At the Gia Lai booth, grilled chicken, bamboo-tube sticky rice (cơm lam), and skewered grilled pork, signature dishes of the Bahnar and Jrai ethnic communities, are prepared with traditional care and craftsmanship. Each dish, though simple in appearance, reflects generations of cultural heritage and meticulous cooking methods.
Villagers from Kgiang in Tơ Tung commune were invited to prepare the specialties, using locally sourced ingredients. “We select free-range chickens weighing 1.4 to 1.6 kilograms (about 3–3.5 lbs) for firm, flavorful meat,” said Đinh Văn Bình, a Kgiang culinary team member.
“The sticky rice comes from our own fields, cooked in bamboo tubes for softness and fragrance. Even the pork is from pigs raised on clean feed. Through these dishes, we hope diners will appreciate the Bahnar and Central Highlands culinary traditions.”
As the dishes cook over open flames, the aroma of wood smoke and freshly steamed rice fills the air, evoking memories of communal celebrations in the forests of the Central Highlands.
In addition to mountain flavors, the Gia Lai booth also presents delicacies from the province’s eastern coastal region, once part of Bình Định. Highlights include Quy Nhon fish cake noodle soup and Tây Sơn steamed rice rolls, two long-cherished specialties of the “xứ nẫu” (Bình Định) people.
According to Trần Bửu Thưởng, executive chef at Muong Thanh Quy Nhon Hotel, these dishes carry deep local roots. “Quy Nhon fish cake noodle soup and Tây Sơn steamed rice rolls have been part of Bình Định’s life for generations. Bringing them here allows us to introduce today’s Gia Lai cuisine to people in the capital and visitors from everywhere,” he said.
Festivalgoers have warmly embraced the Central Highlands flavors. “The bamboo-tube sticky rice is soft and fragrant, and the grilled chicken is perfectly seasoned,” said Phạm Thị Mùi from Hưng Yên province. “Enjoying this in Hanoi’s cool autumn weather is truly wonderful.”
Hanoian visitor Phùng Huy Quang shared a similar sentiment after tasting the coastal dishes. “The flavors of ‘xứ nẫu’ left the strongest impression. A hot bowl of fish cake noodle soup on an autumn day in Hanoi really warms the heart,” he said.
Nguyễn Thị Kim Chung, Deputy Director of the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the festival offers a valuable opportunity to promote the province’s tourism and culture.
“Gia Lai is where the vast Central Highlands meet the blue sea and white sands, home to 44 ethnic groups. We carefully selected dishes from both the eastern and western regions to showcase at this year’s fair,” she noted.
The event, themed “Connecting people with production and business,” not only spotlights Gia Lai’s culinary diversity but also highlights Vietnam’s regional unity through food and culture.
