The Ho Chi Minh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is hosting a gastronomy festival entitled “Taste of the world” from Dec. 26, 2011- Jan. 1, 2012, giving visitors a vivid picture of gastronomic culture from many countries around the world.

The event also aims to introduce quintessential Vietnamese cuisine to visitors inside and outside the country.

The festival includes 150 showcases, featuring gastronomic specialties of Vietnam and other countries such as India, Germany, the US, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, New Zealand, Japan, France, Italy and Mexico.

The festival also includes interesting activities featuring the cultural identities of the countries; namely cooking skills, traditional art performances, fashion shows, bartender demonstrations and a record attempt at presenting the largest quantity of famous Vietnamese dishes.

A highlight of the event is the special programme on the evening of Dec. 31 to welcome New Year 2012 with a range of cultural and artistic activities. (Source: VNA)