelin one-star, 58 Bib Gourmand and 99 Michelin-selected dining establishments.

According to Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guides, Da Nang's cuisine helps enrich Michelin Guide options with unique local eateries and delicacies, representing Central Viet Nam’s cuisine and featuring culinary influences from France, China and other Southeast Asian cultures. The city’s cuisine marks a deep impression on visitors at both home and abroad thanks to its fresh ingredients, and simple recipes.

“In fact, each of Viet Nam’s three big cities, namely Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, has its own characteristics. Tourists are constantly surprised by the vitality, passion and creativity of local cuisine. Additionally, world renowned chefs have a tendency to open restaurants in Viet Nam, whilst the country has been witnessing a significant increase in the number of Vietnamese chefs with a growing customer base. Therefore, Viet Nam is becoming a more interesting destination on the world’s food map” Mr. Gwendal Poullennec remarked.

At this year's awards ceremony, the Nen Danang Restaurant received the Michelin Green Star title for its sustainable gastronomy. The award honoured dining establishments for pioneering in building sustainable cuisine, and providing experiences that combine culinary excellence with a serious commitment to environmental friendliness.

According to the Michelin Guide, its inspectors assess venues based on five criteria: the personality of the chef as presented in the cuisine, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of cooking techniques, the quality of products, and the consistency both over time and across the entire menu.

In the Michelin system, one star signifies a very good restaurant, two stars mean excellent cooking that is worth a detour, and three stars mean exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.

The Bib Gourmand Award highlights dining establishments that stand out for their good quality, and good value cooking.

Reporting by H.NHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG, P.TRA