On April 29, the Southern Cuisine Festival kicked off in Can Tho city within the framework of activities to mark the progress of ten years of construction and development in the Mekong Delta region.

Joining the festival, tourists who travel to Vietnam will have the chance to enjoy the specialties and traditional dishes of 13 Mekong Delta provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

A cooking contest between artisans and chefs from Can Tho, An Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap, Hau Giang and Ca Mau provinces is the highlight of the festival and is expected to attract a large number of spectators.

Nguyen Thanh Son, head of the organizing board, said the contest aims to introduce the special features of southern gastronomy and cuisine and create a playing field for chefs to share experiences and learn about different cooking and new culinary techniques.