The Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2025 celebrates the nation’s finest chefs, restaurants, and hospitality leaders. Guided by a distinguished advisory board of international hoteliers, sommeliers, entrepreneurs, and tastemakers, the awards ensure credibility and vision. These judges bring unmatched expertise, guaranteeing winners truly embody excellence, creativity, and authenticity in Vietnam’s gastronomy.
Vietnam’s culinary landscape is flourishing, weaving together centuries-old traditions with contemporary innovation. The Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2025 celebrates this vibrant evolution, honouring chefs, restaurants, mixologists, and hospitality leaders who define excellence across the country. More than a competition, it is a platform that recognises talent, fosters innovation, and connects Vietnam’s gastronomic achievements to the world stage.
The awards encompass six major pillars designed to reflect the full spectrum of Vietnam’s dining and hospitality excellence:
To ensure fairness and credibility, each entry undergoes a multi-layered judging process. Evaluation criteria include food quality and consistency, creativity and innovation, service excellence, ambience, and sustainability practices. A combination of expert assessment and consumer feedback ensures the winners embody true excellence: balancing flavour, vision, and experience.
At the heart of the awards is a distinguished panel of judges and advisors, bringing together international expertise and local insight.
Eric A. Baumgartner: Hospitality strategist and Founder of Dôme Hospitality, with senior leadership roles at Raffles, Relais & Châteaux, and The Leading Hotels of the World. His global experience spans luxury hotels, restaurants, and collaborations with culinary legends.
James Young: Hotelier and strategic advisor with senior roles at IHG and WMC Group. Currently leading Sparren Consulting in Ho Chi Minh City, James brings decades of leadership and academic engagement across Europe, Asia, and Australasia.
Peter Chong: Publisher of Deployant.com and passionate gastronome, celebrated for chronicling both street food culture and fine dining in Vietnam and beyond. His perspective bridges craftsmanship across watches, wine, and gastronomy.
Alfredo De La Casa: Sommelier and co-founder of So Sexy Wines, he has shaped Vietnam’s wine scene for over a decade. Author of the country’s first book on wine pairings with local cuisine, he champions accessibility and education.
Tracie May: Award-winning American communications executive, event producer, and lifestyle influencer with over 25 years of international experience. Based in Vietnam, she is known for her role as host of Chat.Travel and as a guest judge on national culinary television, bridging hospitality, media, and culture with authority and style.
Jovel Chan: Singaporean entrepreneur, food blogger, and founder of Saigon Supperclub and Saigon Social, she champions diversity and women’s representation in Vietnam’s evolving F&B landscape.
The Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2025 is more than recognition; it is a celebration of Vietnam’s cultural richness, culinary artistry, and the visionaries who bring these experiences to life. With international credibility and local authenticity, the awards set a new benchmark for the country’s hospitality industry.
With 800 expressions and 350 new releases, the festival offers plenty of opportunities to discover…
At The cave by Chef Ryan Clift, the new menu revisits comfort flavours through modern…
Korean beauty brand Sulwhasoo opens a year-long residency at Raffles Spa Jakarta, bringing its ginseng-inspired…
With 20 new suites, five private pool villas, a lagoon pool and a new dining…
From seasonal specialities to serene garden surroundings and elegant private dining spaces, Keyaki at Pan…
Discover a celebration of Asian gastronomy at Galaxy Macau, where 12 renowned chefs and three…