In the Tet meal, which dish is associated with childhood memories and makes you feel the atmosphere of reunion the clearest?
- When mentioning Tet, I will immediately think of banh chung. In my memory, Tet always starts from early mornings when the whole family gathers very early: aunts, uncles and uncles together wash dong leaves, soak sticky rice, prepare each step of wrapping banh chung. My parents often keep a part in the house and the rest to give to relatives and family at the beginning of the year. It is the process of making banh chung together and sharing with everyone that has deeply engraved in my childhood memories of warm and reunited Tet days.
Becoming Miss Universe Vietnam 2025, I cherish even more the value of my family and community. Therefore, during Tet, I also carry out charity activities with Miss Universe Vietnam Organization, hoping to spread love so that Tet is truly a season of reunion and compassion.
As a young person, how do you see preserving traditional flavors in Tet cuisine amidst modern life?
- I always maintain a clear view: the more society develops, the more important it becomes to preserve traditional values. The story of Tet cuisine is also the same. Cuisine is not simply about eating and drinking, but a lively part of Vietnamese culture. Therefore, I believe that preserving the traditional flavor in Tet dishes is a small effort within the larger picture of cultural preservation.
Tet for me is an opportunity to slow down in the modern pace of life, to give myself nostalgia for the traditional flavors in the spring meal. Just familiar dishes such as banh chung, banh tet, pickled onions, pickled scallions... are enough to create a very unique color of Vietnamese Tet.
Does Miss Phuong Linh have a habit of preparing Tet dishes with her family or often enjoys more transformed and creative Tet dishes?
- Tet is always a time to return to being a child in the family, so I still maintain the habit of preparing Tet dishes myself with my parents and two older brothers. Whether it's just helping to wrap cakes, cook a pot of bitter melon soup or arrange a tray of food, those are still moments that help me fully feel the Tet atmosphere and family cohesion - something that is sometimes very difficult to achieve during the year.
Actually, I am also open to Tet dishes that are transformed and more creative to suit the taste of young people. Whether it is a traditional dish or a new dish, the most important thing is still the feeling of reunion and love when the whole family gathers together in the first days of the year.
In your opinion, what makes the core value of Vietnamese Tet cuisine - dishes, processing methods or the meaning of family cohesion?
- The core value of Vietnamese Tet cuisine, in my opinion, lies not only in the dishes or elaborate processing methods, but also in the meaning of connecting families and people together. Tet dishes become special because they are prepared with the contributions of family members, with love and wishes for a peaceful new year.
I realize that Tet dishes have a very special "power" of connection. The whole family has the opportunity to gather together, picking up a few dishes on the Tet meal tray, and so the problems and concerns in the past year are also expressed. This is the value of healing and connecting that I am very proud of in Vietnamese Tet cuisine.
If you were introduced a Vietnamese Tet dish to international friends, which dish would you choose and why?
- If I am introduced to a Vietnamese Tet dish to international friends, I will choose braised pork with eggs. This is a familiar, rustic dish but clearly expresses the spirit of reunion of Tet. To have a delicious pot of braised pork with eggs requires a lot of time and care. In particular, this traditional dish is often cooked in a large pot for the whole family to enjoy throughout the Tet days. For me, it is a natural way to preserve the feeling of reunion and fullness for the new year.
Within the framework of Miss Cosmo 2025, I also had the opportunity to introduce braised pork with eggs to contestants from many countries and territories. Everyone was surprised and excited, not only because of the flavor but also because of the story behind the dish. I believe that simple cuisine is an effective way for international friends to better understand the warm, cohesive Vietnamese culture and always uphold family and community values.
Thank you for your sharing!
