French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron successfully concluded their state visit to Vietnam from May 25 to 27.
On the third day of the visit to Vietnam, the French President and his wife visited Madame Hien Hanoi - a famous restaurant on Hang Be Street.
The lunch had about 50 guests including famous Vietnamese artists invited by the French President and the tour guide. Meals only last for about 75 minutes, the menu is carefully planned by the restaurant to ensure time.
The menu chosen includes copper crab vermicelli, rolls, fresh spring rolls, fried spring rolls, papaya salad, cod, shrimp and squid in lotus leaves, Ly Son stir-fried water spinach, chocolate cake and black sesame cream.
Instead of expensive ingredients, the restaurant chooses simple, familiar foods in Vietnamese meals such as field crab, water spinach, Ly Son garlic, papaya... The dishes are not elaborate but still show sophistication and ingenuity, introducing unique culinary characteristics of Vietnam.
Ms. Nguyen Hoang Yen, manager of Madame Hien Hanoi restaurant, said that the French Embassy had announced a month in advance about the "high-end group" booking a table.
On the day of welcoming guests, when there was official information about the visit to Vietnam by French President Macron, the restaurant was identified as a " high-end group".
"Actually, the restaurant has welcomed many national heads of state, this is not too surprising but we still feel very honored and proud," said Ms. Hoang Yen.
The process of making a strict and meticulous menu is meticulous, with adjustments to suit the eating habits and tastes of President Macron and his wife.
The menu was created by French chef Didier Corlou. Having been a chef at one of the most famous 5-star hotels in Hanoi for 16 years and owning 5 high-end restaurants in Hanoi, Mr. Didier Corlou did not take much time to come up with the idea for French President Macron's meal.
To prepare for the VVIP group, the restaurant proactively selected the best staff to serve the President. In addition, regarding security issues, time arrangements... all must comply with the arrangement plan of the authorities.
Ms. Yen said she was extremely impressed by President Macron's friendliness and cheerfulness when coming to the restaurant: "As soon as the staff stepped up to order the bowl of noodles, the French President asked if this was a typical dish of Vietnam. He also really likes spices, raw vegetables, and herbs from Vietnam".
Although the meal was quick, simple and smooth. At the end of the lunch, French President Macron praised Vietnamese cuisine, shook hands with each employee, took photos and chatted with chef Didier Corlou.
At the end of his visit to Vietnam, the French President posted a video thanking Vietnam. At around 10 seconds, he waved his hand at the people on Hang Be Street when he went to the restaurant for lunch. A large number of people in Hanoi warmly welcomed the French President and his wife.
During his visit to Vietnam, the French President and his wife have walked on the streets of Hanoi many times, participated in activities to learn about Vietnamese culture such as visiting the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Ngoc Son Temple... and enjoying the fine music of the Hue royal court and local cuisine.
