The awards ceremony for the Michelin Guide Vietnam 2026 was held in Hanoi on June 4, 2026, and the newly created \u201cOpening of the Year\u201d was won by the Ho Chi Minh City restaurant \u201cN\u00d4M.\u201d Crowning its name with chu Nom, Vietnam\u2019s old writing script, and incorporating a \u201cmini-museum\u201d of traditional crafts, its immersive dining experience was recognized.<\/p>\n
On June 4, 2026, Michelin announced the 2026-edition selection of the guide covering Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang in Hanoi. The newly created \u201cOpening of the Year\u201d is an award given to a restaurant or team that opened within the past 12 months and influenced the local food culture with an original tasting concept. N\u00d4M\u2019s chef, Chris Fong, was chosen as the inaugural winner.<\/p>\n
The restaurant\u2019s name \u201cN\u00d4M\u201d derives from \u201cchu Nom,\u201d an old writing script used in Vietnam. This writing system, created based on Chinese characters, was once used to write the Vietnamese language. Using this script as an entry point, N\u00d4M expresses Vietnam\u2019s history and culture through its dishes, and by incorporating a \u201cmini-museum\u201d introducing traditional crafts inside the restaurant, it offers an experience of tracing the country\u2019s culinary heritage through a meal.<\/p>\n
In Japanese terms, it\u2019s close to an attempt to layer the worldview of Man\u2019yogana or old documents onto cuisine. That you can experience not just the flavor but the story of Vietnam\u2019s script and crafts was judged fitting for the new award.<\/p>\n