The workshop brought together representatives from city departments and agencies, the Vietnam Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, the Central Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, the branch of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance in Da Nang, the Da Nang Museum, the Folk Arts Association, and the Da Nang Culinary Culture Association, along with a large number of lecturers and students from the Tourism Faculty and Food Technology Faculty of Đại học Đông Á.
The conference gathered 30 academic papers from research institutions, universities, and cultural management agencies across the country. These studies ranged from theoretical frameworks to practical issues, contributing to a relatively comprehensive picture of the culinary life of ethnic minority communities in the region.
Among them, six papers were presented directly at the workshop, analyzing various aspects such as the culinary culture in life-cycle rituals of the Co Tu people; the culinary identity of ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas of Da Nang; indigenous traces in the culinary culture of ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas of Da Nang from an ecological and ethnocultural perspective; traditional culinary tools of ethnic groups in the mountainous areas of Quang; as well as ethnic minority cuisine in the expanded urban space of Da Nang, from indigenous knowledge to contemporary values; and “green cuisine” in the development of community-based tourism in the mountainous areas of Quang.
Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Đỗ Trọng Tuấn – Standing Vice Rector of Đại học Đông Á – noted that the workshop brought together many research topics conducted during a period of significant administrative and territorial changes (from July 1, 2025), when Quang Nam Province was merged into Da Nang City. As a result, the western mountainous area of Da Nang has been significantly expanded and fundamentally restructured.
In this new context, ethnic communities such as the Co Tu, Gie Trieng, Xo Dang, Co, and other local groups—long-standing inhabitants of the Truong Son range—are facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges in preserving and promoting their traditional cultural values, especially culinary heritage.
He emphasized that the workshop not only provided an open academic forum that helped clarify the identity and characteristics of ethnic minority culinary culture in Da Nang’s mountainous areas, but also raised public awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage amid urbanization, tourism development, and cultural exchange. At the same time, it offered practical and sustainable directions for heritage conservation and community-based tourism development, contributing to diversified tourism products and destination development.
From a regional studies and eco-cultural perspective, the paper “Culinary Identity of Ethnic Minority Groups in the Mountainous Areas of Da Nang City” by Prof. Dr. Phạm Văn Lợi identified common characteristics in ingredients (forest and upland agriculture), cooking techniques (grilling over fire, bamboo tube cooking), food systems (bamboo-tube rice, grilled meat, thick soups, fermented rice wine), and strongly communal eating practices.
The study also proposed further research directions such as interregional comparisons with the Central Highlands and Northern Truong Son, analyzing the impacts of tourism, urbanization, industrialization, and globalization on culinary practices, as well as examining the role of women and different age groups in preserving local culinary knowledge.
Another paper, “Indigenous Imprints in the Culinary Culture of Ethnic Minorities in the Mountainous Areas of Da Nang: An Ecological and Ethnocultural Approach” by Dr. Lê Anh Tuấn, analyzed indigenous culinary characteristics through the lens of human ecology and cultural adaptation. It highlighted the decisive role of the Truong Son mountainous environment in shaping ingredients, cooking techniques (grilling, bamboo cooking, fermentation, smoking), taste preferences, and seasonal dietary structures.
The author emphasized that this culinary diversity, deeply rooted in ethnic cultural identity, represents valuable heritage that should be preserved and can also contribute to the development of attractive tourism products aligned with Da Nang’s cultural industry strategy.
The paper “Green Cuisine in Community-Based Tourism Development in the Mountainous Areas of Quang” by ThS. Đặng Thị Kim Thoa and Dr. Trần Tấn Vịnh explored the concept of “green cuisine” in community tourism development. It describes sustainable culinary practices based on local ingredients such as upland rice, wild vegetables, forest chicken, indigenous pork, stream fish, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms; traditional chemical-free cultivation methods; environmentally friendly cooking techniques such as bamboo tube rice and forest leaf wrapping; and the use of biodegradable natural materials for food preparation and presentation.
The study argues that “green cuisine” is not a newly created development trend but a continuation of long-standing traditional practices. It also emphasizes that while promoting culinary heritage for tourism, exploitation must remain within ecological and cultural limits to avoid commercializing or distorting traditional meanings. Preserving native crops, maintaining traditional cooking methods, and ensuring community ownership in tourism activities are essential for sustainable development, allowing green cuisine to become both an experiential product and a foundation for long-term community well-being.