The "Global Chefs Challenge 2026" culinary world championship was held in Wales, UK, from May 16 to 19, 2026, and Team Vietnam took the silver medal. The tasting menu created by Trinh Tuan Dung and Le Dac Minh Quan of the Saigon Professional Chefs Association (SPC) scored 81.875 points, placing 8th out of 15 countries. In this Worldchefs-organized competition, it was the first time in more than 20 years of history that a Vietnamese team advanced to the world finals.
Four courses capturing "the essence of Vietnam"
The menu Dung and his teammate prepared was themed "The Essence of Vietnam." A four-course lineup of an appetizer, two mains, and a dessert, with 12 plates completed per course. While using premium ingredients such as Norwegian tiger prawns and caviar, they built the foundation on ST25 rice from the Mekong Delta, garlic from Ly Son Island, and nuoc mam (fish sauce) from Phu Quoc, putting Vietnamese ingredients front and center.
In cooking, they incorporated techniques such as steamed pho rice sheets and the crispy rice-flour "banh xeo" pancake, translating traditional dishes onto plates that meet world standards. Dung reflected, "On the day I wasn't feeling well, and there were premium ingredients I hadn't practiced with much, so I could only deliver about 85% of what I managed in training."
A world challenge after an Asia-qualifier gold medal
Team Vietnam earned its ticket to the world finals by winning the 2025 Asia regional qualifier. Dung took gold at that qualifier and carried the momentum straight onto the world stage. In a competition long dominated by tough Asian rivals, having Southeast Asian cuisine recognized in the finals marks a major turning point for Vietnam's culinary world.
Scores and top-ranked countries (no prize money in yen terms)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Competition name | Global Chefs Challenge 2026 |
| Venue and dates | Wales, UK / May 16–19, 2026 |
| Organizer | World Association of Chefs' Societies (Worldchefs) |
| Vietnam's score and rank | 81.875 points / 8th of 15 countries (silver medal) |
| Scoring criteria | Gold 90–100 / silver 80–89.99 / bronze 70–79.99 |
| Winner | Italy, 94.167 points |
| 2nd and 3rd | Denmark / Singapore |
How locals see it
An SPC representative said, "Just standing on the final stage is a historic step." Dung himself spoke of his sense of achievement: "We showed the world the power of Vietnamese ingredients." Among the local chef community, there is growing pride that homegrown ingredients like ST25 rice and Phu Quoc fish sauce held their own at a world competition.
Impact on Vietnam fans and travelers
This silver medal shows that Vietnamese cuisine has entered a stage where it is valued in the context of fine dining, beyond the frame of "cheap, tasty street food." For travelers visiting restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, chances to see pho and banh xeo rebuilt with world-class technique look set to grow. Anyone interested in world-standard Vietnamese cuisinewill also want to check out cutting-edge spots like Pot Au Pho 2.0, known for its molecular pho.and other cutting-edge spots like it are also worth checking out.
Ripple effects on the industry
Vietnam also has a new edition of the Michelin Guide due on June 4, 2026, and international attention on the domestic food scene is rising. Achievements at world competitions become fuel for young chefs to train abroad and for homegrown ingredients to build their brands. When region-specific ingredients like Ly Son garlic are used at an international competition, it also lifts the brand value of their place of origin.Developments around the Michelin Guide Vietnam 2026together broaden the criteria by which Vietnamese food culture is judged.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| The national team | Trinh Tuan Dung / Le Dac Minh Quan (SPC) |
| Homegrown ingredients used | ST25 rice (Mekong Delta), Ly Son Island garlic, Phu Quoc fish sauce |
| Related places worth visiting | Ly Son Island (garlic), Phu Quoc Island (fish sauce) |
| The next event to watch | Michelin Guide Vietnam 2026 (announced June 4, 2026) |
For more on Ly Son garlic, seeour feature on the volcanic island that nurtures "single-clove garlic."is a useful reference too.
Summary
The silver medal at the Global Chefs Challenge 2026 is a symbolic result showing that Vietnamese cuisine has been recognized on a stage competing for the world's pinnacle. The challenge taken on by Vietnamese chefs, who honed homegrown ingredients and traditional techniques to world standards, is also a chance for travelers and food lovers to rediscover Vietnam.
Source:VnExpress International
